We have two concerns in our town of Concord. The first is what to do with the Concord prison. And the second is what to do with those who have crossed our borders with no documentation.
We have a need for temporary housing for those newly arrived in a compassionate way. Our Concord prison provides housing that includes sleeping quarters, a large kitchen to feed those newly arrived, as well as an exercise area. Plus, an opportunity for paid employment to keep the premises clean, to provide security to newly arrived families, and to allow those people to cook their food in the way they prefer (and not the American cuisine many find unpalatable).
Employment would include cooking staff, cleaning staff, security staff, translators, and educators, partially paid for by donations, local taxes, and grants from the federal government.
This is not a permanent solution, but one that would ease the problem for those newly arrived. We would also have an opportunity to find out who has a history of law breaking in their own countries, what skills these new arrivals bring with them, what their needs are, and how we can help them with a successful transition.
The above is a basic outline of what we have and what the newly arrived need.
John Offerman Sindall
Hawthorne Village