A full house at Thursday’s Board of Selectmen meeting reflected growing concern over Southbury’s ongoing four-day workweek pilot, as Senior Center members urged officials to reconsider the program’s impact on essential services.
When the pilot program was implemented in June, it shifted most town offices to a Monday through Thursday schedule. Officials have cited employee morale as a key factor for the trial, which is slated to run through August.
The closure on Fridays led Diane Antezzo to collect signatures from other concerned residents. When a list of 71 names was presented in the form of a petition to the board, it was later dismissed as “inaccurate” by First Selectman Jeff Manville.
Antezzo returned to speak during the public comment section of Thursday’s meeting, saying that she has not heard of any attempts to gather feedback from the public about the pilot program.
“You obviously do not want to know the public’s opinion or you would have sought it by now,” said Antezzo. “This does not sound like a democratic procedure.”
She defended the validity of her petition and said the Senior Center’s growth in membership and attendance does not support the notion of discontinuing services on Fridays.
“Though you consider my petition inaccurate because of its diversity, it clearly represents 71 seniors who are either members of the Senior Center or are concerned residents,” said Antezzo. “Calling these signatures ‘just a few voices’ is inaccurate.”
Residents of Heritage Village, like Barbara Mechler, say they have also been affected by the loss of transportation services. She also questioned the motivation behind the pilot program.
“Aren’t employees who work for our town more interested in making a difference to the citizens they serve than creating a better work-life balance for themselves?” said Mechler.
“As someone who has spent 34 years working for various communities in Connecticut, I can assure the Director that my motivation for entering a career of public service was not to achieve a better work-life balance, but to serve those within the town, using my skills and experience to make a difference,” she added.
In the nearly half-hour public comment session, a total of ten residents’ comments included ideas for flexible schedules and the importance of the Senior Center to their weekly schedules.
Francesca Sergi said she would be in favor of increased fees at the Senior Center if that meant covering the cost of another part-time employee. The current fee for a Southbury resident is $15 for the calendar year.
“The staff is excellent, the programming is engaging, and the people who gather there provide a cohesive, supportive community at a time of life when it is very much needed,” Sergi said.
Last month, the Board of Selectmen heard from Senior Services Director Andrea Corcoran, and a 3-2 vote led to the pilot program remaining on track throughout August.
At that meeting, Corcoran said she remained confident that the center would remain a focal point of the community, despite being only open four days a week.
In June, the Southbury Senior Center was formally designated as a Focal Point at the quarterly Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging Regional Leadership Breakfast. The official recognition runs for the period of October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028
The Senior Center – which is approaching 1,000 members – earned this recognition by being a dedicated, central location for seniors and caregivers at a local level.
The three-month pilot program remains in effect through the month of August.
The Southbury Record 