Salt Lake County Republicans halt $10M senior center remodel
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Democrats on the Salt Lake County Council are accusing their Republican colleagues of squandering millions in taxpayer dollars by voting to permanently close a senior center.
Why it matters: The county's senior population has risen by 19% over the past five years and is projected to grow by 28% in the next decade, according to census figures presented to the council on Tuesday.
Zoom in: The closure adds to mounting backlash against Republican council members, who are similarly under scrutiny for eliminating county recreation day care centers last week.
Context: The 10th East Senior Center in Salt Lake City temporarily closed in September for an 18-month remodel to add a new cafe-style kitchen and expanded fitness areas.
- The council unanimously voted in 2022 to fund that $10 million rebuild.
What they're saying: This week's vote "came without any specific notification to the public or to the seniors who rely on the services provided at the center," according to a statement issued by the council's Democratic Caucus on Thursday.
- Almost 600 people over age 60 relied on the center for meals and social interaction, per the caucus.
State of play: GOP Council member Aimee Winder Newton, who introduced the motion to shutter during a Tuesday meeting, argued the 10th East and Liberty senior centers are too close together, saying consolidation is financially sound amid budget constraints.
- Acknowledging that the closure would "anger" the community, she noted that residents have already relocated to Liberty, which is less than two miles from 10th East, during the remodel.
- Closing 10th East would save the county about $400,000 annually in operating costs and potentially millions more in canceled renovation expenses, she argued.
The other side: Democratic Council member Jiro Johnson, whose district houses the center, called the move "fiscally irresponsible" after the county invested about $3 million into the renovation.
- "That's just not going to be recoverable," he said. "We're pulling the rug out from underneath the people who rely on this place."
- Council member Ross Romero, a Democrat, expressed concern about the council's decision-making and transparency, saying residents were not given enough notice to weigh in on the center and urged to delay the vote to a future meeting.
After the debate, Republicans voted 5-4, along party lines, to close.