New Hartford Senior Program moves to Utica

[Atticus Pizzaballa]

Partnership gets senior programs to New Hartford residents at Utica rec center

A public-private partnership will provide services and programming for New Hartford seniors in Utica.



The agreement grants New Hartford seniors access to programs at the Parkway Recreation Center in Utica, with the town paying a monthly fee to 50 Forward Mohawk Valley. The nonprofit provides programs and services for residents more than 50 years old, including pickleball, yoga, choral groups and more.



The nonprofit already provides transportation to the recreation center free of charge and will expand the service to New Hartford, said 50 Forward executive director Kelly Walters. Transportation costs are funded by the City of Utica and Oneida County.


unch is provided to seniors at the recreation center on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, which is offered through the Oneida County Office for Aging.



The partnership between the city, town and 50 Forward comes after seniors spoke out against cuts to activities and the cancellation of the hot meal program this spring. The New Hartford Senior Center is now closed and all resources are coming to Parkway Recreation Center, said Paul Miscione, New Hartford town supervisor.



The town would never be able to replicate the resources already on offer at the Utica recreation center, Miscione said.



“It would cost us millions of dollars to do what’s being done here,” he said. “ … Even at the best of the senior center, we never had that many programs or facilities like this.”



More:New Hartford seniors upset over loss of activities



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The town will save $40,000-$95,000 on staffing alone under the agreement, along with overhead costs like utilities at the former facility. The equipment from the senior center kitchen will be sent to Sherillbrook Park and the New Hartford Recreation Center for concessions.



Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri said partnering with New Hartford was a no-brainer and ties into the city’s goal of attracting people outside the area to its amenities.



“They’ve been a great, great team player,” Palmieri said. “We look at it as one region, we don’t look at it independently.”




The town would never be able to replicate the resources already on offer at the Utica recreation center, Miscione said.



“It would cost us millions of dollars to do what’s being done here,” he said. “ … Even at the best of the senior center, we never had that many programs or facilities like this.”

he town will save $40,000-$95,000 on staffing alone under the agreement, along with overhead costs like utilities at the former facility. The equipment from the senior center kitchen will be sent to Sherillbrook Park and the New Hartford Recreation Center for concessions.



Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri said partnering with New Hartford was a no-brainer and ties into the city’s goal of attracting people outside the area to its amenities.



“They’ve been a great, great team player,” Palmieri said. “We look at it as one region, we don’t look at it independently.”

www.uticaod.com/story/news/local/2022/09/12/partnership-expands-senior-programs-for-new-hartford-residents/68089334007/

Sounds like a win win program.

[kit]

Politics, politics, politics. New Hartford, already rolling in dough, will now save much more money by scabbing off of Utica's well-earned Senior programs and lunches. New Hartford Seniors would like to keep their lunches and activities in New Hartford where they belong now that they have the room at the new facility.

What does it tell us when in the middle of the Senior's efforts to stay alive, Paul Miscione and his crew of politicians tell the Seniors they can't afford to keep them afloat, then turn around and vote themselves a pay raise. Um...

The article includes a quote 'We're not done yet'. Perhaps this is an indication that the Senior's voices will be heard more loudly when election time comes around again.

[clarencebunsen]

I don't go to the Seniors' Center (at least not yet) but I know that many were not happy when they were moved from the location in the village to the Gander Mountain building. I know that the town and village got a good deal on the building, and it allowed them to consolidate many services at one location. However old guys are often not happy when someone upsets our routine. I can't imagine that getting on a little bus for a ride to Utica will be popular.

[Clipper]

Ridiculous and disgusting decision. The town fathers should hang their heads in shame. While they are abandoning the senior citizens one has to wonder how long it will be before they send NH kids to Proctor High School so that they can save the money used to keep the high school open.

One can only wonder what program is on the receiving end of the savings accrued by turning their backs on the seniors and sending them down the road for lunch.

[kit]

Paul Miscione and his cronies seem to forget that someday they too may become lonely Seniors in need of proper nutrition and friendship. I wonder how they'll feel when that day arrives?

[Atticus Pizzaballa]

I have seen some of the meals from the Oneida County nutrition program and some look awefull.My Mom got lunch through them and was to pleased with the appearance or quality.

[Atticus Pizzaballa]

I have to laugh at this but many years ago I said to the lady who was always so faithful in bring the lunches to various seniors in my building and others as well as other neighborhoods. I said to her one day; gee it is so nice that you volunteer to bring the lunches She yelled VOLUNTEER I get paid for this job. She was upset.

[Clipper]

Kathy's mom used to order lunch from the Oneida County program and they were disgusting. The nutrition was there I suppose but she says there was much lacking in flavor and eye appeal. She was glad when Kathy worked nights and was home during the day to make lunch for the two of them.

