Back in July, NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski told County Council she was working on a "sustainable operating plan" to save the Northampton Senior Center. Earlier in the year, cuts in federal and state funding had already resulted in the closure of a dozen senior centers across Pennsylvania have already closed, with 40 more on the chopping blck..
She suggested that an autonomous community group could provide volunteers for a newly organized nonprofit like Neighbors in Need. to provide a safe setting fand social interaction or seniors.
Her efforts fell short.
"We tried," she lamented at last week's county council meeting. "We tried to make an agreement to provide a grant to the senior center in Northampton Borough. We even got matching funds and additional state support from Senator Nick Miller to operate one independently while hiring an individual to oversee the senior programming. But the Grace UCC Church voted the proposal down because "the complexity of getting grants and running a senior center would be too much responsibility," even if Northampton Borough agreed to operate it.
"Good intentions often don't land where we want them to," she said.
I believe Zrinski could find the funding for Northampton by merging two senior centers on south side Bethlehem that are within a stone's throw from each other. One is located at the Rooney building, and the other at the Hispanic center. At a time when we should be more inclusive and have even established a Human Relations Commission, why would we want to have separate senior centers for those who speak Spanish and those who don't? With the money saved by this merger, it might be possible to continue the senior center in Northampton.
I guess I’m missing something.
ReplyDeleteIs there a separate senior center in Northampton? If so, why does Grace UCC need to be involved?
Or is she trying to run the Northampton senior center out of the church so she can keep the TWO open in Bethlehem?
Grace UCC owns the property on which the current senior center is located in Northampton.
DeleteYou expect TZ to think of more than 1 idea at a time? Too much stress for her.
ReplyDeleteHow much is the county spending on non-citizens who jumped the fence? We're not taking care of elderly who have worked their lives here. Our new country is mean to its elderly.
ReplyDelete6 people use the Senior Center in Northampton. It’s ridiculous McClure didn’t close it years ago.
ReplyDeleteThis doesn't surprise me.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, the state found $500,000 for the Allentown Art Museum, with millions more to come.
ReplyDeleteExactly right Bernie. This is a good solution you proposed, and it’s common sense government which is why it probably won’t happen.
ReplyDelete