Public Notice: Senior Center Kitchen Use Policy

Effective Date: October 1, 2026

Policy

The kitchen at the Dillingham Senior Center is not available for use by facility renters, under any circumstances. Rental of the Senior Center includes the dining and common areas only. The kitchen, its equipment, and its supplies are reserved exclusively for the preparation and service of meals to Senior Center clients and are not included in, and cannot be added to, any facility rental.

This policy has no exceptions. It does not matter whether a prospective renter, caterer, or event holds a food handler card, a food protection manager certification, or any other qualification — access to the kitchen is not offered as part of a rental, and none will be granted.

Why This Policy Exists

The Senior Center kitchen operates under the facility's Food Establishment Permit and is used to prepare and serve meals to seniors during the week. State food safety regulations (18 AAC 31) require a certified food protection manager and, depending on the activity, food workers holding valid food worker cards to be present any time the kitchen is used to prepare or serve unwrapped or unpackaged food:

• 18 AAC 31.320 — a person in charge or certified food protection manager must be present at all times during hours of operation and is responsible for food safety oversight.
• 18 AAC 31.325 — the operator must employ at least one certified food protection manager involved in daily operations.
• 18 AAC 31.330 — each food worker must hold a valid food worker card issued by the State within 30 days of hire.

The Senior Center does not staff the kitchen with certified food protection managers or food-card-holding workers outside of its own meal service, and has no ability to verify or supervise an outside renter's compliance with these requirements. Allowing renters into the kitchen — with or without their own certifications — creates a compliance risk the facility is not equipped to manage.

State health inspections may occur without advance notice and failure to meet applicable food safety requirements could result in a violation or citation and potentially affect the facility’s Food Establishment Permit or other funding/program requirements.

Signs are posted on the kitchen door reflecting this restriction, and Senior Center staff and clients have been made aware that the kitchen is not available to renters.

Questions?

Contact the Senior Center at 907-842-1231