Shrewsbury COA Board Approves Gift Fund Draws, Suspends Youth Volunteer Programs

SHREWSBURY -- March 11, 2026, Shrewsbury's Council on Aging board voted to tap its General Gift Fund twice in a single meeting, covering old vendor invoices and an emergency kitchen appliance failure. The board unanimously approved payment of two long-overdue AlphaGraphics invoices, $723.44 from October 2024 and $307.50 from December 2022, from the General Gift Fund after Director Hollie Lucht confirmed both were verified unpaid through the town's Munis system and exceeded her individual $300 spending ceiling. The board also authorized Lucht to draw any refrigerator replacement cost over $500 from the same fund after the Meals on Wheels commercial unit failed at 61 degrees Fahrenheit and Public Buildings staff recommended full replacement. The center simultaneously suspended its InterAge Alliance and Y.A.H.O.O. youth volunteer programs, with the Shrewsbury Recreation Department set to evaluate absorbing both ahead of fall 2026. Outreach Coordinator Renee D'Argento flagged that the Massachusetts Circuit Breaker tax credit can yield rebates up to $2,820, and that fuel assistance applicants automatically qualify for $33 in combined monthly utility discounts through internet and SELCO electric programs, with the application deadline set for April 30.