Rensselaer County legislature approves purchase of new senior center

The Rensselaer County Legislature voted 13-5 along party lines to approve the purchase of a new senior center to serve the residents of Hoosick falls and eastern Rensselaer County.

The approval of the $575,000 purchase of the former Dollar Tree in Hoosick Falls comes after years of searching for a suitable location in the area.

The Dollar Tree was recently listed for sale and County Executive Steve McLaughlin quickly expressed interest in the property, and quickly gained the support of District 5 Legislators Bruce Patire and Jeff Wysocki.

Patire and Wysocki had visited the current facility countless times over the years and supported relocating it.

As the County considered the purchase, Patire and Wysocki visited with the seniors at the center and answered all of their questions and concerns and gained their unanimous support of the move.

“I am very pleased to have the support of the Legislature Majority, but disappointed that the Minority members from Troy would not support the purchase, especially after the entire Legislature supported the new senior center in Troy,” Legislator Bruce Patire said.

“The residents of Hoosick Falls and Eastern Rensselaer County deserve a new senior center too, and soon they will have one, because county executive McLaughlin followed through on his promise,” Patire said.

“Thanks to all of the seniors who took the time to talk to Bruce and me several times about moving the senior center. We listened to the seniors who use the facility because they are our priority. Thanks to the majority of our colleagues who supported the purchase of a new building for our seniors,” Legislator Jeff Wysocki said.

“Our seniors deserve all of the amenities that the new center in Troy has, and it is too bad the legislators from Troy could not support this. We look forward to working with the County Executive to make the new senior center a reality,” Wysocki said.