Senior Group 'pushed-out' of Senior Center (letter)
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Wed, 02/19/2020 - 1:41pm
Letter to Mayor, Dear Mayor Crowell: I am the Carson City Chapter President of the Retired Public Employees of Nevada. The group is dedicated to issues important to senior citizens and is active in monitoring actions both statewide and nationally that concern the status of Social Security and pension. I would like to make you aware of recent events that are of concern to my group.
The Carson City Chapter has held monthly meetings at the Carson City Senior Center for approximately 20 years. During this time, we invited many speakers to our meetings who provided information relevant to issues of concern to senior. Often, this included alerts that encouraged bout attendance at legislative sessions and "write-in" activities with legislators during which concerns and opinions are brought forward.
Until last year, the group paid the staff at the Senior Center for the provision of hot coffee at our meetings. We were told that the Center could no longer provide this service as they did not have staff to do this (this despite the fact that our meeting immediately followed the Senior lunch).
Although we have always met in the main dining room which was empty following the end of lunch there was a recent change. A group of approximately 12 persons began to have a card game on the opposite side of the dining area.
This group was initially relatively quiet and did not interfere with our meetings, but progressed to an increased volume. On one occasion, we had a speaker and the card playing group got much louder. When we requested that they lower their voices, the card group purposely — and rudely increased the volume of their chatter.
As a result, we requested a change in the locale of our meeting and were directed to a small room at the back of the building. When we assembled for our meeting, we were advised that our members(who are all seniors) would be required to set up and take down of the tables and chairs when the meeting adjourned. It became obvious that our group is no longer welcome to have our meetings at the Senior Center.
I contacted your office and was advised by Rachael that the Senior Center is NOT a facility for meetings. She advised me that the Senior Center is in the process of applying for grants directed toward "activities" for Seniors. As such, she advised that we seek meeting space at either the Community Center, Sheriff's office or other venues as there is not longer room for meetings at the facility.
My questions to your are as follows:
1. I seems to me that a meeting of a group of Seniors focused on Senior issues "is an activity for Seniors;
2. In walking back to the back of the building, it appeared that there are numerous rooms that could accommodate a small meeting were empty;
3. If there has been a change in some policy, it seems that our group could have been advise of this and given lead time to find another venue.
I feel that we were treated rudely as a group, and find it difficult to understand why this occurred. I understand that Carson City is growing, but the arbitrary way our group was "pushed-out" was that the very least unprofessional. Seniors are an important part of this community, especially since there are many people here wha re retired public employees.
Yours Truly,
Gloria Deyhle. President
Carson City Chapter - Retired Public Employees of Nevada
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