Tis the season…of BETRAYAL written by Dick Brooks – OpEd
Published in The Sentinel of Gloucester County Print Edition – Letters to the Editor/OpEd page 4 week of 12/27/2018
Tis the season…of BETRAYAL
Written by Dick Brooks
Amid all the joy, festivities and celebrations of the season, the Senior Citizens of Franklin Township have been thrown under the proverbial bus. Goodwill has suddenly disappeared thanks to the municipality’s governing body.
The county-wide nutrition program for senior citizens in which the Township has participated for about a decade has suddenly come to an end when the entire Township Committee voted NOT to renew its contract for the coming year – for no rational reason and without any definitive plans in place. Instead the township is replacing the program with one of its own, viewed by Harry Kennedy, a former county Freeholder and township Mayor, as recently as yesterday when he appeared at the Senior lunch, “There was no reason to change the program.”
For years, seniors have enjoyed full course daily lunches provided by a county-based caterer, under the guidance of a nutritionist, for a donation of $1.25 – or less and not at all if finances are limited. There was never any thought given as to whether or not the lunches were available since the year-long contract with the county assured that the food would be delivered every weekday, holidays excluded.
Now, at the beginning of next month, the township has contrived a plan in which food suppliers such as restaurants, for one, are expected to donate the necessary lunches, daily. Yet, when the Township Committee was questioned by a number of seniors who the suppliers of these lunches were, it refused to divulge their identity, as if the seniors weren’t entitled to know where their food was coming from.
Furthermore, when the Township Committee was asked if any contractual arrangements were made with the vendors to assure that lunches would be available every day, the answer was, “No.” Simply put, if a food supplier – or multiple suppliers – choose to quit supplying food without further notice, dozens of seniors who show up for lunch would go “lunchLESS.”
In addition, when confronted with what controls and oversight were being provided since many seniors have restricted diets, the answer was, “None.” Basically, the program as proposed by the Township Committee is a travesty and doomed to failure.
Now let’s dig into the motivation for the change and how it flies in the face of the 1.4 million that was provided to build the Community Center in the Township. According to the inscription on the plaque that’s situated in the lobby, the purpose of the grant was for the creation of the Library, Senior Citizen Center, Historical Society/Museum and the Veterans Memorial. Yet, during the comments at the last Township meeting, Deputy Mayor Deegan admitted that he wanted to rent out the very room in which the lunches are served. To further illustrate Deegan’s attitude toward the seniors, he was caught on a live mike commenting, “What a shit show!” describing his take on the objections being voiced in behalf of the senior citizens of the Township.
To underscore the value of the lunch program that goes well beyond availability and nutrition, socialization and table games are a staple during the two plus hour’s window beginning at 11AM. Moreover, the Franklin Township Library and Historical Society are merely a short stroll down the hallway for those seniors wishing to avail themselves of these services. Additionally, the Community Center is ideally situated within walking distance of two retail outlets, a local Post Office, barbers, a salon and NJT buses headed as far as Atlantic City and north through many municipalities to Camden and ultimately, Philadelphia.
Most importantly, when it comes to the well-being of our senior citizens the proximity to emergency medical services just across the street, is particularly relevant. Just last month one of the seniors suffered a stroke and within three minutes, thanks to the life-saving efforts of the First Responders, he was on his way to the hospital and is now on the road to recovery.
If the upcoming lunch program fails as a result of “pie in the sky” promises that ultimately don’t materialize and to give consideration to relocating the venue altogether, would be an unforgivable slap in the face to the very citizens who have made Franklin Township a beacon among municipalities. We can’t let it happen.
EPILOGUE (added Jan. 2nd, 2019)
After two months of unending pressure by the seniors of Franklin Township, the Franklin Township Committee finally abandoned its foolhardy campaign to replace the Gloucester County nutrition program with meals donated by local restaurants and food suppliers. Instead, the Committee retained the catering services of Nutri-Serve, that will provide the seniors with daily lunches on weekdays, holidays excluded.
What appears to be a big win for the seniors of Franklin Township, the victory is hollow in that the cost per head to the Township – at this point is yet to be disclosed – is only offset by the same $1.25 per meal that the seniors were paying under the county nutrition program. And if the hoped for rental fees that the Franklin Township Committee anticipates to earn from renting the Community Center’s facilities don’t materialize to offset the overall cost of the new lunch program, the shortage will fall on the taxpayers to pay the difference. Quite an about face when participation in the county’s nutrition program wasn’t costing the Township a dime!
Furthermore, it’s not known at this writing whether the $1.25 for lunch is a fee or, as structured under the county program, a donation.
Historically, during the past decade if a senior was experiencing financial difficulties, he or she either paid a reduced amount or nothing at all without having to undergo a dehumanizing and embarrassing process of pleading their case. We’ll see how this shakes out.
Surprising and commendably, the first day of new program went well considering launch dates are typically fraught with numerous glitches and reversals. Not so today. According to the feedback from the seniors, lunch went well. There was plenty of food, it was tasty, varied and served with an abundance of smiles by township personnel. Hopefully, this will continue and the new program can be deemed a success.
Dick Brooks, Freethinking Opinionist©