AKWESASNE – (Kenténha/October 1, 2026) The Senior Club and staff of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Office for the Aging invite you to attend our public hearing session. The purpose of the public hearing is to receive input from older adults, caregivers, and community members about our service plans for the upcoming 2027 program year.
The Senior Club is a separate organization from the Office for the Aging. Their members assist the Office for the Aging with events, fundraising, and volunteers. Members participate in Office for the Aging programming and provide valuable insight and feedback.
The public hearing will be held at the Tsi Tetewatatkens Senior Center located at 29 Margaret Terrance Memorial Way, behind the Tribal Police Station. If you are unable to attend the public hearing in person, we still want to hear from you. You can provide comments by mail, calling the center at (518) 358-2963, or by emailing the Director at loraleelafrance@srmt-nsn.gov. Written comments can be mailed to:
Lora Lee Lafrance, Director
Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Office for the Aging
71 Margaret Terrance Memorial Way
Akwesasne, NY 13655
What does the Office for the Aging do with all the comments provided? We gather the input from community members to be consistent with the Older Americans Act which assures that aging services are designed by each community based on unique local needs and resources.
Comments we gather at the hearing help guide us as we develop our service plans so that it meets the needs of elders in Akwesasne. In previous years, we used the comments provided to allocate more funding for cultural programming and increase the number of exercise classes offered.
How do I know what is in the service plan? The Office for Aging will be releasing a summary of the proposed service plan before the public hearing. A community notice will be issued once the summary is available at the Seniors Center.
What can I expect at the Public Hearing? The hearing will begin with welcome words from the Advisory Committee followed by a presentation from the Office for the Aging on the 2027 Programs and Services. After the presentation the Advisory Committee will open the floor for comments until they close the hearing. Please note that the Office for the Aging staff will not be available during the comment session to answer questions.
What if I need special accommodation to participate in the Public Hearing? Please notify us in at least a week in advance that you will need interpretation services or large print materials or other assistance to be able to fully participate. You can contact the office at (518) 358-2963 or email loraleelafrance@srmt-nsn.gov
We look forward to seeing you at the Public Hearing and hearing your comments.