WEST NEWBURY — Selectmen think regionalizing services for the town's senior citizens could be a financial and cultural plus, but some of West Newbury's older residents are not yet convinced it is the right step to take.

About 50 people attended a late afternoon meeting last week held in the 1910 Building Annex to continue discussing the possibility of sharing a Council on Aging department with Merrimac. A majority of those present were West Newbury seniors citizens, with about a half-dozen Merrimac seniors and some town and state officials as well. The proposal was first introduced to the two councils at a meeting in Merrimac in early May.

The plan being discussed would require a five-year commitment and a $45,000 annual assessment from West Newbury to Merrimac. The assessment could only increase by 21âÑ2 percent per year. It calls for equal representation between the two towns on the regional board.

But West Newbury Selectmen Glenn Kemper, who ran the meeting last Thursday, repeatedly assured those present that "nothing has been decided. We have not set a date for a vote on this." There are no plans to change the current services offered, both senior centers will remain open as scheduled, and van services will still be provided in both towns.

Kemper acknowledged that, as man in his mid-40s, he may view this proposal differently than the town's seniors do. That's why although the decision to regionalize will ultimately be made by selectmen, he urged the two councils to meet to hash out some of the details that will make this a workable plan.

Merrimac's COA Director Laura Dillingham-Mailman agreed, saying it is important that the councils reach consensus on a memorandum of agreement in order for the plan to be successful.

"We can just try it — if it doesn't work, it doesn't work," said Dillingham-Mailman, who has worked for the COA since 1993 and was named Senior Center Director of the Year by the Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging and Senior Center Directors.

West Newbury spent $40,422 for its Council on Aging in fiscal year 2008; it budgeted $40,181 for this year, and Town Meeting approved spending $42,960 for next year. Dillingham-Mailman said Merrimac's budget for its COA is $191,000, which does not include any grants, funding from its Friends group or private donations in its Gift Account. The finance directors in the two towns will work out the financial logistics.

Rep. Harriett Stanley reported the budget situation at the state level has gone from bad to worse with $1.5 billion less in revenues as compared to May of last year. Towns will need to use whatever state aid they get "as wisely as you can and get as creative as you can over the next few years and we can get through it," she said. And local committees that choose to regionalize now could reap some benefits from the state down the road.

Selectmen in both towns are also looking at other possible areas to regionalize. Kemper said that his board is meeting with Sheriff Frank Cousins on July 10 to explore regionalizing the public safety dispatch and has considered looking into a regionalized Board of Health as well. The town already regionalizes some purchases for the Public Works Department.

"We're looking at just about everything," said Merrimac Selectman Earl Baumgardner, adding his board is "in full support" of regionalizing the COA. Merrimac is also talking with other towns like Amesbury and Newburyport about sharing some services as well, he said.

There would be a definite cost savings to West Newbury, said Kemper, which was part — but not all — of the reason for investigating this possibility. Increased hourly operations, access to Merrimac's staff of more than 100 volunteers, nursing services once a month, expanded art and health workshop offerings and even the possibility of occasional dinner theater in the Annex are some of the perks that could result, selectmen said after the meeting in May.

Still several seniors appeared uneasy about the proposal. Former Selectman John McGrath noted that each center has its own personality and some seniors find reassurance in being in a familiar place surrounded by neighbors. Frequently, he said, people come to the center for the first time after the death of a spouse. Being with others who personally knew their husband or wife can be very comforting, McGrath said prior to the start of the meeting.

"You get to know the people in your own town," said Dick Preble, who serves on the council's Board of Directors.

Some seniors worry about what would happen should the aging Rocks Village Bridge, which connects the two towns, be closed for repairs. Kemper said the latest news from the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission indicates any repairs would likely only close one lane so the bridge would remain open to traffic.

One senior suggested calculating the average tax increase for West Newbury taxpayers if the town didn't regionalize, so people could better weigh their options.

Still others expressed concern over job security for West Newbury's COA director, Theresa Poore. Under the current plan she will be working alongside Dillingham-Mailman to develop and implement programming; however, she will be considered an employee of Merrimac, not West Newbury.

When asked for her opinion of the plan, Poore paused for a moment and then appeared to seek a diplomatic answer.

"I think that, in theory, it could work," she said, but stressed that some seniors are feeling a bit "b roadsided" because of a lack of adequate notification about the plan prior to the May meeting.

"It's going to take a lot of hard work; and it will be change — but change is coming anyway," Poore concluded.