Rochester Council on Aging Director Sharon Lally and members of the COA Board have big plans to improve services to seniors. On Monday they presented some short-term and long-term ideas to Selectmen.

Liquor license

Among the “low-hanging fruit” is a plan to get state approval for a one-day liquor license for the Senior Center. The center would be able to host events for up to 20 dates a year, if approved. But COA Board member Woody Hartley said the license would only be needed once or twice a year.

Lally and COA Board member Woody Hartley said functions have been held outside of town, such as a recent Rochester Historical Society party, because there isn’t a better option in town.

“It may help us in terms of drawing in some of the younger senior citizens,” said Lally.

More parking

Another item on the group’s short-term wish list is expanded parking for the Senior Center.

“We are bursting at the seams,” said Lally.

Hartley proposed using an adjacent town-owned lot to expand parking options as additional spaces are needed at least 20 times a year. In those instances, seniors have to park at the nearby ball field and walk across gravel.

“I would like to do something in the next year on that,” Hartley told Selectmen.

They recommended he work with Facilities Director Andrew Daniel in January.

Program for dementia

Lally and the board would like to begin a program for people who have dementia, welcoming those from out of town as well. That, along with expanding other programs, will require more staff.

“We have wonderful staff, but they’re not professionally trained,” said Lally.

Funds for transportation

The state reimburses the town for transportation costs sustained by the COA, which is the only public transportation offered in town. The board, however, would like to see more funds for transportation in its budget, especially as one of three vans needs to be replaced.

“We don’t want to be nickeled and dimed when we say we want $50,000 for a new vehicle,” Hartley said.

Lally added that there are no grants available for new vans.

Tax relief

The state’s senior work-off program allows towns to reduce senior citizens’ property taxes in exchange for working for the town. Currently, the town has a cap of $750 per person, which equals 75 hours of work.

“It doesn’t take long to use up seventy-five hours,” said Lally. “One hundred hours is certainly much more amenable.”

That would allow seniors to get $1,000 off of their bills. Selectmen said they’d already discussed the issue and were in favor of the change.

Senior housing

A longer-term goal for the board is getting affordable housing for seniors in town.

“We’re losing our seniors. They’re going elsewhere,” said Lally.

She said high taxes are contributing to that even as the senior population has grown in the past six year.

Lally said a group is meeting to learn about available options, and a more formal committee would be helpful in the future.

Above all, Lally and Hartley said the COA needs support as the senior population grows and services grow with it.

“We’re really the only group in town,” Lally said.