At a public hearing at the March 26 City Council meeting, Joe Murphy, Chair of the Rye Senior Advocacy Committee (RSAC), asked to establish a new mission statement for the committee, which was formed in 2002.

By Bill Lawyer   

At a public hearing at the March 26 City Council meeting, Joe Murphy, Chair of the Rye Senior Advocacy Committee (RSAC), asked to establish a new mission statement for the committee, which was formed in 2002. Several other members of the committee were in attendance, including Ellen “Sis” D’Angelo. The mission statement is part of the Rye City Code – Chapter 10 Section 4 – Legislative Intent.

As Mr. Murphy explained, the original mission statement focused on the RSAC’s providing support for seniors on a case-by-case individual basis as the needs arose.  These included such things as setting up nursing care, handicapped assistance, and finance guidance.  
“Now,” he continued, “the non-profit SPRYE (Staying Put in Rye and Environs) organization is handling these types of services to individual seniors in need.”

The proposed new mission statement, according to Mr. Murphy, takes on a broader approach, “improving the landscape for seniors in Rye.”  

This would include promoting increased affordable housing for seniors, such as the proposed project at the corner of North Street and Theodore Fremd Avenue – as well as exploring the possibility of converting the empty office building at 120 Old Post Road into senior housing.  

Following Mr. Murphy’s presentation, several members of the Council had questions regarding some of the wording. The proposal includes the phrase “growing older population” and the council felt that “even if the elder population wasn’t growing, the changed mission would still be important.”  

The final version of the revised statement that was approved by the Council reads:
“The mission of the City of Rye Senior Advocacy Committee is to support the concerns of Rye’s elder adults, to advocate for their needs, and seek new models and opportunities to better accommodate Rye’s older population in order to develop and maintain a healthy, diverse populace in which citizens of all ages have the opportunity to contribute to the strength of the Rye community.”