Resident Linda Kimball alerted the Select Board at its Sept. 17 meeting about the ramifications of a provision in the state’s senior tax credit policy on volunteers with the Friends of the Hopkinton Seniors.

In her comments, she stressed that the volunteer hours for about 15 residents no longer will be accepted by the state toward an exemption of their property tax bills. She explained that legislation changed so that volunteers for nonprofit organizations could not count their hours towards the tax credit if they were performed in a fundraising capacity.

Kimball questioned why the Friends of the Hopkinton Seniors were not given more notice, why the state or town could not exempt such a small program, and why officials knew little about the impact the organization has had in serving the needs for Hopkinton’s seniors.

‘Nobody realized what we do’

In a recent interview with the Independent, Kimball said she has made it a personal quest to obtain answers and a possible exemption. Other concerned senior volunteers have joined her efforts.

“The lack of notifications is what gets to me,” said Kimball, who runs the financial aspects of the thrift shop. “There were lots of apologies but no real answers.”

She explained that the Friends of the Hopkinton Seniors is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization under which the thrift shop operates. “The Friends group is the avenue used to raise funds for transportation and nutrition programs, functions and events that are not covered under the Senior Services budget,” according to the town’s website.

Kimball, the vice president of the Friends, questioned why Amy Beck, the Senior Center’s director, was notified a week before the volunteers. She wished Beck could have advocated more ardently on their behalf.

“The state doesn’t know what to do with us because we are a tiny nonprofit that started in the basement of Town Hall,” she added.

Marlene Troupes helped start the thrift shop. She explained in a recent interview that qualified older residents previously could volunteer 100 hours to receive $1,500 off of their property tax bill. For this year, Troupes said the program was modified so that seniors could volunteer 134 hours and receive a $2,000 credit.

“When we first started, we would use the thrift shop money to get gas for the senior van,” she said. “We would have book sales and jewelry sales to benefit programs for seniors. We also add additional money to the coffers of the lunch program.”

In the beginning, Kimball said, the Select Board advised the thrift store to be included under the umbrella of the Friends. Being part of a nonprofit would allow it to raise funds. But this decision has had unintended consequences 35 years later.

So far this year, Kimball said the thrift shop has raised $10,000 toward Senior Center programming. She hopes it can garner $13,000 by year’s end. Last year’s holiday fundraiser, the key event, pulled in over $7,000, according to Kimball.

Kimball hoped some of the money raised this year could purchase flu shots for the Health Services Department, which also is strapped for cash.

Since her Select Board appearance, Kimball said she participated in a meeting with John Neas, the town assessor, Town Manager Elaine Lazarus and a member of the Human Resources Department.

“They were floored when I told them we bought a $45,000 car to help seniors with the money we raised,” said Kimball, a former schoolteacher. “Nobody realized what we do.”

Next, Kimball approached the state’s Executive Office for Administration and Finance.

“I was told that because other nonprofits were taking advantage, that’s why the law was created,” she said.

She added that Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka’s office called attorneys on the thrift store’s behalf but was told “nothing could be done.” Kimball also called state Rep. James Arena-DeRosa’s office and was told that while a bill could be written, “It would take 10 years for it to pass.”

Volunteers ‘deflated’

“This kind of hit us out of the blue,” said Gail Tonelli, the coordinator of the thrift shop since it first opened. “We were notified on Sept. 4 that our volunteer hours in the thrift shop would no longer count for the tax credit as of Sept. 9 because the state law had changed.”

Even though she moved to Medway recently, Tonelli still manages the thrift shop because it has become a significant part of her life.

“The money goes nowhere else but to programming for the seniors,” Tonelli stressed. “I am heartbroken for the thrift shop volunteers.”

The average volunteer is in their 70s or 80s, she said. She described them as “a little family.”

“There are 12 people who volunteer the same shift each week,” she said, noting they work three-hour shifts three or four days a week. “It makes them still feel like a vital part of the town.”

Tonelli described their mood as “deflated.” She said many are afraid they may have to leave Hopkinton because of the high property taxes.

One volunteer told Tonelli she was willing to picket in front of the Senior Center if it would convince officials of the significance of the program.

“This really pushed her over the edge,” she said. “She said she might as well quit, go buy a rocking chair and get old.”

“For most people in Hopkinton, this isn’t much money,” Troupes stressed. “But $2,000 means the word to us.”

Center director provides some clarification

Beck spoke with the Independent via Zoom on Sept. 30. She wanted to clarify some misconceptions about the situation.

“First of all, I should preface this by saying that this is one of many tax programs that are given to seniors in town,” she explained. “We have a whole book that the assessor’s office has put together.”

She noted that older volunteers are considered employees of the town and are given the minimum wage of $15 per hour for the time they volunteered as a tax credit on their bill.

“I think Hopkinton has done a great job trying to give as much back to the seniors in this capacity,” Beck continued. “It’s unfortunate that the Friends, because of their nonprofit status, are in the situation they are.”

Stressed Beck: “All of the monies they have raised go to support the Senior Center, and we’re very grateful for what they do.”

Beck also spoke with other senior center directors about using Friends volunteers as tax credit workers. “[I] was told that we couldn’t, as it was illegal, which is what we were told by the assessor’s office.”

Beck emphasized that the thrift shop itself has not been cut. People still can volunteer there but not receive senior tax credit hours. They also can volunteer in other capacities at the Senior Center for tax credit hours. Currently, she said there are more than 100 Senior Center volunteers.

“As soon as we got the ruling, we were brainstorming other areas where volunteers can help,” Beck said. “Many of them already do. And many of them have volunteered to stay with the Friends.”

Beck also explained that the hours already volunteered at the thrift shop were not in vain. The tax credit program runs from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024. Everything earned up through Sept. 9 still can be applied to the tax bill.