An age-old, old-age fight continues to rage in Red Bank.
During recent preliminary budget hearings, the city’s Board of Commissioners recommended 3-1 to remove $8,074 for a temporary employee responsible for semiweekly senior activities at the Red Bank Community Center.
Called “less than a drop in the bucket” by Mayor Joe Glasscock, who cast the lone opposing vote, the amount is one-tenth of 1 percent of a $5.1 million balanced budget.
Commissioner Ruth Jeno did not vote because she was ill and not at the meeting.
At the budget hearing, Vice Mayor Monty Millard said he attended a recent Seniors on the Go event at the community center, located on the campus of Red Bank High School, and “only saw about five cars.” But center records show an average of 20 people attending 67 events since September 2009.
“Everyone can’t come every day,” said Hilda Atkinson, a woman who goes to center events with her husband, Frank, about two days a month. “And does he not realize that gas is high and more than one person gets inside a car?”
WHAT’S NEXTThe Red Bank Board of Commissioners votes on the 2010-11 budget, including the proposed amendment regarding senior events, Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
Last Thursday, 28 people attended a luncheon at the center before exercising, blood pressure screenings and board games. Other events have featured art lessons, foot massages and physical therapy.
A recording of the budget hearing shows that each commissioner who voted against spending the money — Mr. Millard and Commissioners Greg Jones and Floy Pierce — all expressed their “love” for the elderly before proposing to nix the funding.
“On one side of their mouth, they’re saying, ‘I love seniors,'” Mr. Glasscock said. “On the other side, they’re saying, ‘I don’t love them enough to spend $7,500 (salary) a year on them.'”
According to City Manager Chris Dorsey, the $8,074 salary breaks down to a $12 hourly wage over eight hours per week during those two days, with an additional $574 in payroll tax. Mr. Glasscock and Ms. Jeno said volunteers currently maintain the program.
They both said they’ve spent personal funds to ensure the program’s survival.
“Even if they don’t fund it, I won’t let this thing go,” Ms. Jeno said. “There’s people here who have no family. It’s important.”
Mrs. Pierce said she voted to eliminate funding for a reason.
The original senior center closed in 2001, and Mrs. Pierce unsuccessfully lobbied for a new building in 2009.
Seniors who congregated at the former senior center now meet across from the Wendy’s on Dayton Boulevard five days a week. Their activities, which center on gospel singing and dances, are somewhat different from what the Red Bank Community Center offers.
“That group doesn’t always want to talk about their health,” she said. “They want to live while they’re still living.”
Mrs. Pierce said it’s disingenuous for the city to fund the Community Center group while ignoring the unofficial group, even though she admits the latter is now privately coordinated.
Mrs. Pierce said she “loves and supports both groups.”
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