THE VOICE OF THE TOWNSHIP
Anyone that has ever had several things go wrong at once (whether you call it a run of bad luck, woe is me, or why does everything always happen to me) needs to have just one thing go right in order to reverse the trend. When these challenges are as serious as your family’s shelter, utilities or medications, they can be life threatening. These reasons are why I felt that the Wayne Township Trustee’s Office had a responsibility to take the lead not only in cases of its mandated responsibility, but even in the event that a citizen of Wayne Township does not qualify but is still in need.
Who might these families be? Your co-worker that got laid off after many years of paying taxes and was diligently putting money away in a college fund for their children, a person suffering a disabling condition and no longer able to work but not yet approved for disability, a single parent not receiving support but working a low wage job that just puts them over the poverty guidelines. There are so many examples like this that something had to be done and when you asked us to do it, we did!
Our goal is to make the experience as pleasant as possible. People who have paid their local taxes during all their working years wouldn’t think twice of utilizing services offered by city and/or county offices when they need it. When they retire, they accept their Social Security check from the account they have paid into for years which has helped those that have already retired. These same individuals should consider the Wayne Township Trustee’s Office in the same way. Their local taxes have enabled qualifying Wayne Township applicants to make ends meet when they’ve been in need. But most don’t, they struggle with feelings that somehow they have failed. The emotional ride it takes them on can only stop when they get the help that takes their focus away from their circumstances and moves it on to the road leading to self-sufficiency.
Now, this is the important part. For the good citizens conquering their perceived stigma of coming to the township, all seems to be getting better and then…they fall into the category of the families mentioned above. For some reason, the statutes will not allow us to qualify them for direct assistance even though they seem as deserving as any other family. They may have saved their entire life to provide a college education for their children and with money in a college fund; we can’t use yours to pay their bills. Or, it might have been the double amputee that wheeled to our office in his chair through six inches of snow after having been sold a condemned house that he had to keep heated with kerosene due to the furnace not working, and he was over income guidelines due to his disability pension.
They would be devastated except for one thing. You asked us why we couldn’t do something to help them, and we did. We established the first Township position for a Community Resource Specialist. The Resource Specialist utilizes the excellent working relationships we have developed with all of our community partner agencies to take care of these special families. This past year resulted in aid to needy families nearing one hundred thousand dollars. In many cases, they don’t have to leave our office to get the help. We find it for them and a pledge is made by the agency to the creditor.
If there is one thing that I think distinguishes the Wayne Township Trustee’s Office during my tenure, it’s that virtually all citizens of Wayne Township can find something that this office can do for them. Whether it’s a senior looking for discounts for their prescriptions or maybe training in job skills to re-enter the work force, a veteran looking to find out what benefits that they are entitled to, free income tax preparation, a health fair, information on the pandemic (avian) flu, a family needing a payee for a member that is disabled, or someone needing assistance that does not qualify. Just name it, and we will try to accommodate the need.
As I have said many times before in this column, we have become the model township in the entire state by listening to you. Our Community Resource Specialist was created in response to a citizen’s requests for information of “where do I go now”. We listen to you and we’re the better for it. We change immediately when it’s legally possible and within our mission in order to serve you better. Together we share in uplifting this community, one neighbor at a time. Sincere gratitude for all of your ideas and support and always welcome to any suggestions you may have.
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