I have been asked by several people to put out this memo publicly, as they have heard that the reason Willow Area Seniors, Inc (WASI) are no longer hosting a community lunch at the Community Center is because WACO put it’s rent up. Nothing could be further from the truth.

WACO has never charged the Seniors rent, did not intend to, and the community did not vote to do so.

The community did, in a vote of 44 for, 11 against, agree to charge local groups for part of the cost WACO incurs whenever the kitchen is used for cooking/baking — approximately $30 per occasion. This is still only part of the cost, since electricity, wear and tear and replacement costs are not included.

I understand that WASI will now have it’s lunch at a local lodge. I wish them well in this endeavor; frequenting a local business is an excellent idea. We know that WASI was running the lunch program at a loss, so this may save them money, something both WASI and WACO need to do when faced with rising utility and operating costs.

Linda Oxley, Chair