"We are maxed out," Feemster said.

At the meeting, where Feemster made a presentation about the problems at their current location on Allendale Avenue, he also indicated that the seniors were ready to move into the North Campus if the city decided to let them.

"This is an old song. This is something you have heard over and over again," Feemster said.

The presentation by the seniors talked about the aging population of Saratoga, how the current center was operating at full capacity and how serving more seniors could improve the financial situation of the senior center. The center serves 880 members now, up from 550 in 2001.

"As the membership has increased, the demand for services have grown, but space has not," Feemster said. He also said that all available rooms at the center were fully booked and the staff offices need more consolidation.

Feemster said that there was a need for one large room of around 4,000 square feet for large classes. "We could also sub-divide the rooms for use by smaller groups," he said. Feemster talked about other needs like private counseling spaces, equipment storage areas and more parking, including additional handicap spaces.

After the presentation, Councilman Nick Streit asked Feemster and the other seniors to come up with a business plan so that the seniors could justify the move to a new facility. "Maybe with a new plan, the city can get some additional income," Streit said. "We need the numbers to prove that it is economically viable."Streit also asked the seniors to research whether there is grant money available.

Councilman Norman Kline said the $25 annual fee for the senior center seemed too low for a city like Saratoga. "We are a rich community, but a very poor city," he said.

Mayor Kathleen King urged the seniors to talk to the Saratoga Retirement Community, a retirement home in Saratoga, to find out if any of their facilities could be used by the senior center.

After the meeting was over, Feemster said that it would only take him a few weeks to come up with a business plan. "We want to work with the city," he said.

Feemster said that the North Campus with its trees and lawns would be a nice, tranquil venue for the senior citizens. He said that he believed that some council members wanted to sell the North Campus and add the money to the general fund because the city was in dire financial straits while some others want to keep it. "The North Campus is perfect for us. And it was purchased for us. I think they should open the doors and let us in," he said.

The Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council was incorporated in 1979 and received federal, state and city grants in the 1980s. An adult day care center opened in 1988.

Feemster said he had made almost the same presentation to a city council almost a year ago but nothing had changed since then.

"I would think that the city wants to assist its senior citizens. I think the pressure is on them to do something," he said. "But if it does not happen, come re-election time, some of the city council members might find that they are not there any more."