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Amarillo
Senior Citizens Association operations closing Saturdays
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| Amarillo
Senior Citizens Association operations closing Saturdays
The Amarillo Senior Citizens Association will be closing its doors one day a week because of cost concerns. In one of his first meetings, Interim President Tom Warren along with the executive committee agreed Monday to shut down the Amarillo College location on Saturdays. Warren, who became president when John Burrow resigned on Nov. 1, said the cost of running the center on Saturdays versus the number of seniors who attend does not balance. "We're losing. Anything you do, you have to look at your bottom line," Warren said Wednesday. "It just became very evident we don't have enough people to support (the facility) on Saturdays to maintain it." The closing on Saturdays is only one of a rash of changes that have taken place at the center recently. In reaction to board members removing an age restriction on membership, several members successfully petitioned to have the age restriction reinstated to 65 and older. The organizers have since had their memberships revoked. Organizers Edward Braden and Ed Bridges said they both received letters at the beginning of November stating they were "injurious" to ASCA. J.P. Reese also had his membership revoked. Bridges said he expected something after he filled out an application Nov. 1 to run for a board member position. "I think they can see the handwriting on the wall that more things would probably be changed back like it was, like the membership fee," Bridges said. The membership recently was increased from $35 per month to $75. Board member Donna Kelly, who was asked to resign in October and refused, also had her membership revoked. "I don't understand their thinking," Kelly said. " 'You go along with what I do or else." That seems to be their whole thing. All I ever wanted was a safe and affordable place for seniors to go, but apparently they didn't like that." Board member Andy Justus, a local TV anchor, resigned earlier this month. Justus said he had missed several controversial board meetings where the age restriction was changed and membership fees were increased. He said he resigned because he wanted to concentrate on other charitable endeavours. Judi Solley, executive director of ASCA, said the cancellations of membership were private, and that she would not discuss the issue.
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