HOLLAND COUNCIL ON AGING
Minutes of meeting held On August 6, 2008
Meeting opened at 10:15 a.m. by Chairman Bruce Plumley with a reading of our Mission Statement.
PRESENT: COA members: Harold Hewinson, Lowell Nixon, Olive Nixon, Bruce Plumley, Jack Reed, and Susan Sanders. Others: Senior Center Director: Margaret Crock, Brad Noble, Maintenance Manager: Paul Gillis.
ABSENT: Kitchen Manager: Don Sanders, Outreach Worker: Deb Tierney.
Minutes of July 2, 2008 accepted.
REPORTS:
OUTREACH WORKER: Deb Tierney (written report)
Deb is on vacation from 8/3 to 8/11. Judy Belezos joined us in July with a presentation on USANA Health Sciences products. Reminder that Program rules prevent the insuring of anyone who is not an actual employee of VOC and cannot cover a program driver who transports a non-Holland resident. The driver’s own insurance would be the coverage. Also, mileage cannot be paid. Senior Aide Linda Artruc has been busy planning activities. The newsletter will go out again at the end of August. Any news should be submitted by noon on 8/13. Attended an all-day conference on July 17 regarding Suicide Prevention in Older Adults. Please call Deb if you desire more information.
SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR: Margaret Crock.
In July, 1,049 contacts made, 146 seniors served, 413 attended the Senior Center, 130 attended congregate meals, and the balance includes cards & games (89), exercise (34), senior tax work off program (22), movies (9), Intergenerational activity (106), phone calls (80), soldiers cards (11), computers (20), URSANA Health Products (17), American Red Cross (72), Open House (27), COA meeting (11), blood pressure clinic (8).
FINANCIAL: Susan Sanders, Treasurer
Receipts in June were: GSSSI $583.33. Expenditures in June were: Telephone $61.26, M. Crock salary $652.00, Deb Tierney wages $695.60, electric $207.00, trash pickup $28.99, lawn care $120.75, exercise classes 60.00, kitchen supplies $41.96, security $75.00, semi-annual fire system inspection $135.25.
SENIOR TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM: Margaret Crock and Harold Hewinson.
Year to date, $1,010.00 has been charged to the Senior Center.
PROGRAM COMMITTEE: Margaret Crock, Deb Tierney & Olive Nixon
Ongoing activities include regular luncheons, mahjong, cards, scrabble, cribbage, crafts, exercise, blood pressure clinics, soldiers’ projects, and movies. The garden is doing well. A thank you letter was received from the American Red Cross, which also mentioned the recruiting done by Valerie Ebersol for the blood drive. Sign up sheets are available for Stage Loft performance on August 24 at 2:00 p.m., and for the Big E on 9/16 from 9:00 to 5:00. Cost for the Big E is $10. per person. Contact Linda Artruc. AVADA change the date for the hearing clinic to August 6 at 1:00 p.m. On August 27 at 10:30 a.m. Candy Caputo will give a presentation on diabetes and senior life styles, followed by a blood pressure clinic. Our craft program conducted
by Hazel Midzinski has about 22 hats and mittens ready for the November Holland Elementary School lunch. Possible programs include Lisi Coin giving a presentation on coin collecting.
BUILDING MAINTENANCE: Paul Gillis
Paul congratulated Valerie Ebersol for her work on the successful blood drive. Paul states that with the exception of the donations received recently from Michael Kennedy, much of what we have stored for a long time remains unused. He often has people stop by with donations on Fridays, when the Senior Center is closed and he is doing maintenance. He suggests that Outreach Worker Deb Tierney canvas organizations such as the Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul, etc. and see if they will come and remove the unused equipment we store. We recently received a donation of new folding chairs from the Hamilton Reservoir Association, beginning a program of replacement of older furnishings/equipment. Paul suggests that anyone using the hall should be advising them of this program. Bruce will
prepare a request notice. The floors were recently stripped and waxed. Bruce Stearns of Brimfield Rd. in Holland directed and assisted Don Sanders and myself with this project. He prepared an invoice for $300.00 for his time and equipment use. Motion made and approved to pay Bruce Stearns $300.00.
KITCHEN MAINTENANCE: Don Sanders (written)
Don reports that everything in the kitchen has been running well.
All of the above reports were accepted by the Council on Aging.
OLD BUSINESS – Paul Gills requests that letters of thanks be sent to those responsible for our Senior Center, a matter overlooked when the Center was completed. Motion made and approved to send a letter of appreciation.
NEW BUSINESS
Susan Sanders reviewed some recent correspondence. A letter from the Town of Holland to GSSSI appointing Susan Sanders to the GSSSI Advisory Board, appointment having been approved by the COA on July 2, 2008. Notice of change of name of Allied Waste to RepublicAllied by the end of 2008.
Mr. Paul Braciotti, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, joined the meeting to report on the housing study we won two years ago, which will consist of 20 rental units, parking spaces, and possibly some storage. We still have another year to go. It is time to prepare and issue proposals. One aspect that makes our application competitive is the proximity of the Senior Center to the proposed housing. Bruce asked what is expected of the COA at this time, and was told that the Outreach Worker should be housed at the Senior Center in order to enhance our housing application. Notice of availability of funding is due out in May 2009. We need to begin now as it takes +/- four months for the notice. A letter of support from the COA and the Town of Holland regarding senior housing could play
a role. There would be no cash outlay from the Town. Bruce will consider these proposals.
Meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
Submitted by: Susan Sanders, Secretary
Agenda
Meeting on September 3, 2008
Call to Order at 10:15 a.m.
Approval of minutes of August 6, 2008
Reports, Outreach, Senior Center Director, Program,
Senior Tax Abatement, Finance, Maintenance Report,
Kitchen Report, Old Business, New Business, Correspondence
CC: Town Clerk, Selectmen
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