CHENANGO COUNTY – On Friday, March 27, at noon, the Chenango County Area Agency on Aging will be hosting a Q&A information session for those interested in joining and restarting the Senior Council. It will be held at the Senior Center in the Norwich American Legion.

The Senior Council is not run by by the Area Agency on Aging rather it is led by community members across the county.

In recent years the council's activity had stalled and membership dissipated, so the purpose of this Q&A is to provide information in hopes of drawing new members to fill the board.

Erin Confer, Nutrition Services Coordinator at the Area Agency on Aging and head point of contact for the Senior Council Q&A said, “The Senior Council is so important for the 60-plus population because the voices behind it are community members that are experiencing the day-to-day issues, wants, and needs they are addressing. Not only can they speak to that aspect, but also what programs or opportunities they want to have available to them. The agency certainly is aware of most issues and is a huge advocate for the 60-plus collective, but working alongside the council will only increase our ability to do so.”

Past Senior Councils were able to bring issues to the attention of the agency filling blindspots and providing insight into what community members want. They also had opportunities to be the voice of the people to local representatives and other organizations. Most important to the Office of Aging is that the council would act to disseminate information from the agency to community members, serving a dual function for both parties.

To join the council one does not have to be a senior citizen, anyone who is passionate about providing the best for those who are, is encouraged to join.

While the council can have up to 25 members, there are currently no active members so the agency is acting as a liaison to help get it back up and running.

To function, the council needs at least five board members, one Area Agency on Aging advisor, and one advisor from the board of supervisors. Coventry Supervisor Cammie Wyckoff has recently joined as the council's legislative advisor and will most likely be tasked to advocate with local representatives on community needs or areas that seniors have interests in.

The Senior Council will act to advocate for the needs of seniors in the community, fundraise for activities, volunteer with local partners, and fight for quality programs for the seniors in Chenango County. Once members unite they will be able to plan meetings, decide what the council's goals are, how they will operate, and start administering responsibilities. Since it is not running yet, new council members will have the freedom to decide what they want the council to be and how they will run it. Council membership roles are volunteer positions, and once enough members decide to join they will be able to elect board members.

“They are the ones who are going to be planning all of their meetings, what their fundraisers through the council might look like, and really what their current responsibilities would be, like what does the senior council look like in general. Because it's not currently up and running, they kind of have the freedom to decide like, how big do we want the council to be? Do we want to just help fundraise? Do we want to be people who are out there advocating for the seniors on a government level. They can really make it what they want,” said Confer.

According to Confer, the agency hopes that this informational session will draw interested parties towards a board member position, because core members are needed to continue moving forward.

There are no strict qualifications to join and community members from all corners of the county are wanted for representation. However Confer does suggest that those vying for the treasurer role know a bit about banking.

In the past, Senior Council members have helped with and participated in many community events. Having a tent at Color Scape, holding art showcases, and can drives among other activities. Before it fizzled out there were plans for fundraisers with baked goods, jams, and such.

The primary thing that they would fundraise for was Senior Day at the County Fair. As the agency itself is unable to fundraise, the council's activities went a long way to put extra funds into it, often going above and beyond what the agency could provide for the day. Confer also mentioned that seniors in the community have been asking for bus trips to be brought back and that the Senior Council would be the main way to accomplish that.

In addition to the Senior Council the Area Agency on Aging works with The Older Americans Act Advisory Council. This council which provides information, guidance, and support to the Area Agency on Aging is also seeking new members, those interested in joining should attend the next meeting on May 13 at 9 a.m. in the Chenango County Supervisors Chambers.

The council is meant to have a board of no more than 17 individuals, half of which being older individuals, at least one elected official, and up to six members of the general public.

Where the two councils differ is that The Older Americans Act Advisory Council works more directly with the Area Agency on Aging in an advisory or problem-solving capacity and the Senior Council operates independently collaborating for important events and such. The Advisory Council is made up of more businesses, organizations, and agency professionals who can provide deeper insight to better the agency's operations and accomplish specific objectives.

The Chenango County Area Agency on Aging staff have been primarily promoting the Q&A informational session by word of mouth through senior centers and meetings with other councils, committees, and organizations. If you're interested in joining but can't attend the meeting the best way to get more information would be to call the Agency and speak with Erin Confer.

Event Details:

When: March 27, 2026 at noon (12 p.m.)

Where: American Legion at 29 Sheldon Street, Norwich, NY

Contact Erin Confer to RSVP (607) 337-1770 | econfer@chenangocountyny.gov