Results of Senior Center Town Hall Meeting
I appreciate that City Officials finally acted on community concerns with a Town Hall meeting on September 27th, regarding a change of services; including homeless services and shower program at the Pleasanton Senior Center building. I want to thank Julie Testa, who was the only representative of the City Council, taking the time to attend this meeting.

I came to the meeting in hopes to see a humble apology from CityServe's CEO Christine Beitsch-Bahmani but instead a denial of responsibility of poor leadership from a team of individuals.  Allowing Christine Sevier, past Senior Support Board President, to read a speech of mistruths perpetuated anger and set the tone for the entire meeting. Not one individual on the panel or City Officials took responsibility for creating the public distrust, expressed by attending individuals. 

Most residents are unaware of the new FAQ’s written after the Town Hall meeting, located on the City website. Poor management and an inability of City departments to inform each other of major decisions shows a need for restructuring.  I am also uneasy with the wording that the "pilot shower program" has been suspended at the Senior Center building. This does not mean it has been removed from consideration in the future. With little trust of the newly merged nonprofit, taking their word "that their service model for those experiencing homelessness is to take services to them" is meaningless. As well, stating the primary function of the office at the Senior Center will be to provide Senior programs is "open-ended" at best. The "Service Agreement" for In-Kind office space with the City of Pleasanton, (eluded to in FAQ's #5), should reiterate the requests of the community for only Senior Programs at the Senior Center Building and permanent discontinuation of "pilot shower program" while making this document public to the community.

Pam Silliman