ROME, N.Y. -- Twenty-two-thousand senior citizens in Rome and Western Oneida County depend on the services of the city's Social Security office and officials are pushing to keep it open despite federal cuts.

Rome Mayor Joseph Fusco Jr. offered free office space to the SSA, which will stay open three months longer than originally planned for one day a week.

Federal, state and local officials who gathered at Rome City Hall Monday say that's not good enough. They're calling for the SSA to keep it open for the rest of the year so the need it serves in the community can be properly assessed.

City seniors say they don't want to travel 15 miles to access these vital services.

"We should have one permanently, if it's possible, 24/7, if that's possible, which I'm thinking won't happen. But if we could get a satellite two or three times a week to take care of our seniors. Many of them can't go online," said Rome resident Albert Grosso.

Officials say the hours for the new Social Security office will be announced at a later date.