Town of Essex to investigate 'vulnerable persons registry'

Town of Essex councillors partake in a regular meeting of council at Essex Town Hall on May 6, 2024. (Rich Garton/CTV News Windsor)

The Town of Essex is one step closer to establishing a vulnerable person registry.

“I don’t want anybody to fall through the cracks,” said Ward 3 Essex Coun. Kim Verbeek after Monday’s town council meeting.

Her council colleagues unanimously supported a motion to investigate a registry, an idea prompted in pert due to a series of storms that ripped through Essex over the last few years, which left some people without power for days.

Verbeek noted some of the town’s more vulnerable residents may be without technology tools or cell phones and may not have nearby family to offer support during an emergency, such as a prolonged power outage.

Administration will now look at some delivery models and report back to council with some ideas on how to move forward, including whether the town would take on the task or look to a committee to implement.

The idea of an Essex County-wide registry could also be studied as an option.

Verbeek noted this would be a voluntary list and doesn’t have a grasp on how many people may sign up, but she believes it’s the right thing to do for residents as it aligns with the town’s strategic plans as well as the climate change adaptation plan.

“If we're left without power in extreme heat or cold situations, we can take care of ourselves and look out for each other,” Verbeek said. “But we do have citizens that are out there on their own, seniors and such that we need to check up on.”