Budget proposed to cut Senior Center receptionist

This position pays $40,000 a year.

As reported by Matt Grahn in the Bulletin, Sally Masse serves as the receptionist at the Rose City Senior Center. She answers nearly 150 phone calls daily and coordinates essential resources for Norwich’s seniors—from organizing 550 AARP tax appointments since January to booking medical transportation.

The Senior Center already operates at a high level of activity, and the workload only increases when a staff member is absent. With the senior population in Norwich growing, reducing staff doesn't make sense. In fact, more positions are needed to meet the demand.

As Masse explained, “The amount of money saved by cutting the position would not be worth the number of seniors affected.”

Yes, Norwich must be fiscally responsible, but eliminating Masse’s job—at only $40,000 a year—is not the answer. Norwich resident and former Alderman Joanne Philbrick put it plainly: cutting this role is just another way the city takes from its senior citizens.

And she’s right.

This proposed cut, part of the upcoming budget, sends a loud and clear message. Money flows easily toward businesses, but not toward children or seniors. Programs for youth are slashed. Services for seniors are stripped. And yet—somehow—funding is found for commercial ventures.

Philbrick, by the way, is a hero to many in this community. A voice of reason. A champion for those often overlooked.

There is another path. One that respects the people who built this town. One that values both youth and seniors. One that sees Norwich not just as a place to develop, but a place to protect.

What about the American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds?

Those funds could have been used to maintain, improve, and expand Senior Center programming and facilities. According to the Connecticut ARP guidelines, eligible uses include HVAC upgrades, accessibility features, vehicle acquisition, and program enhancements such as software, website improvements, and extended hours.

Instead, $250,000 of "excess ARP funds" went to renovate the bar/restaurant at the Wharf Marina—now occupied by These Guys. That money could have gone to the Senior Center. It could have been a true investment in our town’s people.

Parks and Rec had to seek grants. Yet a restaurant/bar got a quarter-million dollars.

This is why many residents boycott the Marina. It’s hard to enjoy a meal or a drink knowing that funding—meant for community betterment—was diverted. The Marina could have contributed to Norwich’s growth in a meaningful way. Instead, it took.

And when some residents questioned this? They faced backlash. Doxxing. Threats. Fake reviews. Legal intimidation. During the Marina’s grand opening, the hostility toward concerned citizens was overwhelming.

All of this, over $250,000 that could’ve made a real difference.

And it didn’t stop there...

Additional funds were funneled elsewhere:

• $50,000 to Castle Church Youth Initiative
• $50,000 to Sankofa, an organization with programming and murals some say are disconnected from local history
• $20,000 to the Sikh Art Gallery Youth Initiative—whose owner also sits on the City Council

Where is the senior initiative?

Meanwhile, state bond money in 2024 totaled $765,000 for Norwich:

• $375,000 to La Famille De L’Eglise De Dieu, Inc. for church renovations
• $310,000 to United Community and Family Services
• $80,000 to the Integrated Day Charter School for a new community health center

Why wasn’t a similar health center proposed for the Senior Center or nearby at Kelly?

The pattern is clear. And it's unacceptable.

It’s time for change—at the local and state level.

Norwich needs leadership that truly represents all of its residents—young and old. Families, children, elders. All of us. This next election could define the future of our town.

Vote. Not just for yourself—but for your parents, your neighbors, your children, your future.

Let’s stand together. Let’s protect our town.