The Marblehead Council on Aging faces a $76,000 cut in the town’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget — a reduction that would eliminate one full-time position, or 20% of the center’s full-time staff, and force the scaling back of popular programs.
The position slated for elimination is nutrition coordinator and special laborer, now held by Doug Laing, 62, of Marblehead. The loss could reverberate across meal service, transportation and other programs that hundreds of seniors rely on each year.
Laing prepares nearly 4,000 freshly cooked meals annually in the Council on Aging’s kitchen, serving about 100 people each week at the center’s popular Tuesday lunch program.
“I don’t know if I’d have to cancel lunch entirely or maybe offer it once or twice a month,” said Lisa Hooper, the COA’s director. “I need somebody to cook.”
The program depends on a network of volunteers, but Laing keeps it running smoothly. About 15 volunteers help serve meals, while others assist in the kitchen.
“Doug provides such a wonderful experience with these lunches,” said Sheila Varrell, a COA volunteer. “You don’t know what people’s circumstances are. This might be the only big meal of the day they have. You just look at their faces — they’re having a good time. We just can’t lose Doug.”
Beyond coordinating the weekly lunches, Laing serves as a backup driver for the COA’s transportation program, helps maintain the fleet of vans and handles setup and breakdown for fitness classes and other programs.
Shrinking staff, growing programs
The proposed cut comes amid a decade-long decline in staffing levels — even as participation in COA programs has grown steadily.
“I’ve had a 26% decrease in employees over the last 11 years,” Hooper said.
The COA provides a wide range of services for Marblehead residents aged 60 and older, serving about 2,500 people each year. On a typical day, between 190 and 230 residents visit the center.
By the numbers (2025 snapshot):
- 6,100 van rides provided for 303 seniors (90% funded through private donations)
- 929 members participated in 6,779 recreation programs (from bocce and knitting to bridge and canasta)
- 18,834 fitness class visits, a 16% increase from 2024
- 1,027 seniors attended 290 educational events
- 587 seniors received free, one-hour Medicare consultations
‘A unique Marblehead model’
Under the proposed fiscal 2027 budget, the town would cover 62% of COA salaries and about 32% of daily expenses. The rest would come from grants and private donations.
“The Marblehead COA is unique because it has private funding sources other cities and towns don’t have,” Hooper said. “For example, the Harold & Elizabeth Shattuck Memorial Fund, the Marblehead Female Humane Society — established in 1816 — and we have a solid Friends group. Combined, these sources have provided about $1.3 million during my 11-year tenure.”
Still, even that generous support can’t fully protect the COA from tough budget decisions, Hooper said.
