Senior Needs Committee: June 2008 Archives
The Meredith News June 26th, 2008
To the Editor:
The Moultonboro Seniors Group has been formed to be a resource for Moultonboro
seniors to help them address their concerns and needs.We will refer seniors to services
available in this area and thus we intend to function as an information highway for seniors. Also, we will have a monthly calendar that will list events of interest to seniors and they may pick up their copy at the library every month.The calendar will also list other helpful information. For information, please call Joanne Farnham at 476- 5556.
Joanne Farnham
Moultonboro
Background note :Voters approved Article 13 of the 2008 Moultonborough Town Warrant as follows:
“To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) for the Senior Needs Committee to use for seniors’ program expenses and activities.”
(By Petition) (Not Recommended by Selectmen 4-1)
At the last Selectmen's meeting a proposal was made to divert these funds to help support rising fuel costs and expenses for Meals on-Wheels. The existence, mission and leadership of the SNC has been on the Selectmen's table for quite some time with no decisions apparently imminent. Concerned seniors have gone ahead and formed their own private group to keep moving forward until this matter is resolved. MCA
The following is a comparison of the Selectmen's minutes versus the article in the Meredith News to further clarify this issue. It is followed by the Meredith News article.
Clarification to the June 12th minutes
In comparing the minutes of the June 12th, 2008 Selectmen’s meeting with the article published June 19, 2008 in the Meredith News, there are a number of areas that require clarification.
- As per the Meredith News Article “Town Administrator Carter Terenzini cautioned the board against following McRae’s suggestion explaining that the funds were already earmarked for the printing expenses of creating an updated Senior Needs Committee brochure of senior services in Moultonboro.” This does not appear anywhere in the selectmen’s minutes.
- There is no mention anywhere of Selectmen Charest’s comment that Meals on-Wheels is concerned due to the rising cost of fuel and that they ( MO-W) would “ rather see us look as a board on any ways to do it. A scholarship probably would be the best way to go.”
- Nor is there any mention of Selectman Betsey Patten mentioning that although the money in Article 13 was earmarked for the use of the Senior Needs Committee, the board could investigate other methods of helping the Meals-on- Wheels program out.
- Finally, in regard to the first clarification above, it would appear that Carter’s response to report back to the Selectmen within four weeks was not to address the intent of Article 13 , but to seek other methods to help the meals on-wheels program.
SARAH SCHMIDT
The Meredith News June 19th, 2008
MOULTONBORO — The Board of Selectmen will be considering different avenues in which to help out the Meals on Wheels program, after an unsuccessful attempt to use funds for the Senior Needs Committee for this purpose. Moultonboro resident John McRae proposed that the board use the funds from Article 13, adopted at this year’s Town Meeting. Article 13 allows for $3,000 to be set aside for the expansion and promotion of the Senior Needs Committee in Moultonboro.
The funds should instead be used for helping the Moultonboro Meals-on- Wheels program with gas reimbursement for volunteer drivers and food costs, McRae said. With rising prices in gas and food, Meals on- Wheels Director Donna Grow said in an interview last week that the program is having a harder time finding volunteers to drive, and that the cost of food has gone up 25 percent. Town Administrator Carter Terenzini cautioned the board against following
McRae’s suggestion,….
"Through the Needs Assessment we are able to see where we are doing a good job and where we need to improve"
Lisa Morris, Executive Director of the Lakes Region Partnership for Public Health
The Citizen June 3rd,2008
Area residents are being asked to participate in the Lakes Region Community Needs Assessment. This needs assessment survey is being distributed via postal mail, email and hard copy to residents of
The assessment is completed every five years. This year's assessment will seek to identify concerns in the areas of health, safety, community life, and social and human services. Results will be used to develop new programs and/or alter current services.
"Through the Needs Assessment we are able to see where we are doing a good job and where we need to improve," remarked Lisa Morris, executive director of the Lakes Region Partnership for Public Health. "We want to encourage every resident of the Lakes Region to participate in this process."
The Lakes Region Community Needs Assessment survey is available online at www.surveymonkey.com or through the sponsoring organizations websites. Beginning June 9, surveys will be available at all town/city halls and libraries for the before mentioned areas, and by calling 528-2145. The results of this assessment will be distributed in local newspapers in late fall.
This assessment is sponsored by the Lakes Region Partnership for Public Health, Belknap County Citizens Council for Children and Families, Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack Counties, Community Health and Hospice, Genesis Behavioral Health, LRGHealthcare, Lakes Region Community Services, Lakes Region United Way and the Taylor Community.
