Nearly 100 Habersham County senior citizens packed into the Habersham Senior Center Tuesday afternoon for a commissioner open-house, where seniors could enjoy a free lunch and share their concerns with, and ask questions of, their county government officials.
Commissioners Bruce Harkness and Bruce Palmer, alongside County Manager Alicia Vaughn, County Clerk Brandalin Carnes, Senior Center Director Kathy Holcomb and Public Information Officer Carolyn Gibson attended the open-house event at the Habersham County Senior Center.
Senior citizens brought forward their concerns and needs to the commissioners during the event, some of which included continued funding for the senior center, technology needs at the senior wellness center, senior citizen swimming lessons, road safety concerns and out-of-town doctor transportation.
Commissioner Palmer told attendees that if they ever have questions, concerns or need information, he, Commissioner Harkness and County Manager Vaughn are committed to making themselves available to the community. He did warn, however, that there are some things they’re unable to help with.
“Keep in mind there are some things that are out of our control,” Palmer said Tuesday afternoon. “As much as I or any other commissioner, don’t want to admit this, we’re controlled by the funding that we have. Habersham County, believe it or not, has a very low tax base, especially when you consider that the Local Option Sales Tax goes to the Board of Education instead of the local government.”
Harkness, Palmer and Vaughn were able to address many of the seniors’ concerns, and are discussing plans to bring programs to the county to help citizens with their needs.
“This event […] offered us the chance to hear from a segment of citizens who don’t always have as easy an opportunity to make their voices heard,” County Clerk Brandalin Carnes tells Now Habersham. “[The event allowed] our commission to better understand the issues they [the senior population] face and the services they can most benefit from.”
