By Jennifer Solis
correspondent
July 02, 2009 03:54 am WEST NEWBURY — A plan to regionalize services for senior citizens with Merrimac stalled last week when selectmen Chairman Glenn Kemper issued a public statement saying he would not support it. In a letter addressed to "Council on Aging members" dated June 14, Kemper indicated that feedback he has received from senior citizens has convinced him that "the detriments outweigh the benefits at this time. I will advocate to the other two selectmen not to support the coalition with Merrimac and to focus our energy on preserving the current COA during these tough financial times," Kemper wrote. Selectmen from both towns have met twice with COA membership to introduce a proposal that allowed for equal representation between the two towns on a regional board. The initial plan called for a 5-year commitment and a $45,000 annual assessment from West Newbury to Merrimac that could only increase by 2 1/2 percent per year. The move — part of an effort by selectmen to find cost efficiencies to offset a dire economic forecast at the state level — would save Merrimac about $5,000 and West Newbury $15,000 annually. West Newbury voters approved spending $42,960 for elder services next year. Merrimac's budget for its COA is $191,000, not including grants, funding from its Friends group or private donations in its Gift Account. "West Newbury would enjoy the more significant benefit by far," said Finance Director Tracy Blais. Kemper said he has concluded that the saving the town will realize is just not significant enough to cause such stress and burden on the town's senior population, but added that he was still open to hearing new information. The chairman's memo apparently took his colleague Dick Cushing and Merrimac's Council on Aging Director Laura Mailman by surprise. At a meeting last Wednesday, Cushing called Kemper's letter "presumptuous" and emphasized his belief that the process to consider regionalization was just beginning. "It has the appearance of saying 'the process is over,'" Cushing said of the letter, "I think you've jumped the gun; we're not done." In addition to exploring the COA proposal, Cushing said his board needs to establish a general protocol for how decisions about any type of regionalization are rendered. "I'm just giving you my opinion," responded Kemper. The fact that the COA voted unanimously against the idea and indicated they will all resign if selectmen pursue it is a clear indication of how seniors feel, he believes. "Our seniors don't want to do this," he said. In fact, Kemper said he has not heard from anyone — of any age — who supports the plan. "I'm hearing the same thing that you are from my seniors. They don't want it," said West Newbury COA Director Theresa Poore. Her COA felt left out of the process and she needs to be kept more in the loop as well, Poore said. Addressing Kemper directly, Mailman said, "I'm feeling that no one had the courtesy to come to me with any of these concerns. "You stood up at that meeting with me and were all for it," she said, referring to a joint meeting with seniors and selectmen from both towns held at the Annex on June 4. She offered a written response to several concerns raised by seniors at the joint meeting and stressed that people still have time to get involved in the planning process to make sure a final agreement represented what they wanted. At the time, Kemper, who led the joint meeting, acknowledged the financial and social benefits he saw in the plan and encouraged membership of the two COAs to continue to meet and hash out a proposal that was workable to all parties. However, throughout the meeting he repeatedly stressed to seniors that "nothing has been decided" and that no date to vote on the plan had been set. Selectman Tom Atwood suggested on Wednesday that perhaps more time was needed for people to "get onboard." "We can't say no to change just because it's change," he said, but if everybody "steps back and slows down" it is possible those who are now opposed to the idea could be convinced of its merits. He recommended testing joint programs and offering combined events and trips between the two towns. It is important to survey West Newbury seniors who aren't currently using the Senior Center to determine why, Atwood added. "There's a different set of opinions that we are not hearing at all," he said. Blais said although she agreed with Atwood in principle, with the town facing a $70,000 budget shortfall on July 1 due to decreases in aid and increases in assessments at the state level, time is a factor if jobs and programs are going to be saved. Given the current economic climate, proponents of the plan believe seniors may have a better chance of maintaining more elder services if they partner with Merrimac. "This is about the seniors responding to an economic crisis that is coming our way. We have to rise to the challenge," said Mailman. At the end of last week's meeting, selectmen agreed to have Mailman and Poore continue to look into the possibility of a partnership and return in September with an update.
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