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Council on Aging Minutes 06/04/2008
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HOLLAND COUNCIL ON AGING
Minutes of meeting held On June 4, 2008
Meeting opened at 10:15 a.m.

PRESENT: COA members: Frank Antonovitch, Harold Hewinson, Susan Sanders, Lowell Nixon, Olive Nixon, John Reed and Brad Noble. Others: Senior Center Director: Margaret Crock, and Kitchen Manager: Don Sanders.

ABSENT: Sara Meier, Paul Gillis, maintenance manager and Deb Tierney, outreach worker.

Minutes of May 7, 2008 accepted.

REPORTS:
 
OUTREACH WORKER: Deb Tierney (written report)
On May 19th Atty. Robert Bishop was here from the Mass. Bar Association’s Elder Law Education Series. He gave a presentation on many subjects pertinent to seniors’ retirement income and long term health care coverage as well as Medicare and Medicaid rules covering extended care. After his presentation, JoAnne Higgins from our Assessor’s office spoke on articles in the Town Meeting warrant pertaining to expanded eligibility for property tax exemptions. In May, 9 unduplicated clients served and 31 service units provided. We have been fortunate in obtaining an agreement with Springfield Partners for Community Action to have two full-time (20 hours/week) Senior Aides who can serve as Activities Directors and as fill-ins at the Town Hall. Request for 260 stamps for the June mailing of the Newsletter was approved. I will be attending a recognition dinner for senior companions on June 25th at noon in Chicopee.

FRIENDS OF THE HOLLAND SENIORS:
Brad offered to do the shopping for “make your own sunday” (sponsored by the friends of Holland seniors) for our pot luck lunch on June 18th.


SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR: Margaret Crock.
In May, 1152 contacts made, 122 seniors served, 451 attended Senior Center, 123 attended congregate meals and the balance includes cards & games (74), exercise (43), senior tax work off program (15), Entertainment by Brimfield Singers (55), No sew blankets (4), Movies (11), Intergenerational activity (73), Memorial day (76) and other. GSSSI requested a list of volunteers to honor. The following names were submitted: Don Sanders, Dick Desrosiers, Linda Denis, Paul Gillis, Corinne Lavallee, Cathy Germain and Lois Dupre.

FINANCIAL: Brad Noble, Treasurer  
 Receipts in May were: GSSSI $583.33. Expenditures in May were: telephone $69.72, M Crock salary $660.00, Deb Tierney wages $451.20, Electric $133.48, Trash pickup $28.73, Managers wages $530.00, Gas $0, Supplies $185.57, Postage $0, Exercise classes $60.00, Printing $89.60 and Fire extinguisher $174.95.

PROGRAM COMMITTEE: Margaret Crock, Deb Tierney & Olive Nixon
Usual activities include: games-cards, cribbage, scrabble, blood pressure clinic, and regular lunches on Mondays, the 2nd Wednesday (birthdays) and on the 4th Wednesday. Corinne Lavallee’s “no-sew blankets” for service men held on Thursdays at 11:15. An Arthritis Foundation exercise class is changed to Wednesday’s at 10:00 a.m.  Cribbage is held each Thursday at 12:30.  Computer classes for seniors are available upon request.  All computers are operational and may be used by seniors anytime the center is open.  Mah Jongg on Mondays. It is also on the computer. Blood pressure clinic is held on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 11:15 by Ms. Joan Dusoe, R.N. This is provided by Harrington Memorial Hospital’s Preventive Health Cardiovascular & Endocrine Wellness Screening Program. AVADA will hold a Hearing screening & cleaning of hearing aids on June 12 from 1 to 3. Movies are shown on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. On Tuesday’s from 11:00 a.m. to noon a craft class in making of hats and mittens for second graders is held. On June 29th the Friends of the HRA will have a pancake breakfast from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

SENIOR TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM: Margaret Crock and Harold Hewinson.
Year to date, $2,560.50 has been charged to the Senior Center, $2,150.50 to the School, $698.00 to the Tax office, $471.00 to the Assessors office and $290.00 to the Town Clerk.

BUILDING MAINTENANCE:  Paul Gillis (written report)
No mechanical problems. Don and I planted 8 donated plants, 3 knock out roses (Sue and Don Sanders), 4 Hydrangeas (2nd grade teacher), 1 Lilac Bush (5th graders environmental grant). Contacted E.W.S., the installers of our H.V.A.C. system to perform prevent maintenance on our system. Floors will be stripped and waxed the weekend of the 14th or the 20th of June.
KITCHEN MAINTENANCE: Don Sanders
Fire extinguisher was purchased and installed.
                
All of the above reports were accepted by the Council on Aging.

OLD BUSINESS
Brad reported that the Selectpersons appointed all the recommendations we submitted after lasts months meeting.
 NEW BUSINESS
 We received 3 requests to be members of the COA: Associate Pastor Bruce Plumley, Carolyn Reardon and Paul Gillis as an alternate. The only person in attendance was Bruce Plumley. After some discussion motions were made and seconded to vote on each request. Results were: Bruce Plumley yes 7 no 0, Carolyn Reardon yes 0 no 7 and Paul Gillis yes 2 – no 5. The following officers of the C.O.A. were approved for FY 2009: Chairperson – Harold Hewinson, Vice Chairperson – Bruce Plumley, Treasurer/Secretary – Susan Sanders.

All the members thanked Frank and Brad for all the hard work they both did during their many years of service. Both were very pleased and appreciated the support all the members have given them.

CORRESPONDENCE – Distributed as received.

Meeting adjourned at 11:23 a.m.

Submitted by:  Brad Noble, Secretary  
Agenda
Meeting on July 2, 2008                                                                                         
Call to Order at 10:15 a.m.
Approval of minutes of June 4, 2008
Reports      
Outreach, Friends of Holland Seniors, Senior Center Director, Program,
Senior Tax Abatement, Finance, Maintenance Report, Kitchen Report,
Old Business, New Business, Correspondence