Council Member Calls For Support of Senior Citizens

 

 

 

By Alexandrea Rehner and Mike Mann

Kent’s city council meeting began with agreements and amendments to what the city is working on right now. That focus quickly shifted as Melissa Long, Council-at-Large member since 2014, pointed out what the city and residents need to do to enhance the community experience for senior citizens.

“I’m not saying let’s organize bingo, let’s go and sit and have a potluck dinner,” Long said. “Those are wonderful get togethers and feel-good times, but we’re not providing any information to our seniors. […] We’re letting them flounder and join an exercise program if they want to.”

Long called for the community to come together and to start discussing and sharing their issues. She notices that age isn’t enough to pull everyone together and there’s a social barrier that some residents have up.

Long stated she’s heard of instances where the senior citizens in Kent won’t talk to each other just because someone else lives “the other side of the railroad tracks” or “across town”.

“We all have the same problems, and for some reason we want to segregate and not discuss it together, this is awful.” Long added. “We need as a community to bring people together because we all have the same problems, […] and we all really have the same ideas and things we need to discuss. It’s up to the community to make those things happen for our senior citizens.”

Long pointed to things such as managing finances, pension plans, being widowed, and even the struggles of home ownership as a senior citizen all being problems that could be shared among the demographic.

Research is currently being done on finding out what percentages of Kent’s demographic could be reached out to and benefit from a more collective community experience. This research focuses in on what age brackets share in the same feelings Long has. It also looks to identify some of the major barriers seniors in Kent face socially and economically.

Long’s words came Wednesday night after Mayor Jerry Fiala and council members had breezed through the handful of ordinances and amendments on the agenda.

Members were quick to approve an ordinance to accept donations of almost six thousand dollars that would be allotted to Kent’s Parks and Recreation Department. An initial donation of $2,950 will be received from Betty Lang for the Walter Lang Trailhead of the Portage County Hike and Bike Trail. That donation will be matched later this spring by the Rotary Foundation.

The address of 315 Gougler Avenue in Kent was authorized as a local historical designation during council as well. What will be listed as the L.N. Gross Building now serves as the headquarters for Dale Adams Enterprises and was built in 1928.

Of the 11 issues that were up for discussion and approval of the council, all were presented as emergency clauses and to be effective immediately upon approval instead of waiting a 30 day period before enactment. 

You can view the full agenda that took place at the meeting here.