Hamilton Weighs Wenham Partnership for Senior Director

Hamilton could expand its offerings to the town's senior citizens by becoming a partner with Wenham to hire a Council on Aging director.

That was the idea presented by Board of Selectmen Chairwoman Jennifer Scuteri at the board's Monday night meeting.

"Could we save money and provide a better breath of services for our seniors?" Scuteri asked.

The idea was the result of a meeting last week among Scuteri, Hamilton Town Manager Michael Lombardo, Wenham Town Administrator Jeff Chelgren and Wenham Board of Selectman Chairman Molly Martins.

There's no money in the Hamilton budget now to pay for the position, Lombardo told the board. The proposal would need to be brought to Town Meeting voters or reserve money would need to be used, he said.

"There's no funding to support the position currently," Lombardo said.

Right now, a portion of a Parks and Recreation Department staff member's salary who works with Council on Aging is funded by a $9,000 grant.

The Council on Aging, including Chairwoman Mimi Fanning and Recreation Director Melissa Roy, drafted and circulated a survey - sent to 672 households with residents over age 60 - to find out what services they want. Selectman Marc Johnson has been trying to drum the number of responses so town leaders have an accurate sense of what senior citizens want.

While the survey was due back on Sept. 15, some are still trickling in and the results have yet to be tabulated.

"We need to figure out what we want and the survey is a good place to start," Johnson said.

Selectman David Carey noted that the survey was sent to about a quarter of the town's households.

"That's a big element of the town," he said.

Fanning said she's not sure one person could meet the demands of seniors in both towns plus handle the budget.

"I truthfully don't know how a director can do both towns," she said. "I think that person is going to be looking for an assistant."

Leigh Keyser, a Hamilton resident who serves on the Senior Care executive board, said he would want a Council on Aging director to be someone who has more than computer skills. He would want them to be out in the field, working with senior citizens.

"We think it is a very good move to do this," Keyser said, later adding "(Senior citizens) have been paying taxes for a long time."

Betty Dunbar, a Hamilton resident and SeniorCare Advisory Board member, said there are about 1,500 senior citizens in Hamilton.

"There are probably people in this town that do need services," she said, adding that a Council on Aging director would have a background and degree in helping seniors.

Plus, a director would be able to write grants and know about what services are available to help seniors.

A survey conducted several years ago by the League of Women Voters found Hamilton didn't offer many services to its senior citizens.

"We were really on the low end of what we provide for seniors," Dunbar said.

No final decision was made but Scuteri said discussion between both towns would continue. No decision was made, either, about what town would take the prospective employee on to its payroll.

"(Wenham) is on a little bit faster pace than us, but I think it is worth it to work together and do it right," Scuteri said.