Dedham Secures $6,000 Grant For Senior Rides

Council on Aging · Meeting of June 18, 2026

DEDHAM — The Dedham Council on Aging Board heard it secured a second $6,000 grant from the Commission on Disability to fund free taxi rides for seniors through October. Members approved April and May minutes with corrections and welcomed new Assistant Director Stephanie Lopez, about three weeks into the job. Board member Bernadette Chirokas reported the town passed a resolution banning kratom sales and relayed a Department of Public Health email showing statewide opioid overdose deaths fell below 1,000 in 2025, down 27 percent from 2024.

A member said the Senior Property Tax Relief Committee will bring fall recommendations on relief-fund awareness, noting "I wasn't really aware of the various opportunities" before joining. The police chief said recent car break-ins, including one hitting 25 cars on one street, mostly target unlocked vehicles for cash. A longtime board member, departing after roughly 13 years, was honored with a card and cake as town officials looked on.

In the full story:

• Staff Transitions and Board Tribute
• Approval of Minutes
• Director's Report: Programs and Facility Updates
• Fiscal Year Budget and Formula Grant Funding
• Annual Goals and Objectives
• Outreach Postcard Campaign
• HESCO and Title III Funding Update
• Senior Property Tax Relief Committee Report
• Health Board Report: Kratom Resolution and Opioid Trends
• Police Department Report
• Human Rights Commission Report
• Procedural Steps and Outcome
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,673 words

Source: the Council on Aging meeting of June 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.