By Phyllis Alexander
We followed our children and grandchildren here in search of an idyllic retirement, new friends and a community we could finally have time to enjoy. Delighted by free senior citizen beach and tennis passes, an overwhelming array of activities and a center dedicated to seniors, we thought we had found the perfect spot!
I ran for the RTM and won, buoyed by fellow liberals.
What a shocking let down! While the RTM is filled with age-like cohorts, their rigid and antediluvian attitudes about schools, social programming, town infrastructure and yes the mill rate have eroded my belief in the future of this lovely town. The physical plants of the schools are in deplorable condition (my grandkids go to GPS), roads and bridges are a mess, and playing fields seem to be the number one town priority,
Equally distressing is the state of dedicated senior facilities which do an amazing job considering the lack of financial resources. The senior center is a mess and just now undergoing an underfunded renovation. Nathaniel Witherell is struggling with huge deficits and lack of leadership. Affordable senior housing is nonexistent.
Most troubling however is the local attitude toward seniors and toward the future generation to follow us. I’d like my legacy to be more than just a low mill rate!!! The current pandemic has again emphasized how disconnected and unfocused we all are.
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