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Retiree finds worthy pastime He�s pushing county to develop voice for senior citizen issues By Dani Dodge When Warren Brown retired a little over a month ago, he didn�t take up a fishing pole and head for the river. He took up a cause: seniors. Brown, 62, is pushing Jackson County to develop a Commission on Seniors. "The idea is that seniors are a large and growing portion of our community but there�s no oversight of all the organizations dealing with them," Brown said. "I think we should draw together the major players and maybe pull in the heads of various agencies and see where the overlap is and where we might produce a better array of services." Jackson County already has 29 boards, committees and commissions � everything from the Planning Commission to the Bicycle Committee to the Mental Health Advisory Committee. But Brown says it�s time to add just one more. Jackson County Commissioners discussed Brown�s idea at a recent study session. Commissioner Jack Walker says the county could study the disparity of Medicare reimbursements � and push the government into giving Jackson County seniors their fair share. Brown has a meeting scheduled with county Administrator Sue Slack in two weeks to discuss his plan. "It just takes an order of the board to create a commission," Slack said. "The meeting I�m having with him is to hear what he has to say � is this something that the county should take on? Or are the issues so far past the county that it�s too much for the county to address." Brown isn�t new to government or addressing needs. From 1977 to 1996, the Medford resident was director of human resources at Providence Medford Medical Center. He�s worked for nonprofit agencies as well as in his own business. He also spent eight years on Medford�s Hospital Facilities Authority. Brown actually took his idea for a senior commission first to the city, but they punted the idea to the county. "They decided it made more sense to be done in the county," Brown said. Walker said he�s seen firsthand the problems in delivering services to seniors since his elderly father-in-law suffered health problems. Walker said he�d like to explore whether a commission could address some of the issues. "I don�t want to create a huge bureaucracy here, but I�d like to get eight to 10 go-getters who know and realize the problems being experienced by the elderly and come up with all the facts and information about how this is being addressed in other parts of the country," Walker said. Brown noted that there are many agencies and programs that try to address various senior needs in the Rogue Valley. It would help if there was a little coordination to help put the parts together for seniors, he said. There are at least three different agencies producing resource handbooks for seniors. Brown said money could be saved if the groups worked together on one master resource book instead. The money saved could be used in other ways to help seniors. "The funds available to seniors in the valley are limited," Brown said. "My hope would be to put together this body who could develop the real picture and foster greater efficiencies in delivery of services in the valley." Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.