Ayer Council on Aging Approves Volunteer Handbook Draft, Defers Minutes to February

AYER -- January 13, 2026, Ayer's Council on Aging reviewed a first-ever draft volunteer handbook and flagged a grant-writing gap tied to a pending staff retirement at its January 13 meeting. Director Katie presented the handbook, built in design platform Canva as part of a broader shift away from Microsoft Publisher, which retires in October; the board asked her to mark every page "draft" before showing it to operational volunteers at a January 15 training. Member Marge objected to cover language using "Center for Older Adults" rather than the ballot-approved "Ayer Senior Center," and the board debated whether any name change requires a formal public process before the new building opens in roughly 18 months. On the budget, the director clarified the difference between level-service and level-funded scenarios, the latter would require cutting non-salary lines to absorb contractual wage increases, and said the town has also asked for a 10 percent reduction model, though she was told it would not be required. Assistant Town Manager Carla noted that grant writer Alicia Hersey is retiring at end of March, raising urgency around hiring an outside firm to pursue grants for the new building project.