Colchester Commission on Aging
Regular Meeting Minutes
Monday, March 10, 2008 – Colchester Senior Center
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Bernie Erickson, Vice Chairman Ann Smyk, Clara Erickson, Jean Stawicki, Barbara Warden, BettyAnn Oppelt
MEMBERS ABSENT: Sally Carbone, James Cunningham, Bill Wagner
OTHERS PRESENT: Cathy Russi, Rosemary Coyle
1. Call Meeting to Order: The meeting was called to order at 1:05 p.m.
2. Minutes: Ann Smyk motioned to approve the regular meeting minutes of 2/25/08. Clara Erickson seconded. All other members present voted in favor. MOTION CARRIED.
3. Treasurer’s Report: No items were reported.
4. Chairman’s Report: Bernie Erickson welcomed BettyAnn Oppelt as the new alternate on the Commission on Aging. Barbara Warden has been moved from alternate to regular member. The Commission on Aging is now full with 7 members and 2 alternates.
5. Friends of the Senior Center Report: The Friends of the Senior Center continue to meet on the last Thursday of every month.
6. Senior Center Director’s Report: Cathy Russi attended a budget meeting with Linda Reilly Hodge and all department heads to review what will be presented at the town meeting. Wednesday, March 11th will be a Board of Finance work session at 7:30. Cathy will be presenting the budget and asked if any Commission members would like to attend. Jean Stawicki offered to do so. Jean suggested that they use the accreditation process as a goal for budgetary purposes. Cathy agreed and offered to get this information for Jean. April 21st is the first date for the budget to be
presented to the town.
Cathy stated that the budget is not frivolous at all. Some items were combined and some were taken out of their budget and put into the First Selectman’s. Rosemary stated that the First Selectman is trying to consolidate some of the budget items. Cleaning has also been taken out of the Senior Center budget. The town hired a designated employee whose time will be split between the Senior Center, Youth Center and Town Hall. Bernie Erickson questioned the $750 line item for programming. Cathy explained that at this time, that is all that is available for programming and that the Senior Center fundraises for any other programming that they offer.
The First Selectman has asked that Janet Taylor, the Social Service Worker for the Town of Colchester, Cathy Russi, and Fay Sherman who is the Colchester representative for TVCCA, schedule a meeting to open the lines of communication to improve services. The TVCCA has not been returning phone calls and they’ve stopped coming to Colchester to take fuel assistance applications. The staff at the Senior Center is doing all of that, as well as using their own supplies. The staff is also helping to make phone calls for clients to try to get deliverable fuel.
The TVCCA has changed the meal program that they offer. Clara Erickson has heard that they are much better.
Cathy stated that she is trying to cross train the staff so that they are all aware of what’s happening on a daily basis. Her next goal is to make sure that both Cathy and the Program Coordinator know where each home is for everyone who uses the transportation system, so that if someone is out, they can fill in.
March is Music Appreciation Month. The Senior Center is doing an intergenerational musical presentation at Jack Jackter Intermediate School.
Cathy has been invited to talk to the Clergy Association meeting on March 11th, which will be held at the synagogue.
The staff is attending an all-staff training through the CT Association of Senior Center Personnel on March 13th. Youth Services will come in and cover for them for the day. There will also be an in-town training for the staff on blood borne pathogens and fire extinguishers.
The St. Patrick’s Day dinner will be on March 17th.
TRIAD is doing the Senior Appreciation Day again on June 5th at St. Andrew’s Church. There will be a planning meeting on March 18th. Cathy asked any Commission members to let her know if they want to help out with this.
The Colchester Business Association held their meeting at the Senior Center. The seniors cooked the meal as a fundraiser. It was a great way for them to get to know the center. There were about 40 members in attendance.
Hospice donated 3 new desks to the Senior Center.
Because Cathy serves as Municipal Agent, she was able to apply for two grants, neither of which can be used for capital improvements. The Board of Selectmen gave her approval to move forward. One is for $3,000 and the other for $1,500. She would like to purchase a new computer and camera with the first one and a sound system with the second. The sound system would be used for entertainment and presenters who come to the senior center.
There is also another grant available through Eastern Bank for approximately $1,000. Cathy will ask the Board of Selectman’s for their approval at their next meeting. She would like to purchase a food warmer for the kitchen with this.
Cathy is also working on receiving funding from the Department of Transportation to subsidize drivers for new initiatives such as out-of-town travel and weekend or night trips. The funds would be used for social trips and doctor’s appointments, for example. This needs to be completed by the end of April.
Pricilla, the new Program Coordinator started today. She and Cathy are working on new goals within the 90 day probation period. Pricilla will also be establishing a program with the Wii game. It is a TV game that incorporates mind-eye coordination as well as cognitive training. She will also attend training on the Choices program so she will be well versed on Medicare issues.
Cathy sent a letter to Diana Giles regarding the ramp in the back of the Senior Center.
Cathy will be working with Cathy Maher from Bacon Academy on Feed the Children. They will be collecting food and cash donations at Stop and Shop on April 20th. Half of the proceeds will stay in town and the other half will go to the national Feed the Children program in the United States.
The Daffodil Festival for the American Cancer Society is running right now.
Older American’s Month is in May and Senior Center week is in September. The weeks’ theme will be on Russia.
Cathy asked if anyone on the Commission has any ideas for new programming now that there is a new Program Coordinator.
Clara Erickson motioned to accept the Senior Center Director’s Report. Ann Smyk seconded. All other members voted in favor. MOTION CARRIED.
7. Old Business: Rosemary Coyle distributed a pamphlet entitled 2008 Tax Relief Options, which will also be posted on the town website. This is an outline of existing tax relief options already available through the Town of Colchester. At the last Board of Selectman’s meeting, the Elderly Tax Relief Task Force proposed several changes to the Local Tax Deferral Program that was passed in 1993. The next step in the process is presentation at a Town Meeting, hopefully by April so people can apply for it this year. The changes include: adding ‘totally disabled’ to the elderly distinction,
increasing maximum income qualifications to $5,000 above the state limits, adding a caveat that at no time should it exceed 50% of the market value of the advocates interest or share of the property, extending timeline to August 1st, requirement of review by the Board of Selectmen every five years and lowering the interest rate to 3%. This is a lien (deferral) program where the taxes would be paid back to the town when property changes hands or the person passes. The task force will be working on an abatement program next.
8. New Business: No items were reported.
9. Adjournment: Ann Smyk motioned to adjourn the meeting at 2:06 p.m. Clara Erickson seconded. All other members present voted in favor. MOTION CARRIED.
Respectfully submitted,
Michelle Komoroski
| 