[Clipper]

I have yet to avail myself of the senior program here in Bristol. I stay busy with other activity most of the time. I visited the center a couple of times several years ago to play pool with a friend and had the lunch on those two occasions. Their lunch was actually quite good. Both times it consisted of a nice fresh sandwich, a bag of chips, a cup of soup and a beverage. Kathy only went once. One of her bowling friends worked there. She was not at all fond of the lunch and is not much of a mixer when it comes to the sort of activities they were offering for the ladies.

The programs here seem to be well funded. The center is an old school building. One end is occupied by the police as a precinct and the rest is senior center. Pool tables, ping pong, a reading room and lending library books and audio books, a great kitchen and dining area, a well equipped exercise room, and a craft and game room. There were people working together on jigsaw puzzles, playing chess, and cards. It serves both Bristol Va as well as Bristol Tn so it is well funded.

[BHU]

The idea that this is "one region" is why Utica has been been getting screwed over royally for the past 30 years. The first shot was when they stole Utica's water system & turned it into an Authority that is robbing us blind, then the practice of luring businesses out of Utica to move to Griffis, negatively affecting our tax base & the jobs that moved out of Utica. Or how about Picente sticking Utica taxpayer's with the majority cost of funding MVCC even though it's a county asset? Yea, it's "one region" but Utica gets the sh*t end of the stick every time we turn around. Utica is the county seat but you wouldn't know it by the actions of some so called leaders.

[Atticus Pizzaballa]

A senior has to pay to join a senior center. I think they have to pay for lunches too. I have never been to one. I keep active. People here want me to come to the activities that are offered like bingo, games of chance and birthday parties ( I hate those things ) . One think I find crazy is that most activities start at 6PM. I eat my supper then!!!!! Thursday nights they show a movie in community room but again at 6PM. They also always have raffles for any activity I know it is $1.. to $2 to play but I always loose.

I wish these places would offer things like hiking. Say like a trip to Old Forge for a mountain hike with many dragging their walkers and canes.LOL

[Clipper]

I think the lunches were only about 3 bucks. They have Bingo here too. N. Utica Seniors used to have a Bingo that my mother in-law used to go to but I think they quit having it when Post 229's Bingo got popular.

[kit]

I attended the New Hartford Senior Center for several years. At first it was in what used to be St. John's Catholic School on Sherman St. just off Oxford Rd. It was very nice there and all activities began close to the lunch hour. There was no charge for membership in the Center but people paid for some of the activities where an instructor or overseer conducted it. Lunches were a donation of $2.25 each. They may not have been 4 Star meals, but there was always a nutritionally balanced entree, a vegetable, a carbohydrate, a beverage and a dessert, as well as nice chatter from the folks around the tables. Very pleasant and conveniently located, and there was a fully functional kitchen, nearby restrooms and available transportation in a small bus for the outlying seniors.

Rent was paid to St. John's church who owned the building. With the cost of everything increasing the church needed to increase the rent a bit. New Hartford's politicians didn't want to pay the increased rent so they abandoned that location (very bad move) and moved the Senior Center to the Willowvale Fire House where it was cheaper. But the meals were no longer served on trays as before with real silverware, plates and cups. They were in plastic boxes with plastic dinnerware, styrofoam cups and paper plates if needed. A big let-down food-wise. Also, the bus had been discontinued and the Seniors had to drive to Willowvale for their lunch (and the few activities that continued) every day. Needless to say, several seniors could no longer avail themselves of the Center and the population declined.

Then the big Town Offices move to the former Gander Mountain building. A big room was devoted to the Senior Center and Activities with an only partially usable kitchen. It was never finished. The politicians would not pay for an exhaust hood and other needed necessities, and that's when they began to cut back and squeeze the staff of the Center's food service people. After more than one meeting with the politicians, who had a feeble excuse for all of the Center's concerns, they simply refused to continue supporting the Center and let it go to hell (notice lower case on 'hell'). The current cop-out with Utica is their way of saving a buck at the Senior Center's expense, giving themselves a raise in pay, and sending the seniors walking. As I see it, as far as the Seniors and their requirements are concerned, the Town politicians have sold them out. A very sad state of affairs indeed.

Although it's perhaps a 'pie in the sky' suggestion, what needs to happen is first to replace the politicians currently in office with a group of citizens who are concerned for the welfare of its constituents, and reinstate the Senior Center and its activities. More and more New Hartford residents are becoming Seniors and I believe with their votes, this could happen. Utica is Utica and they have worked hard for their Center, and it belongs to them. It's time the politicians of New Hartford held off on their pay raises and brought the Center back to their own back yard, serving their Seniors instead of sending them walking.

Yes, this was a rant and I believe the Seniors of New Hartford deserve it.

[Clipper]

As with any political issue, the solution is at the polls. Maybe petitions could be signed to put the senior center issue on a ballot in the form of a referendum to have it moved back to NH and funded. Also put a referendum to have pay raises voted on by the taxpayers.

Bottom line would be to have seniors run for the offices and send the present officials packing.

[BHU]

When the OD ran this story did they bother to contact any N.H. seniors & ask their opinion on this move? Nope. As usual, local news media just parrots everything fed to them by local politicians & then spoon feeds it to the public.