Social services numbers

Social services numbers Friday, November 2, 2007
Gloria Geller, Framingham Metrowest Daily News
This is in regard to the over-the-top lawsuit by SMOC against individuals that represent the town of Framingham.  I suggest that everyone try to read the PILOT Report.  The report was commissioned by Town Meeting and gives numbers of comparison between this town's number of social service sites and other towns around us, and in other parts of the state and offers perspective on the situation.

The final report is dated May 2006.  The process to collect information was begun in 2005.  Please note that the Pilot Committee felt that hiring a Social Service Coordinator for the town was appropriate.  She is now being sued for doing her job.

Of interest to me is what data for SSA sites in contiguous communities shows: Sherborn has one site, Southboro has two, Wayland has three, Sudbury has four, Ashland has 10, Natick has 21, Marlboro 34 and Framingham has 244.  I suspect the numbers here have changed upward in the two years since the report was made.

Of communities more like us: Brookline has 22 sites, Weymouth 30, Peabody 32, Salem 38, Taunton 41, Malden 43, Beverly, 53 Quincy 101, Lynn 132, and Framingham 244.

It is obvious from the numbers that we are supporting a great many more people in need than other communities.  I feel that we are being unfairly targeted in regards to this issue. These are my own opinions.

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