Halifax COA Board Plans for Staffing Crisis After Override Fails by 153 Votes

HALIFAX — May 19, 2026 — Halifax Council on Aging grapples with staffing and safety gaps after override fails by 153 votes. The board met May 19 and confronted the operational fallout from a failed Proposition 2½ override that left the Council on Aging with an approved town meeting budget of just $7,300 in expenses and no wages line beyond the director's salary. COA Director Darlene told the board that GATRA, the regional transit authority, reimburses roughly $36,000 toward her salary for transportation services — funding she said could have covered the override's wage contribution toward a second staffer — but the defeat still leaves her as the sole employee. Board members raised safety concerns after discovering that personal-alarm buzzers installed at the center had been inoperable for over a year due to missing batteries, and one member proposed a formal letter to the Select Board requesting a minimum of two people in the building whenever it is open. Chair Jean Gallant moved to take over minute-taking from the director, a motion approved unanimously, as the board acknowledged that January, February, April, and May minutes remain outstanding. A $200,000 reserve fund broadened at town meeting to cover all departments — not just police and fire — was identified as a possible funding avenue, but members agreed it would require a special town meeting vote to access.