[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6050427,"mediaKeyId","3463954-52619a58cdfc3c7bf91f3315e6855d02","parentId",3463954,"title","Mansfield Council on Aging seeks AARP age-friendly designation; plans needs assessment and five-year action cycle","audioSeconds",277,"startMs",122000,"endMs",399000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3463954-52619a58cdfc3c7bf91f3315e6855d02&start=122&end=399","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3463954-52619a58cdfc3c7bf91f3315e6855d02/thumbnail_122000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6050427/Massachusetts/Mansfield-Council-on-Aging-seeks-AARP-age-friendly-designation-plans-needs-assessment-and-five-year-action-cycle","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6050427-774b7ec22bc0085e66cd8bd1083aa30a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437833&Signature=bzQO-oq1IpFQv9g6JW11WDtyfgnEknHtnxh8FNERu3lztwVgxNQri-QScJwMxUq~vT6bvlkqHqJtHfkGgRI6uRBUIjJIy440hPzL-~F5ajN1EJqvbVAHZh8l9kXBBW4GkwtLgEiMZpmsoNHybAuIDHAo5X5NLDaa4rzPsm5vfK-Au23u5LYmV0P2o54ToQlH0ZnEI5xda1HlU5YunpDKegpBc1DcMy7EpaAHXuT0zeHJjSWTNTPTFW8jiDT7rOuFzp3xMmldgVrm8TNvG7M-rwiQrH1JNhyXoKMURINa~b8kUbRrBy~TpgSgBRhAOVCmgIfG7ZnIznnPqwFOzBl8YQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Mansfield, MA","date","2025-01-15T00:00:00Z","article","The Council on Aging director told the Select Board that Mansfield's COA is preparing to apply for AARP's Age-Friendly Community designation, a multi-year process that starts with a letter of interest and a community needs assessment. \"We actually serve everyone in the community, not just our seniors,\" the director said, and added the COA already functions as a social-service hub housing the town's social worker, an outreach worker and benefits assistance (including SNAP and SHINE).

Nut graf: The designation provides a template and tools from AARP to promote healthy aging through policies, services and environments. If accepted, Mansfield would complete year 1 needs assessment, year 2 an action plan, years 3\u00105 implementation and year 5 an evaluation before repeating the cycle.

Details from the presentation: the COA estimated roughly 300 visits per week depending on programming; the center has already received a dementia-friendly designation and views age-friendly as a natural next step. The COA has engaged a winter intern, Addison Hart, to help draft outreach materials and will meet with the COA board to finalize application elements. The director said the planning and assessment work could be done in-house with support from the planning department and AARP tools.

Housing partnerships: board members asked whether the Housing Authority would be included. The COA said it will include the Housing Authority in the needs assessment and noted the authority recently received about $70,000 from a One Stop grant to fund a feasibility study for senior-housing expansion.

Triad and safety programs: the director described Mansfield's Triad partnership (Council on Aging, Mansfield Police, Mansfield Fire, and district/prosecutor representatives) and programs such as a medical-lockbox program, K-9 demonstrations and presentations on scams and elder abuse provided with the district attorney's office.

