Council presses pause on senior coordinator until survey results; solicitor to convert job description to RFP
Loading...
Summary
After extended public comment, the council reiterated that a survey of residents 55+ will guide decisions about a dedicated senior coordinator; the solicitor was directed to turn a draft job description into RFP language for advertising.
The Little Compton Town Council spent substantial time on senior services, hearing public comments about seniors’ needs, the condition of the town bus, and the status of a proposed senior coordinator job description. Councilors and residents repeatedly said they want survey results before finalizing the job posting.
Unidentified Speaker 3 read the stated purpose of the survey aloud: “The town of Little Compton is committed to ensuring our residents are able to age in place in a supportive manner to help identify, understand, and prioritize the needs of older residents.” The speaker said the survey will be mailed to residents age 55 and over, and that results will inform evaluation of existing programs and recommendations for future services.
Public commenters and a council member noted the community center currently serves as an interim gathering place for seniors, with about 35–40 signed up so far for an upcoming event. Speakers also raised concerns about the comfort of the existing senior bus; staff said the new bus is in town but delivery and use await required paperwork, insurance and a parts list from the vendor.
Council members said they do not want to preempt the survey findings by writing a final job description tonight. That said, a motion previously made and recorded in the minutes directed the town solicitor to convert the draft senior director job description into request‑for‑proposal (RFP) language — including a clause permitting proposals to be rejected — and deliver the final advertising language to the town clerk for publication. Councilors noted that the motion had been made and voted on in prior meetings and that the solicitor would supply the final language to be advertised.
The council agreed to review the survey results at the Dec. 19 meeting before moving forward on hiring or finalizing duties and budget for a senior coordinator.
