More than 30 inquisitive residents and team members from Silvergate San Marcos — the area’s premier senior living community — turned out for an informative presentation by County Supervisor Jim Desmond on Tuesday, October 18 to hear an update on key issues relevant to seniors in the community. The 45-minute discussion focused on several topics, including mental health, homelessness, and the current state of the Covid pandemic in California.
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond speaks to residents in a special open-forum discussion about topics of concern to seniors at Silvergate San Marcos on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.
“We know seniors can have a hard time getting out, which is why we believe it’s important to bring intriguing programs like this directly to them right where they live,” said Joan Rink-Carroll, Executive Director for Silvergate San Marcos. “Having access to relevant speakers is a true benefit to living here, and it’s exactly these types of events that make Silvergate so unique among senior living communities. There are so many more unique experiences like this coming to the community in the coming weeks.”
Desmond, who is a U.S. Navy Veteran and north San Diego County resident, currently serves as a board member for the San Diego County Water Authority, the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Removal Board and the North County Transit District (NCTC). While not a career politician, Desmond spent more than a decade as Mayor of San Marcos while simultaneously working as a pilot for Delta Airlines before retiring in 2020.
During his speech, the Supervisor gave residents a robust overview of what he — as one of five district Supervisors — has responsibility for on a day-to-day basis. He described the primary uses of the $7 billion budget they oversee, along with the improvements he’s seeking in county health services, roads and traffic, homeless services, tax collection and many other areas affecting seniors. His talk also addressed issues such as mental health and what’s being done to assist those in need; the growing population of San Marcos and what improvements to the community he believes will help support that growth; safety upgrades through highly trafficked areas; and, how law enforcement’s numbers can be bolstered to keep the citizens of San Diego safe.
“I was pleased to attend this event today to learn more about the Supervisor’s plans,” said Joan Slavinski, a resident of Silvergate who previously owned a floral business in town, served on the local planning board and has resided in San Marcos for more than two decades. “I went into this discussion a little apprehensive. Politics are very personal, but when my husband and I left the event, we felt very satisfied with the Supervisor’s answers. It left us with an impressed feeling.”
David Petree, Jim Desmond, Joan Rink-Carroll and Greg Petree following the hour-long, open-forum discussion Silvergate San Marcos held with the County Supervisor at the senior living community on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.
“We appreciate the Supervisor taking the time to come out and share his views with our residents directly during what we know is a busy political season,” said David Petree, Chief Executive Officer of AmeriCare Health & Retirement, the parent company to the Silvergate retirement communities in San Diego County.
Bill Feeney, a former Boston police officer and resident of San Marcos since 2001 said, “I have voted for Desmond a couple of times before. He has deep ties with the community. I wanted to get some time with him during this discussion to see how his views and opinions have shifted with time. I’m glad Silvergate brought him in to speak to us so that I could ask him questions personally.”
Bringing local politicians like Desmond into Silvergate to engage with residents is part of the senior living community’s ongoing program of onsite activities and events. The year-round roster of events at Silvergate offers a wide range of educational opportunities peppered with regular appearances from local politicians, well-known authors, historians, astronomers, educators, health professionals and subject matter experts. These programs are one of the many ways Silvergate is making every day matter for its residents.
About Silvergate San Marcos
For more than 25 years, Silvergate San Marcos has been the region’s premier retirement community, offering award-winning Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care services. The community builds intriguing events and fun-filled activities right into the lifestyle, keeping residents active and socially engaged throughout the year. Families often discover that loved ones are more ready for senior living than they think. To learn more about Silvergate San Marcos or other upcoming events at the community, call David Nelson, Marketing Director at 760-744-4484 or visit www.SilvergateRR.com. Silvergate San Marcos is located at 1550 Security Place, San Marcos, CA 92078.
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