Saada to leave for senior center director job in Cromwell

Jan. 26, 2017 | Chris Goudreau
cgoudreau@thereminder.com

Adult Center Director Amy Saada will be leaving to become the senior center director of Cromwell, CT, in early February.
Reminder Publications file photo

LONGMEADOW – Adult Center Director Amy Saada will be leaving early next month to start a new job as director the senior center of the town of Cromwell, CT. Saada has served in the position for more than two years.

Town Manager Stephen Crane told Reminder Publications the adult center director position has been posted and is open until the job is filled.

“We’re going to gather resumes and when we hit sort of a critical mass of resumes we’ll evaluate and set up interviews,” he noted. “I think we certainly want to be in the process in the next couple of weeks and that’s why we’re leaving it open until filled. We want to get the right person not the right now person.”

Crane said he’s happy for Saada, but sad to see her leave Longmeadow.

“I’m extremely happy for Amy that she has landed a position closer to home doing what she loves and it is exceptional at,” he noted. “It is going to be better for her from a family standpoint and a financial standpoint. So, my first thing is good for her.”

He added the town tried to counter Cromwell’s offer with its own, but “she’s just earned such an overwhelmingly favorable opportunity for her [that] it was impossible for us to match it. I’m thrilled for her and she deserves it.”

When asked if it would be a challenge to bring a new director up to speed on the efforts to construct a new Adult Center, Crane replied, “I don’t, and here’s why. Two years ago I went to the Massachusetts Council on Aging Association annual conference and I co-presented with [Senior Center Director] Carolyn Brennan from East Longmeadow actually. The presentation was about budgeting and working with your town leader … on getting more money for your Council on Aging. And during that discussion at least three quarters of the people in the room had issues with their physical space and needed either new or larger or upgraded centers, which led me to understand that this is a big problem in a lot of towns.”

He continued, “If we hire someone experienced in working in adult centers, especially in Massachusetts, it’s highly likely that they’ll be familiar with the physical challenges of the facility that we’re working to confront.”

Crane commended Saada’s “seamless integration” in becoming the new leader of the Adult Center and working as a department head for the town.

“Those are big shoes to fill, but I think it won’t be a tough transition,” he noted.

Several seniors have also reached out to him to express their support for Saada and their disappointment that she is leaving.

“In many ways, I do share their disappointment and I take that as a testament to not only the quality of work that she has done, but also the quality of her as a person and Cromwell is very lucky to be getting her,” he added.

Saada did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.

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