Ending: COA leaders asked for the board's endorsement of moving forward; board members expressed support and asked staff to help coordinate outreach and inclusion of partner agencies in the needs assessment.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Mansfield: Select Board 1/15/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Mansfield's Council on Aging announced plans to apply for AARP's Age-Friendly Community designation, outlining a five-year cycle of needs assessment, planning, implementation and review.","taxTitle","Town of Mansfield, Bristol County, Massachusetts","taxId",68738,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6050432,"Mansfield narrows FY2026 gap; select board weighs $2 million override versus service cuts",5349,687000,6036000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3463954-52619a58cdfc3c7bf91f3315e6855d02&start=687&end=6036","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3463954-52619a58cdfc3c7bf91f3315e6855d02/thumbnail_687000.jpg","/articles/6050432/Massachusetts/Mansfield-narrows-FY2026-gap-select-board-weighs-2-million-override-versus-service-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6050432-786717d0a6ad5b4618abe4a1a13bae04/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437833&Signature=oqRdroXv-6dPqSyHGbNr5nA2HAVgIxnjK4mvdjT~2JhX~7WyXH8fdoD7QtdCIGNvaE1JybQeknq9e1Inj4p4qqaGVliaAPxk7igJMEQrjELsCgimOL-QfXQkjhvMtALjba9V85mh7v1Ahqbn2J~uh5zFhGpclQ0VyGdAmC3MfxT~2wAvN2DL2KAryh3KpCgRcW4juzxGoQ3vcJESKm7LK7mEU02tGP5O3lodAxIKfZNCFN7a8JBCSsHBR7oMnuIxZYHobg1eo-zsu8Avv0DfaKSDv4-IRZZ2RYDtzVpZXDR7bBZOaYTJ-Z9kwJMHgfYuD7F5ZCPiifg7OM6yD430IQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town Manager said the town's preliminary fiscal 2026 budget, which began the cycle with an estimated $4.9 million gap on Jan. 1, now shows a shortfall of roughly $2 million after targeted reductions and one-time uses of reserves. \"At that time, the budget was unbalanced by approximately 4,900,000.0, and is currently at a shortfall of approximately 2,000,000,\" the Town Manager told the Select Board at its Jan. 15 meeting.

Why it matters: the Select Board must deliver a balanced budget under Massachusetts law. Officials said they are deciding between closing the gap by cutting services and positions or by placing a revenue override before voters. The choice affects staffing, public safety, library and Council on Aging services, and the town's trash fee structure.

Town staff and the board's budget subcommittee described the steps taken to reduce the gap from about $4.9 million to roughly $2 million: using health-care stabilization funds, reducing the overlay, shifting some school textbook and technology purchases into capital (to be funded with free cash), a debt paydown, and departmental budget trims. The presentation lists $950,000 of targeted decreases and additional reductions in health and dental costs.

The school budget and town contractual salary increases remain the largest drivers. The Town Manager said active employee health insurance was budgeted to increase about 15% (the town has received estimates as high as 19%); retiree health insurance increases have already been set at about 19%.

The board and staff also discussed potential grant options and program choices. Staff noted the town could apply for a SAFER (fire) grant and a COPS grant (police), but those grants typically require the municipality to fund positions after the federal contribution phases down. \"They're phenomenal grants, as long as you're ready to fund those positions once the grant fund runs out,\" the Town Manager said.

Trash fee, growth and the override: the town's current per-household trash fee generates roughly $800,000 in revenue. Board members discussed whether to roll that fee into an override. Doing so would increase the override amount but eliminate the separate quarterly charge for residents; staff said that change would be a net shift in how residents are billed rather than a new source of revenue. Staff described two preferred ballot options: a preferred municipal budget (funded by an override) and a default balanced budget.

Timetable and next steps: staff recommended the Select Board settle on a preferred option so the warrant article can be prepared; the board will be asked to open the town meeting warrant on Jan. 29 and to consider a warrant article that presents both the balanced budget and a preferred-budget option. Annual town meeting is tentatively planned for May 1, with the town election and any ballot question about an override on May 13. Staff noted the legal deadline to place an override on the ballot is 35 days before the election.

Public clarity requested: Select Board members asked staff to make the public materials clearer: show tax impacts using property-value examples across a range (for example, multiple assessed values rather than only an average), be explicit about what \"dark station\" or reduced service means (for example, no staffed front desk at an office), and show realistic examples of personnel reductions (staff estimated roughly 20 FTEs as an order of magnitude if deep cuts are needed). The Town Manager said department heads will be asked to identify additional operational reductions and to delay nonessential travel and conference spending as part of that work.

The board directed staff to present the three scenarios at the next meeting: (1) a balanced budget achieved by reductions in services/staff, (2) a preferred municipal budget funded by an override, and (3) a preferred municipal budget that also rolls in the current trash fee. Staff will also prepare public listening sessions if the board votes to advance an override.

Ending: The board did not vote on a final path on Jan. 15 but asked staff to refine the numbers and to present clear, concrete outcomes of each option at the next meeting so voters and boards can assess the tradeoffs.

","The Town Manager said the FY2026 preliminary budget shortfall has been reduced from about $4.9 million to roughly $2 million, and the Select Board discussed whether to close the remaining gap by cutting services or asking voters to approve an override.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6050422,"Votes at a glance: Select Board approves liquor-license transfer, multiple appointments and routine certifications",1985,1156000,3141000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3463954-52619a58cdfc3c7bf91f3315e6855d02&start=1156&end=3141","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3463954-52619a58cdfc3c7bf91f3315e6855d02/thumbnail_1156000.jpg","/articles/6050422/Massachusetts/Votes-at-a-glance-Select-Board-approves-liquor-license-transfer-multiple-appointments-and-routine-certifications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6050422-94443114781053af1e8dad8873da89f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437833&Signature=mXlVnL3gEQeXC3qeJQrVrfXsHSarpdfb1L~YQFuKdmrJyWw6~LHWhW6KqVV10Wbz7MFrJdMyjsIEHqFOugmBvUJHV1oiSYAODN8S4l34WZ9I-SmdII6YocDRG1uAEsKK9t-7S1EeEXL4J6lrm9tahs9r7bOhL5ImyZQzTCVOzjvSrFwoOdQ7Ev4WOAme2y~zpKwQfU33CkbGCYQPnPWQ-gJY4Oa8Bj5IUslWIm49F~kJq9FqwtopV0861H46wbX00v-9iEEJ6Towj-Fa6wRNNiaMgTDsCVxjRaM2Ia5Y~1wQLdYEH5TTFPA8SxJdL7t1ljxT3viVcJ4C7Fe-T~corg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Select Board took a series of formal votes on Jan. 15, approving a restaurant license transfer, several volunteer and board appointments, an annual Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission certification and routine payroll and vendor warrants.

License transfer: The board approved a motion \"to approve the transfer of common victualer and entertainment license for Stefano's Pizza & Subs pending routing through town departments.\" The vote passed unanimously.

Appointments and reappointments: The board voted to appoint James Turnbull to the Planning Board as a full voting member (term to expire Dec. 31, 2029); to appoint Ellen Spolewski to the Mansfield Housing Corporation to an unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2027; to appoint Edward (Ted) Valenzola as a full voting member of the Zoning Board of Appeals; and to appoint Anthony Riley to an associate member seat on the Zoning Board of Appeals (term to expire Dec. 31, 2026). The board also reappointed Anna Molina Villella to the Animal Welfare Committee to an unexpired term through Dec. 31, 2027. All appointment motions carried by the board.

ABCC certification and consent agenda: The board approved and signed the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) renewal certification for 2025 and approved the consent agenda. The board noted all licensed businesses had renewed and the required paperwork will be forwarded to the ABCC.

Payroll and warrants: The board approved multiple payroll and vendor payroll warrants presented during the meeting, including town and school payrolls and vendor payrolls (details recorded in the meeting minutes). One school payroll motion recorded an abstention and was carried under a vote of necessity; otherwise the payroll and vendor-warrant motions carried.

Ending: These votes complete routine town business and permit staff to proceed with licensing, appointments and fiscal disbursements. The board took no additional legislative votes at the Jan. 15 meeting.

","The Select Board approved a transfer of Stefano's Pizza & Subs' common victualer and entertainment licenses and confirmed several board and committee appointments at the Jan. 15 meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Mansfield Council on Aging seeks AARP age-friendly designation; plans needs assessment and five-year action cycle

Mansfield narrows FY2026 gap; select board weighs $2 million override versus service cuts

Votes at a glance: Select Board approves liquor-license transfer, multiple appointments and routine certifications