By Larry Austin
Island Dispatch Editor
Monday's Grand Island Town Board agenda includes two matters pertaining to staffing and pay at the Golden Age Center, giving council members a chance to revisit an issue over which they have deadlocked.
The board will consider a request for authorization to advertise for a full-time recreation attendant at the Golden Age Center. At its Aug. 7 meeting, the board deadlocked by a 2-2 vote on approving a status change for a recreation attendant from part time to temporary full time. (See Page 5 for letters to the editor on the topic.)
When the Grand Island Town Board held a mid-year budget meeting with all department heads Monday at Town Hall, Jennifer Menter, recreation leader for seniors citizens at the Golden Age Center, made the case for more aid for her department.
"My 30 minute time slot went 65 minutes," said Menter, noting she responded to questions from the members of the Town Board and presented "data to support our present needs, as well as our future needs.
"The crowd that sat in to hear the meeting applauded as I closed the meeting, so I was happy to have great support of the crowd, mainly comprised of senior citizens and active members in the community," Menter said.
"I am hopeful that the Town Board respects my hard work, experience, expertise, and facts that I presented them, and though I know that they listened, I hope that they really heard what I had to say," she added.
"I will never stop fighting for the senior citizens of this community, and will never stop fighting for what their needs are. The last thing I'd hate to do is cut services. I am hopeful that they, the Town Board, will respond in a positive way to the needs of the Golden Age Center this Monday night."