Selectmen Listen Up at Senior Center

The Board of Selectmen took a slice of Town Hall on the road Monday, holding an afternoon meeting at the . 

"We wanted to bring Town Hall to you," said Selectman Kevin Conley. "We're here to listen."

Conley and Chairman Jay Marsden joked that selectmen--like many elected officials--are no stranger to the center during election season. The three years in between can be a different story. 

"This is a phenomenal place," Marsden said. "We all need to work together as a community to address issues and concerns. That starts with good communication."

State Rep. Carolyn Dykema also attended the meeting.

Held in a classroom where earlier in the day a yoga class was held with 17 particpants and shortly after a lunch that drew a strong crowd, the hour-long meeting was a chance for about 15 residents to air their concerns and topics raised ranged from traffic to parking and access to town parks, as well as resources to help keep the Holliston Senior Center thriving. 

The older residents--they unanimously eschewed the term 'seniors'--expressed concern about the granted to Superintendent of Schools Bradford Jackson, the school budget in general and the overall cost of living in Holliston.

Ideas for improving the senior center ranged from better parking to a possible relocation or a new facility--Conley himself said he has an idea that he's not yet ready to reveal.

Traffic was a concern. Verna Hobson suggested it's time for a traffic light at the intersection of Washington St. and Central St., while Barbara Chamberlain of Prentice St. said traffic makes it difficult to get out of her own driveway to head to the senior center many days.

Charlie Coles, who recently helped secure funds to fix the garage at the senior center to allow the newly acquired van to be stored indoors, suggested solar panels atop the senior center--the town is in the process of having panels installed atop several municipal and school buildings--and plug-in stations for electric cars. 

Council on Aging member Michele Goldberg said the senior center will need more space to continue to thrive and provide services to a growing population of older residents. "The number of people who will want to use the center is going to continue to grow," she said. COA Chairperson Claire Redmond suggested the time may be approaching to study what those needs may be, with an eye toward the future. 

For her part, Senior Center Director Lina Arena-DeRosa said the town's Council on Aging van--run through a partnership with the regional transportation authority--is being used at maximum capacity. "We run it eight hours a day and still can't keep up with demand," she said.

Other topics covered included the possibility of a town pool being built, the state of the town's roads and sidewalks, especially during winter months, and the difficulty of finding handicapped-accessible parking at town parks. 

The older residents were complimentary of selectmen for making the daytime visit, as many don't drive at night, when the board typically meets.  

The board plans other non-Town Hall meetings this month as well, including a meeting at Mission Springs planned for Oct. 28.