Fairfield commission readies AARP age-friendly submission, schedules outreach

Vice Chair Joe Kracci said the Fairfield Human Services Commission plans to submit its first formal AARP Age-Friendly Communities package in June following ongoing task-force work and community outreach.

The submission, prompted by Fairfield’s designation as an age-friendly town, compiles action plans across five areas and includes a narrative and supporting documents assembled by staff. “I think our first formal…submission to the AARP…we're hoping for this June,” Vice Chair Joe Kracci said.

Julie (social services staff) assembled the draft package and told commissioners the submission package is substantial; one member said the supporting materials ran “over 75 pages” while they reviewed past submissions. The commission plans a task-force meeting in April (around April 14) to finalize the submission for the AARP deadline in June, and commissioners said they intend to vet the package with the Board of Selectmen before formally submitting it.

Commissioners described a series of public outreach meetings already held at the library and the senior center and said turnout so far has been modest. Staff and commissioners said smaller meetings can encourage public input and that organizers expect broader engagement in later sessions.

The commission emphasized the submission is not final and will be updated over time as community input and additional work proceed.