A warning about the new Belmont senior center group

To The Daily Sun,

The new Belmont Senior Center: This private group is in the process of being formed by Susan Roach of Belmont and others.They are past attendees of the Belmont Senior Center which was organized and operated by the Community Action Program in Concord. With the above-noted people, and others, I was involved in three meetings with CAP and town officials after the CAP decision to close the center.

The very positive response from the town selectmen and the town administrator to work out a plan for seniors to use the previous space in the town building, with responsibility for the space lying with two people who would have keys. This response was very much appreciated.

After approval, Mrs. Roach took a serious step toward divulging that she was a very upsetting narcissist with a definite control desire. At this time, she decided that she was the self-appointed dictator of the group. She was coming up with rules, some mandated by the town and some not, without consulting all members of the group.

She was told several times by other interested people to get the group together to get their input, to no avail.

Recently, Kristin Benoit, also of Belmont and author of a letter in the Sun dated Jan. 30, has been making substantial decisions for the new group. Mrs. Benoit is much like Mrs. Roach in personality, being controlling and being very self-oriented. She had caused several problems at the center in the past and had not even been in attendance for a month or more.

Mrs. Benoit recently went to the extreme extent of calling the Belmont Police Department with a complaint of CAP taking items from the center which belonged to seniors. Upon arrival, the police confronted the manager, without just cause, in my opinion. Between the police and Mrs. Benoit, they had the manager, who was a very hard-working, caring person with seniors, in tears and ultimately left to go home. She was directed by CAP to fulfill her job.

I and others would like to publicly apologize to the previous manager, the town selectmen and the town administrator for this mess. It was certainly conducted in a very callous and inconsiderate manner, with no consideration given to anyone other than themselves.

People make their own decisions, but I cannot honestly encourage anyone to consider joining this new senior group under the current conditions. There are many more enjoyable ways to finish our lives as seniors.

The threat by Mrs. Benoit of calling in the Governor to intervene, in my opinion, is absolutely ludicrous. I am sure that he has more important work to do in running the state of New Hampshire. Such threats and considerations only serve these two people and their egos.

Luther Drake

Laconia