County to spend $11.3 million on three new senior centers
- 8/23/12
- Categorized in: DeKalb News
Members of the South DeKalb Senior Center don’t like the building where they gather for meals, recreation and fellowship.
“We are in line for a new center and that brings us great joy and pleasure to know that it’s coming,” said Sandra Harris, during a DeKalb County Board of Commissioners meeting. “However…we are presently housed in an old outdated funeral home.”
The seniors’ days in the old funeral home are numbered after a vote by commissioners to build three senior centers at a total cost of approximately $11.3 million. The centers will be built in south, central and north DeKalb.
The South DeKalb Senior/Community Center will be built by Possibility Construction Inc., of Johns Creek at a cost not to exceed $3.32 million. The building will be located at 1931 Candler Road in unincorpated Decatur.
“For years, the seniors at the center have utilized what once was a funeral home, and with this award, in about a year the south DeKalb seniors will have a facility that they have helped to design and that they deserve,” said Commissioner Larry Johnson.
The new Scott Candler Library that opened Aug. 20 is a part of the complex, which will also eventually include senior housing.
The budget for the North DeKalb Senior/Community Center is up to $3.13 million. Talbot Construction Inc., of Suwanee was awarded the contract for construction of the building to be located at 3393 Malone Drive, Chamblee.
Brenda Matthews said there is “a need for a new North DeKalb senior center.”
Seniors “want and deserve to come and have a place to develop relationships with others because being at home alone is very, very disheartening,” Matthews said. “We need a place to come to enjoy each other’s company, to eat and play games and just hang out, as the young people say.
“We like to do that just like the young people do,” Matthews said.
The senior complained that the process was taking a long time.
“I have sat through several meetings, looking at plans and discussing and developing and voting and we know that the property has been purchased,” Matthews said. “However there seems to be some sort of roadblock. I’m just here to figure out what the roadblock is.
“We’re old,” Matthews said. “We can’t wait forever. We want a senior center.”
Commissioner Lee May said, “The commission has not been dragging its feet. We are proposing to spend $11.3 million for these three senior centers.”
The senior centers first appeared on the Board of Commissioners’ agenda July 10.
“It’s appropriate for us to take our time as a commission to make sure all the questions are being answered regarding the design of the centers and any other questions,” May said. “Yes, we have taken our time. The [county’s] administration has been dealing with this for two years. This board has been dealing with this for a month and some change.”
My parents never beat me, old timer. In fact I was exposed to so much diversity growing up that I learned the exact opposite of what marxists hope they will inculcate in the youth. Show a critical, perceptive, and skeptical man reality and he will tell you the truth, like it or not.
The BOC are mere pawns, nay symptoms, in this sham of a system. The villians, gresham, are the ones causing the problems. And if you've spent decades in this country and are still clueless as to what's happened and why, then you deserve DeKalb and all of its rotten stench.
Good riddance and goodbye, DeKalb.
Central DeKalb and North DeKalb neither one can put a white face in the race for DeKalb CEO ?
And you are going to move ? Except for living in the Emory-Morningside Area, get ready for a real beating !
Hoke sounds like a 22 yr old Ron Paul supporter and Jay you sound like your parents beat you besides bing a "staunch publican" ! LOL My parents wuped me about every day but I don't hate Seniors, I iz one ? And I've never wuped a child in my life, proud of that I am !
But you at least make comments, you make life interesting and you are concerned and that is good. Let us not forget who the villians are here, and Elected Officials eating meals at our expense is a good start, Behold The DeKalb BOC !
The entitlement mentality in this country is almost beyond repair. We have a $16 trillion national debt and fools want to heap another $11 million on the pile so seniors have a place to "hang out." But really, what do seniors care about the national debt? They'll probably be dead before the riots and the revolution.
What good has your complaining at BOC meetings done? DeKalb is broken and new politicians are not going to fix it. We need a new population, but seeing as how that's not going to happen any time soon I've already begun making plans to leave.
And when is the last time the Police or Fire dept showed up down at the BOC meeting to complain about anything. We have no police patrolling our neighborhoods but they find the time to work seedy bars full of corruption.
DeKalb County government is flat broke, yet seniors demand their shiny new toys. Yeah, they're old so what do they care about the long-term costs associated with the upkeep and management of these "centers."
I hope these seniors enjoy their "centers" while avoiding all the thugs running around DeKalb. After all who cares about the cuts to the police budget and decline in the department's standards, right? All these seniors care about is having a place to "hang out."
There are a few other Centers that can use some help.
Why doesn't the County evaluate all Senior Facilities on an annual
basis?I rather go to the non county facilitiy because they are upfront
with their cost.
Why do the Commissioners need a FREE MEAL? Lots of hungry people
in dekalb county, Chomp On little or no changes. I am not impressed.
How are you picking spots for Senior Facillities?
Commissioner Lee May and the entire BOC plus their staff continue to eat for free on the backs of all of DeKalb's citizens. The DeKalb BOC and Lee May "dragging their feet" on issues for seniors and the care of DeKalb's animals is nothing new.
Lots of money here, I hope someone honest is keeping an eye on how it is spent ?
An honest elected official in DeKalb County = Is that an oxymoron combination of words ?