SUNBURY — Northumberland County Commissioners Vinny Clausi and Kurt Masser oppose closing four of the 11 senior action centers as part of the Area Agency on Aging’s attempt to meet its budget.
“That,” said Clausi, a majority Democratic commissioner, “should be the last resort.”
Sources on Tuesday identified the targeted senior centers as those in Elysburg, Milton, Riverside and Trevorton.
Area Agency on Aging Director Pat Rumberger declined to confirm which centers are slated for closing, but insisted the agency is out of options and must shutter the facilities to save about $120,000.
“It is the last resort, the last place I can cut my budget and still provide a service,” she said.
Under the proposal, senior centers in Dewart, Herndon, Kulpmont, Mount Carmel, Northumberland, Shamokin and Sunbury would remain open and transportation would be provided in communities that lose their local center.
But with two of the three county commissioners expressing opposition to the plan, the agency may have to find cuts elsewhere in its $4.28 million budget.
Masser, a minority commissioner, said he was troubled to learn about the proposed closures weeks after he assured seniors in the Milton area he wouldn’t let it happen.
“I told them that I would fight for their centers. Closing them would be the last option,” he said.
Both he and Clausi disagree with board Chairman Frank Sawicki’s position that the agency’s advisory board — composed of representatives from each of the 11 centers — are in charge of deciding the centers’ fate.
“We make the ultimate decision,” Masser said of the commissioners.
He’s against closing any of the centers despite urging all human services agencies to reduce spending in the face of the county’s looming $1 million deficit.
Masser and Clausi said the aging agency should be able to curb spending in other areas.
“The people who are going to these centers need to get out and have social interaction, and I worry whenever they don’t have that,” Masser said.
Clausi said he was out of the loop on the issue and had learned about the possible closures Wednesday morning from an agency representative.
“Human services have to make cuts in their budgets, but (the Area Agency on Aging) should look at other areas before they cut the poor senior citizens,” Clausi said.
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