The mayor's arms stayed crossed and commissioners sighed during the first day of budget hearings in Red Bank.
At issue was $8,074 proposed to pay for someone to clean the Red Bank Community Center, which serves as the city's senior center two days a week.
The dispute goes back several months.
In September 2009, Commissioner Floy Pierce lobbied to build a separate senior center, saying the community center wasn't built for the elderly and wasn't equipped to meet their needs.
The issue was tabled after Mayor Joe Glasscock battled it, calling the idea "absolutely unnecessary," newspaper archives show. More than 20 residents spoke against a new center during a town hall meeting on the topic.
Hard feelings turned political Wednesday, as Vice Mayor Monty Millard recommended cutting the funds for maintaining the community center.
He said he attended a recent senior event at the center and "only saw about five cars."
Immediately chiming in "with all due respect," Mr. Glasscock said the center often is teeming with seniors when he visits and that Mr. Millard decided to attend on an off day.
The mayor repeated his position that the community center "works just fine" for seniors.
Ms. Pierce defended her position that the city's elderly residents deserve a separate building.
"I love seniors," she said. "If this is what you all choose to do and keep it this way, I will not hold it against you."
Commissioner Greg Jones said it was "unfortunate" that they were arguing about the issue.
"I love seniors from this end of town to that end of town," Mr. Jones said with his arms outstretched. "And from outside this city."
Despite those sentiments, Mr. Millard made a motion to remove community center maintenance funds from the budget, and Ms. Pierce seconded. Mr. Jones joined them, and Mr. Glasscock was the only commissioner to oppose the motion.
Mr. Millard advocated using the $8,074 for Red Bank Dixie Youth Baseball or the Red Bank Girls Association, a youth softball league, instead of the community center.
"Those institutions touch a lot more lives," he said.
Both organizations already partially are subsidized by the city, according to Mr. Glasscock.
The Red Bank Board of Commissioners will meet June 1 to vote on the senior center issue, which was the only proposed change to a $5.1 million balanced budget.
Commissioner Ruth Jeno was absent from budget hearings because of illness.
Continue reading by following this link to a related story: