New committee to begin work on impact of aging population on municipal services

By Martine Wolfe-Miller, PIO

MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (November 18, 2009) – Departing Mayor Kruger Smith recently appointed Council Member Thomasena Stokes-Marshall chair of the Advisory Committee on Aging Population and Municipal Service Impacts.

“This is a special committee whose commission will end upon completion of a report in June 2010, unless Town Council decides additional work is needed,” said Mount Pleasant Mayor Billy Swails. “Latest statistics from an August 2008 population data release from the US Bureau of Census indicate that the fastest growing segment of our population is of people over the age of 100 – followed closely by a cohort of people over age 85. By 2050, over half a million people in the United States will have attained centurion status, and one in four will have reached the age of 65. These numbers and trends require that we plan for the future to meet the needs of the population base. This committee’s mission is to report to Council on the perceived and documentable impact of a significant portion of our population that is aging through the year 2030 on our municipal services.”

The following members of the community were appointed to the committee: Thomasena Stokes-Marshall (chair), Wendy Weisner, Richard Snyder, Dr. Mason Smith, Dr. Rex Morgan, Tim Keane, Betty Gilbert, Charlie Carmody, Debra Whitfield, Jackie Gore, Ed Lee and Steve Snyder.

The initial meeting, scheduled to take place on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 6:30 pm, Town Hall Municipal Complex (Room 103), will be chaired by Council Member Stokes-Marshall. Dr. Jerome McKibben, a noted demographer from Rock Hill, South Carolina, will be present to review his demographic report on the population of Mount Pleasant. For additional information of the McKibben Report visit us online at www.townofmountpleasant.com under Announcements.

For more information on the Advisory Committee on Aging Population and Municipal Service Impacts, contact the Office of Public Information at 843.884.8517 or email your questions to publicinfo@townofmountpleasant.com.