Last week, the Phoenix City Council adopted the Age-Friendly Communities Action Plan - it’s a first step in what will be an ongoing effort. The committee that crafted the plan chose to focus on three specific areas in the coming year.
Civic Engagement, employment and social participation - those are what the city’s 19 member age friendly committee decided to tackle as it becomes an age friendly community.
Councilwoman Thelda Williams co-chairs the group. She said each area has measurable goals.
“A lot of effort will be in making people aware of what’s already available and that will help guide us in the future on where we need to target,” Williams said.
For example, Williams said, many older adults surveyed by the city did not know the senior center shuttle charges a dollar per trip.
Still, not all councilmembers were on board.
Councilman Jim Waring was concerned about possible funding issues, saying if there were to be an expensive need, there would be no way to pay for it.
Williams said no tax payer dollars are being used to fund the initiative.
