Boy did I get an earful at Wednesday's county commissioners meeting!
The county commissioners weren't very pleased with our paper's editorial stance on the likely closing of a couple of senior centers in York, and the way we depicted their role in it.
To tell you the truth, it's one of those issues I sometimes find a bit problematic to write about.
See, I really enjoy writing about the workings of government, because it's a topic I find inherently interesting. The problem is that I'm frequently obliged to condense a complicated issue into a smaller space than I'd like.
This becomes particualrly frustrating when the issue is controversial as well as complex, and I have to distill one or more arguments into the space alloted me. No matter how effciently I try to summarize, some nuances inevitably get lost.
So while I was listening to President Commissioner Steve Chronister complain on Wednesday about how the paper portrayed him, I suddenly got an idea.
Why not allow him to make his arguments on my blog? He'd have the space to address what he wants to say.
And because readers are able to post comments, this could be an ideal format for the people involved in this issue -- no matter where they stand on it -- to air their opinions and perhaps bring up some points that I wasn't able to.
In short, it could be an ideal first step toward making this blog the kind of public format I described in a previous posting. So I invited Mr. Chronister to write down what he wanted to say on the issue, and I'm posting it here exactly as I received it.
And I encourage anyone with an opinion on the topic to weigh in as well in the comments section.
Just to give you a little background, here's a story I wrote on the issue.
And here's a letter to the editor that sums up much of the criticism leveled at Mr. Chonister and his fellow commissioners in the pages of our newspaper.
And last but not least, here's what Mr. Chonister had to say:
AREA AGENCY ON AGING AND SENIOR CENTERS
The primary mission of the Agency on Aging is to promote the independence of older adults and to coordinate community-based services. In calendar year 2008, the County of York supplemented state funding with an allocation of $427,000. In 2009, the Agency was notified by the state that Department of Aging funding would not remain flat, and any increase in the cost of services would need to be absorbed by the County or services reduced accordingly. The Board of Commissioners understands the importance of providing our seniors with the necessary care to ensure a reasonable quality of life. To this end, the Board of Commissioners increased the County's allocation in 2009 by $564,000, to slightly under $1 million, a 132 percent increase.
The County of York does not own nor manage the senior centers located around the county. All senior centers are non-profit entities and are governed by their own board of directors.
There is pressure on all levels of government to find ways to reduce budgets and conserve taxpayer's dollars. Many government services have been consolidated, merged or regionalized in order to maximize the use of scarce financial resources. At a time when the County is more than doubling its contribution to the Aging budget, it is only appropriate that we look to maximize the value of those dollars ... funding underutilized senior centers at the expense of high demand in-home services does not represent sound fiscal management.
We understand that senior centers become a "second" home to many older adults. We recognize also that change is difficult. However, given the need to make the best use of taxpayer dollars, the York County Area Agency on Aging will continue to monitor all under-utilized senior centers. We are not "closing" them, as has been represented ... we are looking at diverting funding to areas where adult senior services are critically needed, most notably in-home services.
ROCKY RIDGE RESTROOM -- THE FACTS
One of York County's greatest assets is the York County Parks system. Established in 1968 and comprised of ten park locations, the Parks department is dedicated to being an exemplary steward for the environment and providing quality education and recreational opportunities for our residents. To maintain this system, thousands of volunteer hours are provided by the community to assist our Parks staff. One of the most lauded and significant programs is Christmas Magic, held annually for six weeks at Rocky Ridge County Park. This event brings in over $150,000 annually to fund various park improvements.
In 2002, the County conducted a Master Site Plan for Rocky Ridge which identified several infrastructure deficiencies and developed a long-range plan for improvements. The much maligned restroom facility was part of that master plan. In 2007, the former Board of Commissioners authorized an application to DCNR for grant funding that would provide 50 percent of the cost of the new restroom facility. The remaining 50 percent of the cost was to be covered by revenue from the annual Christmas Magic event. Essentially, no York County real estate tax dollars will be used to construct the restroom and other site improvements planned at Rocky Ridge County Park.
We are grateful for the tremendous volunteer support we enjoy from the community and will continue to plan appropriately with a vision to the future to ensure our park system remains one of the very best in the Commonwealth.
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