Consentino handling roles problem-free

From the Eagle Tribune;

Consentino handling roles problem-free
By Eric Parry
eparry@eagletribune.com

ATKINSON — Philip Consentino, the town's police chief and elderly affairs director, skims through the obituaries on a daily basis looking for local residents who have died. Once he finds someone, he sends a sympathy card to that person's family.

It's just one service the town's Elderly Affairs Department provides for the 1,200 senior citizens in its database, Consentino said. "When there's a problem, we're the fixers," Consentino said, flipping through a stack of thank you cards he has received over the years.

One of the most important services the department offers is the rides he and four drivers give to seniors on a daily basis to medical appointments and social events. Last year, Consentino said the department provided 1,644 rides.

It also conducts an annual flu shot clinic for seniors, provides a list of reputable contractors, supplies seniors with free medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, and operates a call-in program for seniors who live alone. They receive calls every day to make sure they are safe.

But for all the work Consentino does, he also has critics in town.

Last year, the state attorney general's office received complaints about the way he operated elderly affairs as a division of the Police Department. Last fall, the two were separated even though Consentino retains his role as head of both departments.

But the attorney general's office and head of the Board of Selectmen said there haven't been any recent complaints.SClBSelectmen's Chairman Fred Childs said it seems the changes made last year have worked out fine.

"So far, he's done everything that he's supposed to do," Childs said yesterday.SClBTerry Knowles, charitable trust unit director with the attorney general's office, said she plans to meet with the selectmen and Consentino next month to review the changes that were made. Knowles helped the selectmen and Consentino restructure the two departments last fall.

None of the services provided by elderly affairs have changed but now there is a logbook that provides specific details on the rides provided by the four drivers.

Five days a week, the department averages five or six rides and the logbook records who was transported, where they were taken, and how long the trip took.

"The seniors feel extremely relieved they don't have to rely on their children, they just call us," Consentino said.

The only change is that the names on the vehicles now say "Town of Atkinson Elderly Affairs Department" instead of "Atkinson Police Community Service." The drivers also were given new uniforms with the name "Elderly Affairs."

The department also was given its own budget, which pays for the drivers, fuel and maintenance on the vehicles. Consentino isn't paid for his work as director.

Changes also were made to donation accounts. SClBThe Atkinson Police Charitable Fund was created and primarily benefits elderly affairs. Next month, Consentino said they will begin a fundraising drive to replenish the fund, which brings in about $10,000 to $14,000 a year in donations.

Some recent purchases made through the account were $333 for new dentures for a senior citizen, $800 to install a wheelchair ramp at a resident's home, and $1,000 in books donated to Kimball Library, Consentino said.

To tap into that account, Consentino only has to contact the board of directors' treasurer, who also files monthly reports on the account's balance.

In the last few months, Consentino and Assistant Director William Anderson applied for nonprofit status with the Internal Revenue Service and are still waiting for their application to be processed.

With all the changes that have been made, Consentino said he's just happy he still gets to work with senior citizens every day.

A woman, who was given regular rides to chemotherapy appointments and recently learned her cancer had gone into remission, told him her good news. After transporting her to appointments for years, Consentino said it felt like he and his drivers had helped her along.

"That's the best reward you can get," he said.