Shakopee Seniors Question And Hear From Mayoral Candidates

The Senior Citizens Club of Shakopee had their chance to deliver a message to the Mayoral candidates on Monday afternoon and they didn’t mince words.

“Seniors get the lowest billing all the time,” said Judy Vermeulen as several others nodded.

Candidates and heard several similar sentiments as they spoke with 16 members of the club at the Shakopee Log Cabin/Youth Building at Lions Park. It was one of their last chances to talk to voters about what they plan to do if elected.

Tabke told seniors he feels they’ve kind of been left hanging with what he said was a lack of housing and no seniors center.

“Shakopee tends to move slowly on getting things done,” he said. “As mayor, I will work with you to figure this out.”

Although senior programming is under the auspices of the city’s Park and Recreation department, little for seniors has been done by the city lately—something neither Tabke nor Schmitt disputed.

Tabke, who is park and recreation board chair, said cuts to the department have resulted in fewer programs. As a senior himself, Schmitt said his age group is the smallest in the city, with only 3,700 people, with the focus turned to programming for children.

“We’re not big enough yet to be heard,” Schmitt said of he and his fellow seniors.

He pointed, though, to two senior housing facilities in the works in the next year.

“Seniors, I’m on your side,” he said.