Fitchburg Commission on Aging Well Meeting — December 11, 2025

The Fitchburg, Wisconsin Commission on Aging Well met Thursday, December 11, 2025. No agenda or written minutes were available; this summary is drawn from the meeting transcript. The commission approved minutes, introduced newly aligned city recreation and community development staff, approved a budget amendment for an LTE kitchen position, and approved the 2026 Dane County contract for nutrition and case management. The meeting also included reports on outreach, programming, and holiday season activities.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as presented, with no changes offered; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously.

Department Restructure and Staff Introductions

• The chair announced that a departmental restructure became official on December 8, 2025, and introduced staff so the commission could connect names to roles.
• Evelyn Stensing, community center and recreation coordinator (with the city about eight months, since April), and Chad Siegel, K Center recreation manager (17 years with the city, 25 years in recreation), described their work: park shelter and community center reservations, pickleball courts, program registrations, and recreation programming. Chad said the city has 12 pickleball courts; in response to a question, staff said there are six tennis courts and basketball courts throughout the city.
• Jessica, community development program coordinator, described her work with four northern priority neighborhoods, including distributing roughly $140,000 in community grant funding, updating a five-year strategic plan, and managing a Dane County-funded neighborhood navigator position. She said the position is new and was previously under planning and zoning. Asked about seniors, she said priority-neighborhood residents can access programs, but there is no current initiative specifically focused on senior center participation.
• The naming process for the new community center (the hub) is open until December 22; approval is expected around January 13. Programming at the hub is still to be determined.

Budget Amendment for LTE Kitchen Position

• Jill (director report) explained that this was the third year she requested city funding for the limited-term employee (LTE) kitchen position and the third year the request was denied. The Friends of the Fitchburg Senior Center covered it the first year; the city contributed about $7,000 the second year; no city contribution was made this year.
• The LTE position supports the meal program kitchen and volunteer coordination; Mandy, the nutrition site coordinator, also runs volunteer recruitment, background checks, and reporting. The position is part-time at 20 hours and receives no benefits or vacation.
• The Friends committed $15,000; the budget amendment also used $6,000 from a one-time donor and internal charges of $541 to personnel and $50 to IT. The city budget shows the Friends contribution as $14,700 in the amendment.
• Jill said she will continue advocating for a permanent 32-hour position, noting that other Dane County nutrition sites have coordinators at 32 or 40 hours.
• The commission approved the budget amendment unanimously; it will go to City Council to accept the donated funds.

2026 Dane County Contract for Nutrition and Case Management

• Staff reviewed the standard county contract, which has funded nutrition and case management for about 35 years. Current case management funding from Dane County is $83,000 and does not cover the full 2.5-person case management unit.
• Nutrition funding comes from a combination of federal, state, and county sources; case management is general levy. Medical Assistance (MA) case management is billed monthly, averaging 30–40 billable clients per year; the 2025 allocation is about $17,000 and billing had reached $12,000 with one quarter remaining.
• Jill expressed concern that family care clients cannot be billed or reported to Dane County even though the center continues to serve them. She estimated that about 10 Fitchburg clients will lose daily home-delivered meals from the city starting January 1, 2026, because family care providers will arrange their own meal deliveries, potentially as weekly or monthly boxes and without daily wellness checks.
• The commission approved the 2026 county contract by voice vote; all were in favor.

Friends of the Fitchburg Senior Center Report

• Jerry reported that a November travel informational meeting drew strong interest; the Rhine and Paris cruise is filling rapidly, and the travel committee is developing 2027 opportunities.
• The Friends provided more than $1,000 in assistance in November, including lunches for 45 veterans and their spouses on Veterans Day.
• Planning is underway for the pancake breakfast; a date is expected by the February commission meeting after the Friends and commission January 8 meetings.

Outreach Plan and Programming Updates

• The outreach plan will include an April 30 bingo event in the center’s dining room with Channel 3 morning news anchor Kyrie On Lee as celebrity caller; the room can accommodate about 80 people.
• The Limerick location was secured for January 16 for outreach to meet residents and invite them back to the senior center.
• Janice reported that the gospel choir debuted at the last Lunch and Learn and will continue; Black History Month events include a Milton House Museum presentation on February 4 and a presentation on the history of movement, dance, and music.
• A wreath-making class filled to capacity, included waitlisted participants, and drew new people to the center.

Director’s Report and Other Updates

• A new bilingual social worker named Sarah accepted an offer to fill the vacant social work position; she starts January 5, works 24 hours Monday through Thursday, and receives prorated benefits and WRS eligibility.
• Jessica will relocate to the senior center office as part of the restructure; new furnishings are expected by the end of January.
• City Hall remodeling discussions include community center improvements (entrance, storage, kitchen), with changes anticipated in 2027.
• The holiday Giving Tree had all tags pulled by December 8; roughly 30 people were expected to be served. A personal essentials drive, coordinated with Jessica and healthy neighborhoods, is collecting items such as lotion, shampoo, toothpaste, cleaning products, and diapers/wipes.
• A women’s group Metro bus learn-to-ride trip drew 22 sign-ups and 10 participants; issues such as an unplowed sidewalk after 12 inches of snow were referred to the mayor and the transportation/transit committee. Discussion noted Metro’s Route B bus rapid transit as an option and the $1 senior fare.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved unanimously.
• Budget amendment for the LTE kitchen position approved unanimously and forwarded to City Council.
• 2026 Dane County contract for case management and nutrition services approved by voice vote.
• A January commission meeting and working meeting will be held back-to-back; the Friends and commission meetings are scheduled for January 8.
• The meeting adjourned with holiday wishes to members.