From:
To: City Council
Cc: Katie Davis;
Subject: Support the SASC (Sebastopol Area Senior Center Date: Friday, March 8, 2024 1:52:07 PM
Dear Mayor Rich and Council Members,
Your past support has helped us to provide vital services to our growing senior population. Classes, exercise, workshops, support groups, meals, transportation, socialization and so much more are provided at this center.
We also understand the need to reduce and make cuts to the Senior Center as we are sure that you’re doing the same to all departments and services.
However, we think it is grossly unfair to totally cut funding to the center Most other cities in Sonoma County provide senior centers through their Park & Recreation Departments. We provide so much more and at significantly less cost to the city. We also raise every penny we spend and are constantly sending appeals, managing our Legacy Thrift Store, providing fundraising events, and doing everything we can to costs in line.
As volunteers at the center, past board member, we know the city has a shortfall of cash this year, we know this is not the year. To take this support would have a devastating effect on the SASC with so many seniors depending on the services.
While the City owns the building that houses the Senior Center, we independently fundraised and borrowed the $1M necessary to remodel the building into the gem it is for the community today. The other senior centers in Sonoma County receive a significant portion of their funding directly from their funding from their city budgets (upwards of $500,000 a year). We have never ever sought that level of City support.
Gene Bonino
Will Brown
Sebastopol, CA 95472