Members of the Levittown Senior Center on North Newbridge Road are raising questions about a recent administrative change in their organization. Their coordinator of five years, April Kodila, was transferred to the Merrick Senior Center just before Christmas.

"We're not young," said Laura Panaro, president of the Levittown Senior Center. "We don't have the years to get adjusted to this again. Seniors don't adjust well."

Levittown is one of 16 senior citizen centers and 120 golden age clubs operated by the Town of Hempstead's Department of Senior Enrichment. The department provides social services and recreational programs for the town's senior population. In addition the department is responsible for overseeing a myriad of other programs.

Panaro, an East Meadow resident, and a group of six others sent petitions, letters and made phone calls to Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray, Councilman Gary Hudes and Commissioner of Senior Affairs Johanna Scarlata, requesting that Kodila be transferred back to Levittown.

Later, at a Town Hall meeting Pararo addressed Supervisor Murray regarding her concerns.

"She was very nice and asked if we wanted to speak with the commissioner," Panaro explained.

The group then met privately with Commissioner Scarlata, however, they were dissatisfied with what they said was a lack of resolution or explanation and continued writing letters to the Town. Commissioner Scarlata's response letter to the seniors stated "Each of the activities are operated by dedicated, talented employees. As such, the department has confidence in each of their abilities to fulfill their assignment. While it is inappropriate to discuss individual personal matters, be assured that each and every assignment is made with the town's entire senior population in mind."

Panara said this response did "nothing to pacify us." Panaro added, "there was nothing in it at all."

Panaro's sentiments about the coordinator being transferred were echoed by Bethpage resident Jacque Faggione, a member of the Senior Center since 1992, who also received a letter from Commissioner Scarlata.

"I was very disappointed when I heard April was going to leave," Faggione said. "She treated us well. We were treated like human beings, not like babies. We have a good center and we made it that way and she made it that way."

Sally Lilli, a 21-year Levittown resident, said "they should have explained this a lot more thoroughly."

Lilli, who lives in the complex that houses the Levittown Senior Center, currently coordinates day trips at the center and said she is working just as well with the new coordinator, Annemarie Burke.

"This was a good working center," Lilli continued. "Everybody gelled together and I can't understand why they would take April out of here and put her somewhere else when this was working so well. You know that old saying 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.'"

A spokesperson for the Town of Hempstead offered the following comment.

"The decision was made by the commissioner based on the commissioner's judgement on what was best for the department and its clients," Hempstead Town Spokesperson Susan Trenkle said. "Personnel changes are always necessary in a good-sized organization. We're not going to discuss individuals, but the commissioner always strives to do what is in the best interest of the seniors."

However, Panaro and others said this isn't enough.

"What gets me is they're always telling us it's our club, and we should run it, but when it comes time to what we actually want, we get nothing," Panaro said. "We want our own coordinator back and it's like we're talking to deaf ears."