If a community is truly caring by how it treats its senior citizens, then the Town of Bristol has truly failed. The recent dust-up between the Bristol Town Council/Town Administrator and the tiny, but extremely well-run Benjamin Church Senior Center non-profit organization, is ridiculous.

Initially, the matter, centering around former senior center Director Maria Ursini and her job duties involving possible dual roles, is utterly ridiculous, as Ms. Ursini cannot be an employee without an employer. The employer being the Town of Bristol, who was fully aware of her multi-position job duties and ongoing job performance, as is thus totally responsible for the direction it provided this employee, in this matter.

Isn’t anyone interested in why, all of a sudden after 45 years of this working, now it doesn’t work anymore? Please, this has “politics” written all over it.

The erosion of town politics is problematic since 2014, with the onset of the current chairman’s reign and rule. Now, after the making of yet another position in town, a senior services coordinator (and I would offer, that was the idea all along), the senior center nonprofit is left with only Donna Wilson, working as interim director, clerk, meal-site and activities coordinator and housekeeping, all of which is wrong for one person to do, and is the result of a lack of direction by town officials.

In all of this, who suffers? Well, it’s our seniors who will not have the best employees working for them.

The next election in November, I will be voting for candidates for town council who will act to treat and care for our seniors with respect. Candidates I will vote for, such as Pat McCarthy, himself a group member of the most residents in our town — seniors!

Rayona Clemens

17 Casey Drive, Bristol