SUNBURY – A Valley senior action center is set to close at the end of next month. During Tuesday’s public meeting, the Northumberland County Commissioners approved by a 2-1 vote, a plan to close the Trevorton Senior Action Center, effective February 28. The closing was recommended by Area Agency on Aging Administrator Karen Leonovich.
Leonovich says not seeing an increase in funding from the state the last 12 years to accommodate increasing costs was taking its toll.
Leonovich says several other factors went into the decision, “We looked at the attendance has gone down over the years. The congregate meals, meals at the center, have gone down significantly. The building itself is an older building. The landlord has been very willing to work with us on any needs, but there are some structural concerns that are going to be quite costly for him to fix.”
Commissioner Kymberley Best voiced her displeasure in voting against the motion. She says the county needs to have a matter of priorities and Human Services needs to continue to be the No. 1 responsibility.
“When you make monetary decisions to give a 50-percent rent cost to a multi-million dollar company, but you can’t help supplement a senior action center, I think you’re priorities are not aligned with what we’re here to do.”
Those seniors attending the Trevorton center will be asked to visit the Shamokin-Coal Township Senior Action Center. That center is about 7 miles away. (Matt Catrillo)
