The committee engaged in a debate over potential lease spaces for a new senior center, with locations such as the Mill and Main complex, Beijing school, Maynard Crossing, and the state police crime lab on Acton Street being considered. The discussions veered into the implications of each funding option, the limitations imposed by Proposition 2 ½, and the potential use of local receipts for funding. The need for an ongoing source of funds to support a lease was underscored, with particular attention given to the challenges posed by inflation in the context of municipal finances.

One of the topics was the potential of a tax override to fund the new senior center. The committee acknowledged the town’s difficulty in securing lease space without committed funding, sparking concerns about the town’s ability to support the financial demands of a new center. The idea of a separate override for the senior center was cautiously raised, considering potential community resistance and the upcoming school committee’s plans to seek an operating override in the spring of 2025 for other projects.

The possibility of grants and other funding sources was also discussed, with members acknowledging the challenges of securing annual revenue through grants. The establishment of a working group was decided upon to address the financial aspects of the project comprehensively.

Committee members emphasized the need for the group to coalesce and advocate for the senior center project, suggesting that the new center could potentially serve as a multigenerational facility, which would broaden its appeal and utility. The conversation also touched upon the importance of a feasibility study as the starting point for the long-term space planning for the senior center, as well as the necessity of planning for the operating costs of a new building.

In addition to long-term planning, the committee also focused on more immediate needs, such as setting up a new email address to facilitate communication with the public and creating a working group to establish frequently asked questions for the Senior Center Committee’s website.

The committee discussed the process of making documents publicly available, highlighting the need for transparency and member review before publication on the town website. A proposal document from 2021 for a building in the Mill and Main complex was scrutinized for rental rates and square footage, with discussions on the need for committee members to be educated on commercial real estate to make informed recommendations to the select board.

Aging assessments were also on the agenda, with the committee expressing interest in reviewing studies from other towns conducted by the University of Massachusetts Boston group that is set to conduct the Maynard study. The suggestion was made for the Council on Aging to present to the committee before the study results are finalized.