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Councilors back creation of senior liaison role and advisory group; order sent to equity committee
Summary
Councilors introduced resolutions to create a senior liaison in the mayor's office and a senior advisory group. Residents and aging advocates urged the council to house the advisory body within the council or the equity committee for policy influence; the items were referred to the equity committee for further work.
City Councilors introduced two complementary items on May 20 requesting (1) a senior liaison in the mayor's office and (2) a senior advisory group to advise on policies affecting older residents. The council voted to refer both orders to the Council's Equity, Gender, Seniors, Families and Vulnerable Populations committee for further work.
What advocates said
- Greg Hill (Massachusetts Senior Action Council, Cambridge-Somerville chapter) said seniors are a vulnerable population whose voices are not sufficiently represented in city policy. He argued an advisory committee should be part of the council process because the Somerville Council on Aging focuses on program delivery rather than policy change.
- Fred (Frank) Berman (Mass Senior Action) recommended that any senior advisory committee be authorized as a subcommittee of the relevant City Council committee (equity committee), chaired by a councilor, and that the committee advise on both the substance and the implementation of policies affecting seniors. Berman also referenced a UMass Gerontology Center needs assessment planned for release the following day and said the advisory group would provide ongoing feedback on implementing that study's recommendations.
Council action and next steps
Councilors asked for the measure to be discussed in the equity committee; several councilors signed on as cosponsors. The council did not create the liaison or advisory group at the meeting; instead, the orders were referred to the equity committee for detailed drafting, which could include whether the advisory body should be formally chartered as a council subcommittee or housed in the mayor's office. Several councilors emphasized including seniors directly in policymaking and the need for implementation details (staffing, funding, scope) to be clarified in committee.
Ending
The council's referral to committee means the items will return for a focused committee hearing where the equity committee will consider scope, membership, and whether the advisory group should be established administratively or by council ordinance.
