LEYDEN — In the wake of the resignation of all seven Council on Aging members, the Selectboard has temporarily taken over the COA’s duties and is working with an advisory group to brainstorm ideas for senior services.

“We are hoping people will get interested in being appointed to the COA,” said Selectboard member Katherine DiMatteo. Advisory group member Amy St. Clair said the town hopes to have a quorum for a new COA by June.

The seven former COA members resigned effective Jan. 27, citing a perceived lack of support from town officials amid a conflict with a resident the council members claimed was disparaging of its work. Although there was initial consideration of bringing the involved parties together in an executive session, the Selectboard — with Bill Glabach abstaining because his wife, Mary, served on the COA — ultimately voted to approve the resignations due to the “frustration that was expressed” in the resignation letters. The incident also inspired discussions about the town’s civil code of conduct, adopted Sept. 13, 2021, and whether it clearly outlines and enforces standards for respectful discourse while also protecting democratic participation.

Continuing senior services

Although the COA consisted of seven members, at least four seats would need to be filled to have a quorum for meetings. The COA, which is tasked with setting priorities for the town regarding services, benefits and education for seniors, routinely holds luncheons and coffee hours. Other services include blood pressure clinics and foot clinics, as well as presentations such as scam protection talks or informational sessions on Medicare enrollment.

According to DiMatteo, new COA members would be appointed by the Selectboard, rather than voted into office during a special election. Anyone who is interested in serving on the COA is advised to contact Municipal Assistant Michele Giarusso at muniasst@townofleyden.com or 413-774-4111, ext. 1.

In the meantime, though, the Selectboard and an advisory group of around 10 people, led by DiMatteo, are working with COA Assistant Linda Allis to ensure some services continue, while also brainstorming ideas for new senior services and sharing recommendations for programming. For example, a senior spring luncheon was held Wednesday at Town Hall, which also included games and a presentation by Holly Spatcher about her trip to Africa.

DiMatteo said a foot clinic, funded using a Fred W. Wells Trust grant, is happening every other month, with the next one scheduled for June. The town also receives $6,000 from the Massachusetts Councils on Aging each year, which must be expended before using any of the $4,000 that is appropriated through the town budget for senior services.

St. Clair also recently put together a pamphlet detailing services available in Franklin County and numbers to call for more information. The pamphlet was mailed to Leyden residents ages 65 and older. Some of the services include Neighbors Helping Neighbors, the Board of Health’s walk-in clinic, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and LifePath, among others.

Renewed effort

With about 47% of Leyden’s population of 734 people being 65 or older, according to DiMatteo, senior services are essential in town. Those who joined the advisory group, as well as some who may be interested in joining COA, hope to support these residents.

St. Clair, who was a member of the COA about 10 years ago and served for four years, said when the COA members resigned, “I thought I would come back and see if I could pursue what interests me, like the outreach of building community.” For several years, St. Clair has been running the informal group Neighbors Helping Neighbors, through which volunteers help seniors with shoveling, transportation and “whatever they need.”

St. Clair joined the advisory group and has submitted a letter of interest to the Selectboard in hopes of being appointed to the COA. She anticipates an appointment could come sometime before June, when the town hopes to have a quorum for a new COA.

“I am interested in building community and helping them get access to things if they need something desperately,” St. Clair said of the town’s seniors. “We’re still in the formative stage [and] we’re just at the beginning of what we might do.”

Another member of the advisory group, Nanette Rolstad, said she joined because she’s “lived in Leyden all my life, and I’m aging with the rest of the population.”

Rolstad noted the group has been holding coffee hours every other Sunday from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Town Offices in collaboration with the Historical Commission, allowing seniors to peruse town-focused historical displays. St. Clair said around 18 people have been interested in the coffee hour, and about 45 people registered for Wednesday’s luncheon, which was “many more than we expected.”

“We’re just getting our feet wet,” St. Clair said.

“We really need to reaffirm the COA,” said DiMatteo. “We have a lot of momentum behind us now.”

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