An Open Letter to Fellow Park Ridge Taxpayers

by: Mac Mc Lendon, Park Ridge Senior Services, Inc.

69 Years ago, I enlisted in the US Army and during the 5 years of active service found a “HOME AWAY FROM HOME”, the USO.

Today, having been retired from business since 1991, I have a new “HOME AWAY FROM HOME”, the Park Ridge Senior Center.

Not all Park Ridge seniors – male and female – may be aware that OUR Center offers more than 140 different scheduled programs in areas of: RECREATION, CONTINUING EDUCATION, CULTURAL EXPEERIENCES, HEALTH AND FITNESS, NEW FRIENDS, SOCIAL SERVICES, and most important, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.

Our Center operates 7 days a week as a drop-in facility for its approximate 1,000 active members and has monthly contacts with roughly 4,300 Seniors, members and non-members.

I wish to invite all Seniors and “Furure-Seniors” to DROP IN and visit.  Learn FIRST HAND why today’s members feel so strongly that their “QUALITY OF LIFE” is helped by membership in the Senior Center – their new “HOME AWAY FROM HOME”.

Time to make them an offer they can’t refuse….

It’s been almost two months since I last blogged.  I’ve been waiting to see how the Park Ridge Senior Center / Park Ridge Park District  contract negotiations would play out.  I must say that it appears that things are not going well.

A couple nights ago, Park Ridge Senior Services, the organization representing  Senior Center members, voted on the Park District’s latest unvetted proposal.  Apparently, based on what I’ve heard through the senior grape vine, the Park District made an offer to the Senior Services Board that proved to be  so unacceptable not one member could vote yes for it.  That’s got to be one exceptionally crummy offer.  I’ve met some of these Board seniors over the last couple months and they’re not the unbending type.

The current contract has a little over a month until it expires and the expensive consequences of the failed process play out.   As I understand it, should the contract be allowed to expire (terminate), the Park District could be on the hook for up to mid-six-figures in reimbursement dollars.

Fact: These Seven Park District  Board Members and One Administrator say they want a deal.  

Click on a name to send e-mail to your elected representative.

Mr. Obrien	Mr. Biagi	Mr. Herman	Mr. Vile
Mr. Brandt	Mr. Maloney	Ms. Wynn- Ryan	Mr.  Ochromowicz

Is this possibly the Board or top Administrators attitude toward Senior Center Members?

Facebook: Ray Ochromowicz

“Life is too short to stress yourself with people who don’t even deserve to be an issue in your life…:)”

Fact: Majority of Senior Center Members do not have deep pockets.  If they were rich, they would probably be living somewhere else; maybe in a real “north shore community” I would think.

Fact: The Seniors say they want a deal they can afford. 

Park District. Perhaps it’s time to employ the Corleone approach to positive contract negotiations.  Perhaps it’s  time to make the Senior Center Representatives an offer that is both good and reasonable enough.  It’s time to make the the Seniors an offer they can’t refuse.  Look at my last blog post guys.  I’m almost sure they’ll accept the reasonable offer printed there.

Lastly, when all is said and done, should this new contract be signed, the tax-paying Seniors will have a Happy Holiday.  The non-senior tax payers will once again be off the hook for thousands of dollars, and Park District leaders will be able to paraphrase Marlon Brando’s famous line: “Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day accept this justice as gift” in this holiday season.

I am only speaking for myself here, but  I think something is starting to smell at the Park District , and it’s not decomposing foliage.

From Senior Center to Teen Center or….

we’re doing it for the children!

Park Ridge Park District (PRPD), headed by Executive Director Mr. “O” Ochromowicz, is apparently moving ahead with PRPD’s Strategic Plan to create a “teen space.”  See page 8 of 14.

PRPD’s Strategic Plan

I’m sure, every Park Ridge Resident with a teenager in-tow could not be more ecstatic.   It’s nice to have the “Center” for Park Ridge teens to get together, play games, get vital information and support from their community.  Too bad it’s being purchased at the cost of the “Center” for Park Ridge seniors who get together, play games, get vital information and support from their community.

I’ve just taken an afternoon to review PRPD’s child-centered 2010 budget.  Based upon the numerous graphs, the “senior” costs under PRPD’s plan (budget) range from 4% to 5% of the overall budget.  Even with my limited military-school mathematics, that leaves 95% to 96% of the budget for everything else.

What else?

