For Immediate Release

 For Information Contact:
Friday, May 14, 2004

Brian Adey
 798-5800

Griffo Sends Response Team to
Sherrill To Assist Oneida Ltd. Retirees

 

Oneida County Executive Joseph A. Griffo today announced that two county departments are setting up outreach hours in Sherrill to help Oneida County residents impacted by Oneida Ltd.’s decision to terminate group health insurance for the company’s retirees.

“Retirees are facing many options, and every person’s case is different because of their life goals, income and family situations,” Griffo said. “Our goal to help them sift through information and get the answers they need so that they can make the decisions that are right for them. At a time when retirees are getting a lot of information, we want them to have the opportunity to ask questions face-to-face so they can better interpret the material they have. ”

Representatives of the Oneida County Department of Social Services and Office for the Aging/Continuing Care will be in the Sherrill City Hall, 373 Sherrill Road, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  

“The preliminary information we have received is that there will not be many retirees eligible for direct service at this time,” Griffo said. “However, we want to make sure retirees with questions about Oneida County programs and services can meet representatives of these departments to have a dialogue on issues of concern.”

Griffo said the outreach in Sherrill is part of his commitment to move County Government where the need is. “I promised last fall that we would put Oneida County ’s Government on the move to serve the people. That’s what we are doing,” Griffo said. “When major issues strike parts of our county, we help residents far more by going to them than by waiting for them to come to us. We greatly appreciate the cooperation of Sherrill City Manager Dave Barker and the City of Sherrill to offer us this location so we can reach out to the retirees. Being there in times of uncertainty is a vital part of our public service commitment to the people of Oneida County .”