Board approves temporary increase in staff hours; grants described to expand assessment and visibility

The South County Senior Center board approved a temporary increase in staff hours to address growing demand and program expansion. A motion was made to raise Tom’s hours to 30–35 per week through the end of fiscal year 2025 with a six-month evaluation; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Board discussion leading up to the vote emphasized that the center’s rapid membership growth is stretching a small staff. Staff noted Tom’s current limit of 19 hours and said increasing him to 35 hours would enable more consistent support across multiple program locations (including Weightley Town Hall) and help cover transportation and setup duties.

Members also reviewed two grant awards contingent on the governor’s budget and other approvals: a $20,000 grant to expand the needs assessment (building on a 2021–22 UMass study) to include dementia-friendly planning and broader stakeholder outreach, and a $7,500 grant to boost the center’s visibility and communications. Separately, board staff reported that Vercog (the regional council of governments) will provide a contract this year for $12,690 after towns pooled funds to support regional programming.

The board agreed to evaluate the staffing change in six months and to explore sustainable funding sources, including carry-forward funds and potential MassDOT support to offset transportation costs.

Next steps: staff will implement the temporary hours increase, track outcomes, and return with a report to the board at the six-month review.