Following several impassioned pleas, senior citizens in Lehighton may continue to meet at their beloved Recreation Center.

About 30 residents attended Monday’s borough council meeting, roughly half of whom were from the Lehighton Senior Center, to learn the fate of the Lehighton Rec Center.

In June, council agreed to increase the senior center rental rates to $1,500 a month as of July 1, 2025; $1,500 a month as of July 1, 2026; and $1,750 a month as of July 1, 2027.

Tom Evans, recreation director, told borough council on Monday that the rate was $1,500 a month as of July 1, 2025, and that the agency came back with a cost of $1,045 a month.

Borough Manager Dane DeWire noted that the previous 10-year lease was set up in 2015.

DeWire said that in early October, the borough sent Carbon County a letter with a proposal.

Within five days of receiving the letter, they sent a response to that letter stating that they cannot pay that type of increase according to the state Department of Aging, as the maximum they are allowed to pay is a 4.5% increase.

DeWire then sent another letter to the Department of Aging, stating the borough respectfully declined to accept the $1,045 rate.

He said he and Evans had gone back to the Carbon County commissioners to compromise, but that the borough never heard anything on that.

DeWire said one of the options discussed was taking it from a five-day program to a three-day program (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) in an attempt to save on costs.

“We haven’t heard anything,” DeWire said.

After being approached by some members of the Lehighton Senior Center, Mayor Ryan Saunders said he spoke with the Department of Aging, stating the borough respectfully declined to accept the $1,045 rate, and noted this was not a council decision.

Saunders said he then immediately contacted the commissioners, who supplied him with the letters provided to them by the borough, and in turn, he spoke to some members of borough council who were unaware of what was going on behind the scenes.

From there, Saunders said he again contacted the commissioners, and they agreed to not take any action on terminating the lease of the seniors at the Rec Center until council had a chance to address the situation at Monday’s meeting.

“The commissioners would prefer our seniors to stay in town, and so would I,” Saunders said.

DeWire assured the senior citizens “I don’t think there’s anybody here (seated at the table) that doesn’t want our seniors to stay.”

Senior citizens speak out

Several senior citizens addressed council about the situation.

Helen Goetter said she is the person who posted last week on Facebook about the Agency on Aging having tried to meet with borough council since the summer without any success to try and lower the rent increase.

DeWire said that at this point each year, council does review its fee levels.

“If this is how you treat seniors, is this how you’re going to treat your parents, and your grandparents? Goetter asked council. “We’ve paid our taxes, we’ve (done) our dues.”

Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky told the senior citizens in attendance that when council was presented the proposal back in June, she looked at it as one of her jobs as a council member was to be fiscally responsible.

Abelovsky noted that they made an offer to the county and heard nothing back until recently.

She reiterated that her vote back in June was to be fiscally responsible, and added it as every council member’s job to also be community-oriented.

Abelovsky said her decision she made back in June is different from what she would make now had she had known that a counteroffer would have been discussed.

Eleanor Williams said it’s been made that everything that goes wrong at the Lehighton Senior Center is the senior citizens’ fault.

Williams explained that there was an instance where there were feces on a toilet seat as well as on the floor, and that it was brought to Evans’ attention.

Further, she said they were merely asking for some clean facilities, and added there’s no maintenance done in that building.

“We might be old, but we’re not senile,” Williams said. “There’s way too much animosity there.”

Williams said it’s supposed to be for the use of the community, and senior citizens are part of the community.

“But this is the way we’re being treated now; something’s got to change,” she said, adding they can’t afford $1,500 a month. “There’s got to be a happy medium.”

Williams added “there are a lot of us that don’t want to be there anymore,” and that after 35 years of calling the Lehighton Rec Center home, “and now all of a sudden, we’re not good enough.”

Councilman Steve Hawk assured those senior citizens in attendance that “this was never an attack on senior citizens.”

Abelovsky added, “It was never my intention to treat any of you like second-class citizens. I want to make sure the facility is up to your standards.”

Every day the senior citizens are provided a hot meal at a nominal fee, and it was noted there are 60 people that count on that food.

Wilmer Everetts also asked council to consider that there are veterans who utilize the program, and added, “It’s definitely good for their camaraderie and socializing.”

Abelovsky then made a motion to write a new lease at the state Department of Aging’s-mandated percentage increase per year, for 10 years, which passed on a 5-1 vote. This year’s lease is $1,045 per month.

Councilman Dave Zimmerman, who cast the sole vote in opposition, told the senior citizens his vote had nothing to do with them.

“I just think it should be worded the same as it was,” Zimmerman said. “I just like the idea of not being locked in for 10 years.”

Councilwoman Dr. Jordyn Miller was absent.

Abelovsky suggested a committee of borough council be put together to work with Evans to come up with a plan of action for the maintenance and upkeep of the Rec Center to ensure it’s being maintained to the standards of the senior citizens, Abelovsky said she would like to see a meeting happen before the end of this year.