HOLDEN COUNCIL ON AGING
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Conference Room - Senior Center
Present: Richard Mansfield; Louise Charbonneau; Susan Sullivan; Cheryl Owoc; Barbara Anger; Albert Ferron; Maureen Buffone.
The meeting was called to order at 8:03 a.m. by Chairman Mansfield. The minutes from the March 1, 2007 meeting were approved and accepted. Sue Sullivan asked if the council has a Vice Chairman. Louise stated that there is not currently a Vice Chairman, although there should be.
F.H.C.O.A. REPORT
Barbara Anger reported that the Friends' volunteers made miniature flower pots for the Meals on Wheels recipients.
The FHCOA bank balances are as follows:
Commerce Bank |
$6,971.83 |
Leominster Credit Union |
$16,547.56 |
C.D. |
$20,000.00 |
The Friends agreed to pay $100.00 toward the cost of the magician for Bring a Grandchild to Lunch Day. They will also pay up to $600.00 toward the Senior Prom on April 26th. The prom will not be restricted to people in the district.
Gordon White has again asked about ID cards for the Meals on Wheels drivers.
The annual meeting of the Friends will be held on September 15, 2007 at 9:00 A.M.
COORDINATOR'S REPORT
The movie "A Good Year" will be shown today. April 9th is International Day featuring the Netherlands. A talk on dementia will be held on April 11th, How It Was on the Home Front on April 12th, Scrabble Day on April 13th, Bring a Grandchild to Lunch Day on April 19th, Veteran's Round Table on April 23rd, Fairlwan Rehab Seminar also on April 23rd, Diabetes Seminar on April 25th, "The Lake House" will be shown on April 26th, and the Senior Prom will be held on April 26th from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M.
The budget hearing on March 21st went well.
The service incentive grants will defer the cost of My Senior Center. Historically, one-half of the requested amounts are received. We will be receiving $3,745.00 which will be going back to the Friends, who paid for the system.
There are currently 12 seniors participating in the RUOK program. Louise will look for grant money next year to update the system. When the system is down, the police department does not let us know. The calls then need to be made manually.
Louise was invited by the Holden Grange to speak to them on Monday, April 9th and give them a tour of the Senior Center. The first Monday in May, the Martha May Group of the Chaffins Congregational Church has invited Louise to provide an informational program on the Senior Center's programs and will have materials to distribute to keep people current about what is going on. The library will holding two (2) World War II events in April, and Jane Dutton has invited the Senior Center to participate. The Senior Center had already scheduled How It Was on the Home Front which was to be held on April 12th (and rescheduled to April 24th due to a storm), and a Veterans' Round Table is scheduled for April 23rd. Denis Rendone has put together an extensive study on Veterans' Memorials.
Cindy Beck is in Mass General for her three-month treatment and is being treated with a new medication which is working well.
OLD BUSINESS
An updated copy of the Holden Senior Center Use Policy has been distributed to the Board members to read and review. Louise would like to have it in place before the town election. Once it is adopted, we can start using it. If there are issues, it will come back to the Board. Sue Sullivan made a motion to adopt the policy, which Al Ferron seconded.
Al Ferron started looking into more formal ways to use the Welcome Aldrich Fund. He has looked at the history of the program and criteria to go by. Most of the referrals come from the Light Department, some come from Holden Discount Oil. Paula has a list of agencies that can be called, and she makes visits to talk to the people requesting assistance. The fund is not limited to Seniors. The application process should be spelled out in some form. Sue Sullivan volunteered to work with Al, if needed. Al will make presentation at next meeting.
There was some discussion regarding Jim Oliver's spot on the Board and when his term will expire. Rick would like to see someone in Jim's spot, possibly a Senior. Rick will talk to Jim in the next few days. New members generally bring in new ideas/new thoughts. Louise will make up a list of expiration dates for the current members.
There was no other old or new business and a motion to adjourn was made by Al Ferron and seconded by Sue Sullivan. Meeting adjourned at 8:50 a.m.
The next regular meeting of the Board will be Thursday, May 3, 2007 at 8:00 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Maureen Buffone
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