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Senior Center lays off manager Bingo player Reta Hasha, left, of White City, buys game cards from Nina Duncan, Monday at the Medford Senior Center. [Mail Tribune / Denise Baratta] Monday Feb 20, 2017 at 5:11 PM Feb 20, 2017 at 5:11 PM Damian Mann Mail Tribune @reporterdm After laying off its office manager Friday, the Medford Senior Center hopes to turn a tight financial corner through a possible partnership with the city's Parks and Recreation Department. "For financial reasons, we're laying off our office manager," said Dee Wilson, interim president of the Senior Center board. "Right now we're a strictly volunteer-run operation." Wilson said the center will continue to stay open and offer the same services it did previously while it strives to develop a relationship with the city of Medford. "We're really working hard to make it work," she said The office manager was Danya Haptonstall. In addition, the center's kitchen has been closed for six weeks for repairs, and the cook decided not to return to work, Wilson said. A sign in the window of the Senior Center, 510 E. Main St., states, "We will not be serving anything from the kitchen, including lunch until further notice." The sign also said coffee and pastries would be available. Wilson said the center is working with local restaurants to provide food but has plans to reopen the kitchen with a paid cook in the near future. On Monday, the Senior Center offered its popular Bingo game to seniors.   The board will discuss its options at a 1 p.m. meeting Tuesday at the senior center, including ongoing discussions with Medford Parks and Recreation. The Parks and Recreation Commission will meet at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 28, in the old Carnegie Library, 413 W. Main St., to discuss a possible agreement with the Senior Center. "We're well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the Senior Center right now," said Rich Rosenthal, Parks and Recreation director.  He said discussions will hopefully lead to some kind of mutually beneficial partnerships.  At minimum, he said, his department could help better promote activities and programs at the Senior Center.  Another option would be to enter into some kind of management contract for supervision of day-to-day operations, Rosenthal said.  The types of services provided by Senior Center are essential to the city, he said.  Despite the current crisis, Rosenthal said, "My philosophy is that in the deepest, darkest moments there is a huge opportunity." Last year, the Senior Center went through another tumultuous period when it lost its previous office manager and executive director. At the time, membership had dropped by about half from 10 years ago. The center currently has about 686 members. While the board thought it was getting back to a firmer financial footing a few months ago, the Senior Center's budget situation worsened over the winter. Former board President Art Lumley said he resigned from the board two months ago. "I couldn't put up with the politics," he said. The center runs on a $250,000 annual budget, an amount that covers the overhead on the building, dozens of activities, including bingo, as well as providing 50 to 90 meals a day. The center, which has operated for more than 50 years, offers lunch to seniors and members for $5 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. In January, the Senior Center board unanimously agreed to enter into discussions with the city's Parks and Recreation Department. — Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm.