Non-Residents Can Take Senior Center Classes, Council Decides

Calling their plan an attempt to be fair and consistent, Lower Saucon Township Council unanimously approved a fee structure for senior center classes and programs at Seidersville Hall on Jan. 18.

The fee structure was discussed after it was revealed that there has been some confusion about whether non-residents of the township are eligible to participate in the senior center activities.

The confusion came to light after it was discovered that two of the eight students who regularly attend the weekly are not township residents.

One of the students is from Hellertown and the other is from Upper Saucon Township. Both have participated in the weekly class for years, council was told by representatives from the class.

Township Manager Jack Cahalan said the Open Art Studio has been run under a contract between the township and the since 2003, although the class actually pre-dates the contract.

Cahalan said the original agreement establishing the program is "silent about residency," but told council that subsequent agreements with the community center do mandate residency status for participants.

"That basically is the crux of the issue," he said.

Council president Glenn Kern said he'd like to see a "minimal fee" structure implemented for non-residents interested in participating in classes at the senior center.

He endorsed a recommendation by township director of finance Cathy Gorman to charge non-residents an annual fee of $5 per program or an annual fee of $25 for access to all senior center programs.

Community center co-director Erin Siegfried, who was in attendance at the meeting, said she felt that fee structure would be reasonable.

Cahalan also noted that "if someone is unable to (pay) the fee because of their financial condition, we would consider waiving it."

Council also decided that since the Open Art Studio--which is held from Labor Day through Memorial Day--is already half finished for the year, this year's fee will be prorated to $2.50.

"I think it's as fair as fair can be," Kern told the community center's board of directors, Walt Morrissey, who was also at the meeting.

Non-residents will not have to pay a fee in order to attend occasional parties that are held at the senior center, it was stated.

Seidersville Hall is part of the and hosts one of two senior centers administered by the Saucon Valley Community Center, which hosts the other at its building in Hellertown.