COA Approves $2,500 for Office Computer Upgrade

Council on Aging · Meeting of October 28, 2026

BERLIN — The Berlin Council on Aging approved up to $2,500 for new office computer equipment and canceled its November meeting, combining it with a December session. The board, including Chair Linda Robinson, Co-Chair Lori Fearebay, and members Robert Blair and Derek Chaves, voted unanimously to replace a malfunctioning laptop with a new laptop, two monitors and a docking station, funded through the state Formula Grant account, which held $68,529. A council staff member reported from the Massachusetts Council on Aging's statewide conference that regional transit agencies take "three to six months" to train new van drivers, a delay Berlin avoids by owning its own van.

The board also learned that councils on aging "can fundraise" under state law despite long-standing assumptions otherwise, if they follow Massachusetts General Law and file a conflict-of-interest declaration. The combined November-December meeting was set for December 9 at 4:30 p.m. to accommodate a longer agenda.

In the full story:

• Roll Call and Minutes
• The Massachusetts Council on Aging Conference: Transportation, Staffing and Senior Centers
• Newsletter and Outreach Strategy
• Friends Group and Fundraising Rules Under State Law
• Upcoming Programs: November and December Calendar
• Financial Report
• Old Business: Volunteers and Partnerships
• New Business: Office Computer Equipment Purchase
• Meeting Schedule: November Session Canceled, Combined With December
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,796 words

Source: the Council on Aging meeting of October 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.