Fort Wayne Social Security Office Move

There has been a lot of talk about redevelopment in the downtown area. Folks putting their heads together to bring more businesses downtown. Well it appears that the old building at 5800 Fairfield is no longer able to accommodate the baby boomers and those qualifying for disability. So you would think city leaders would have moved to relocate this business downtown. Wrong.

Now, the old Fairfield building is not far from downtown. So, it makes sense that downtown would be a good location and the fact that there are lots of empty buildings downtown. Matter of fact, a lot of empty buildings that sit on the bus lines are prime property downtown. The bus lines are important for those who are unable to drive themselves or unable to afford to pay for other more expensive transportation to the Social Security Office. Downtown would be more convenient for all parties involved. You would think, but nope, folks got other ideas.

They want to move the Social Security office closer to the airport. I don't know, it is hard enough to catch a plane flying out of Fort Wayne. Now they want to make folks go out there. Is this Fort Wayne way of telling seniors they need to get out of town and make room for all the young folks that is going to grow this city?

I don't know. But I do know this. I called David Gionet and voiced my concern about this latest development at the Social Security Office. Oh I told him how much it would cost riding in a cab to make it out to the airport. One way to the airport would cost around $15-20 dollars. That's does not include the tip, and if the gas price keep going up, the cab drivers will probably tack on another $1 for gas. Two trips could eat away at the fixed income of families who are receiving social security.

Gionet suggested that I call Congressperson Mark Souder's office. I did. The man who answered the phone for Souder, Steve Howell was nice as I expressed my concern. But this much I do know, Souder's aide does not use public transportation if he grew up on a farm. So, I shared with Howell why this move is economically harmful to low income families.

Now I need your help, folks out here in the blogger's land.I'm suggesting that you call Souder's office. The number is 260-424-3041. Now the line may be busy. I had to keep calling before I finally got through. Below are other ways to contact Souder:


Fort Wayne Office:
E. Ross Adair Federal Building, Room 3105
1300 South Harrison Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Main: (260) 424-3041
Fax: (260) 424-4042
Tollfree: 1-800-959-3041


I think Souder will be more than glad to hear from you.

A meeting scheduled for Friday morning between

Citilink’s board of directors and a representative of U.S. Rep. Mark Souder’s office has been cancelled.

Citilink notified the media of the cancellation about the time Souder’s office issued a press release saying a member of the legislator’s staff was denied entrance to a meeting Wednesday between Social Security officials and Citilink.

Souder’s office has questioned why Social Security’s new office in Fort Wayne is not directly accessible by Citilink, Fort Wayne’s public transportation system.

In a letter dated Thursday, Souder asked for a meeting with Social Security officials next week, saying he planned to bring a Citilink representative with him.

Souder said a Social Security official denied his staffer access to the meeting, adding “to my knowledge, this has never happened in my career as a congressional staffer or Member of Congress, and I don’t expect it to happen again.”

Oh Congressperson Souder had more to say:

May 3, 2007

The Hon. Michael J. Astrue
Commissioner
U.S. Social Security Administration
Windsor Park Building
6401 Security Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21235

Dear Commissioner Astrue:

Recently, it was brought to my attention that Fort Wayne’s Social Security office (5800 Fairfield Avenue, Suite 235, Fort Wayne, Indiana) will be moving to a location that is not accessible by public transit (Fort Wayne’s Citilink).

A member of my Fort Wayne staff inquired about the office’s new location on April 27, 2007, and was told that she would be contacted by Cordelia Davis, the Fort Wayne Social Security office’s District Manager, with that location. To this date, she has not received a response from Ms. Davis. But she was assured that the new location would be accessible via public transit. Moreover, an unsuccessful bidder on the new office project has told my staff that accessibility to public transit was a requirement for any potential bid on the work.

After learning of a May 2, 2007, meeting between the local Social Security staff and Citilink, my District Director (Derek Pillie) attempted to attend the meeting. Upon showing up at the meeting place, however, District Manager Cordelia Davis barred Derek from entering, telling him that it was “a closed meeting.” I had specifically asked Derek to attend this meeting as my representative, as I wanted him to learn why the local Social Security office would be moving and why the new site wouldn’t be accessible via an existing bus route. I am angered that my District Director was blocked from performing the fact-finding mission I requested. To my knowledge, this has never happened in my career as a congressional staffer or Member of Congress, and I don’t expect it to happen again.

With this letter, I am asking for a meeting with the Social Security Administration next week, and I plan to bring along a representative of Citilink. If this meeting is not achieved, I will bring up this issue at future hearings of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, of which I am a senior member.

I thank you for your prompt attention to this matter, and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,


Mark Souder
Member of Congress
cc: Sharon Wilson, Director, Legislative Research and Congressional Constituent Relations Staff, SSA
Kevin Messner, Associate Administrator, Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, GSA

So you can write a letter to the U.S. Social Security Commissioner too:

The Hon. Michael J. Astrue
Commissioner
U.S. Social Security Administration
Windsor Park Building
6401 Security Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21235

Or write a letter to the newspapers and tell them what you think about this treatment of our senior citizens. I was unable to find email addresses.