A partial list of child-centered activities budgeted in 2010  by Park Ridge Park District.

	Soccer	Football
	Basketball	Hockey
	Fencing	Volleyball
	Racquetball	Lacrosse
	Archery	T-Ball
	Flag Football	Etc.

Personally, I’m all for each of these activities, and more!  Problem is, “and more” has a cost. 

The “Plan” now being executed was put together in 2008, a time when things were looking better.  I am sure, the Dick Barton led PRPD board never envisioned the financial or conflicting inter-generational needs facing the current Board or Management.  So, what do you do?

Some say, those seniors receive enough perks already!

A list of senior “perks” .

	Social Security	No COLA’s for years.
	Pensions	Lost $$ like everyone else.
	Medicare	Supplemental Insurance Required.
	Medicaid	If you qualify.
	Senior Services	Such as they are.
	Senior Discounts.	Use every one we can get.

These are not “perks”.  Ok, you got me, senior discount is a perk used by businesses to attract more customers.  The rest on that list are things seniors have already paid for or are currently paying for.  At the Park Ridge Senior Center, they even have to pay yearly dues as part of their contract to defray Park District costs. This is not always the case with many other area Senior Centers.

Executing the plan.

Earlier, I asked “what do you do?”  Do you execute a Strategic Plan that is out of date and out of sync with current events?  Or do you adjust it, hoping to implement great ideas in better times.  Do you destroy one valuable entity to create one of unproven value?

Time is running out!

The Park Ridge Park District through Executive Director Ochromowicz is said to have indicated a willingness to share the facility with Park Ridge teens in 2011.  How  thoughtful.  I wonder how the Board, Mr. “O” and other Park District users would feel having to share all of the other Park Ridge Park District facilities and services with those same seniors? 

I can see it now. 

Park Ridge Park District leading the way with a senior’s only soccer league.  You can bet those are going to be very slow games.  The new Depends ® changing stations aren't going to be cheap either.

But what about 2012?  

I believe Mr. “O”  is determined to do his job as specified by the Strategic Plan.  If I were in his shoes that’s exactly what I’d be doing.  Remember, they own the property and they have a right to do with it as they please.

That said, closing or “duel-using” the Senior Center is not a good idea at this time.  The idea of creating a teen-center at this PRPD facility may have merit.  However, the implementation method currently in play is smarmy at best and shameful at worst. 

A little forethought, a little communication, a little courtesy and a whole lot more PRPD transparency could have eliminated this delicate situation altogether. 

What needs to be done.

The Park Ridge Park District Board needs to contract with the seniors for one more year.  Doing so would give the Senior Center Members and PRPD Board the opportunity to identify their future options thoroughly.  This courtesy would place this aspect of PRPD’s Strategic Plan just one year behind schedule.  Would it be a win-win for everyone?  No!  It would however, go a long way in removing the foul taste of PRPD deceit seniors are now experiencing.

Last word.

Seniors, you can bet your Social Security checks that the duel-use facility idea is the first step toward eviction.  You’d better have a Plan-“B” for 2012’s contract termination. 

Of course, it’s just my opinion.

Note: The views in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of the Senior Center.

In my prime…

My name is Kenneth Butterly and I am now a self-acknowledged senior.  A very special demographic classification where everyone not yet “old” thinks you are senile, infirm or over the hill.  A category pandered to by politicians seeking your vote, while at the same time hoping you croak quickly, because to them, you are a pain in the ass and a drain on their precious bloated budgets.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

I was encouraged to join the Park Ridge Senior Center (PRCC) this morning by an old friend.  To my amazement, I accepted, and did so for a couple reasons.  First, being the frugal old cuss that I am, found the price of membership affordable.  More importantly, I found the the Center had need of my skill-set.

Why the blog?

The idea of blogging is nothing new.  I already have one site: Butterly on Education.  But I thought it might be kind of interesting to write about the things I see going on in and around the community, of course, from this seniors perspective.

You can blog too!

I encourage my readers, that’s you if you havn’t forgotten already why you are here, to become full participants in this site.  If you have something to say about or just want to add to something I’ve posted, then of course, add your comments to the post.  However, if you have something of your own to publish relating to senior community issues and need a venue, then send me an email  with the article attached.  So long as it is appropriate and relevant, I will publish it for reader comment.  However, you must include your full name and phone number so I can confirm authenticity.

So, while I’m still in my prime, let’s begin the journey.