City council learns about program to help senior citizens

By Jim Young
Jim Young
January 22, 2007

The Crossville City Council heard about a new program called Senior Watch that should help provide senior-aged Crossville residents or those who have medical problems without family who are able to check on them with an extra measure of security by receiving periodic phone calls and a follow-up visit if they don't respond.

While the program is not up and running yet, officials say it could be ready to go into operation as soon as sometime next month. Crossville police officer Lt. Fred Sherrill explained the program to the council members at the city council's January meeting.

Under the program, an automated phone calling system will call each person participating in the program several times a week at specific times and if the person is OK, they simply have to push any number on a pushbutton phone and the system records that response. If the person being called fails to respond then the system calls back a short time later. If there is still no response, then a welfare check will be dispatched to the resident's house to see if they are all right.

According to Sherrill, the system that will be used for the program can make up to 150 calls in one minute, meaning all the calls can be made at almost the same time.

Sherrill said that the program is waiting for final approval from the Crossville city attorney and others, but he expects that applications will be taken sometime in February. The application forms will be printed in the Crossville Chronicle and available at the Police Department. The applications will include information on the participant's medical history along with contacts and family to contact in the event of an emergency.

Participants will also be required to contact the police department during regular business hours at least 24 hours before being absent from home when a call may be placed by the Senior Watch system. At least for now the program will be available only to citizens living inside the Crossville city limits.

Council members and Crossville Mayor J. H. Graham III all praised the program, especially when they were told that one of the best parts about the program that makes the calls is free.

The January student of the month for Martin Elementary School was recognized for her representation of the January community character trait of honesty. Eighth-grade student Stacy Johnson was nominated by her teacher, Kim Harris, for the honor.

Harris described Johnson as someone she can "consistently count on for her support, assistance and compassion for everyone."

Johnson was presented with a plaque commemorating her recognition.

Crossville city attorney Ken Chadwell reported to the council that the final hearing on the utility district consolidation petition lawsuit is coming up in February. The legal action was filed by the city along with utility districts Catoosa and South Cumberland after County Mayor Brock Hill refused permission for the city water department and the county utility districts to merge. The hearing is expected to look at the legality of that decision. The city and Catoosa have consummated their merger using another method that did not require Hill's approval. South Cumberland has since decided not to merge and requested to be let out of the lawsuit.

Chadwell advised the council that they needed to decide if they wanted him to proceed in the matter as soon as possible.

The council discussed an upcoming work session to decide on the new code of ethics now required by the state legislature that must be adopted by July 1, 2007. The Municipal Technical Advisory Service has prepared some recommendations for such a code, but Mayor Graham suggested that some areas in the sample are not needed by a city the size of Crossville.

Also to be discussed are the Goals and Objectives for the 2007 year. A meeting is tentatively set for Friday, Feb. 16, for those discussions.

The council has also received the city's financial audit report for the previous fiscal year 2005-2006. While most of the council had not had time to completely review the document, they will study the report by the next city meeting at which time the auditor, Janice Plemmons-Jackson, will attend the meeting to answer any questions that the council has.

According to city manager Jack Miller, the audit included one finding against the city that he said the city's management disagreed with the finding in part and had responded on the matter.