LYMES’ SENIOR CENTER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
APRIL 15, 2013
PRESENT: Ruth Young, Mary Miles, Bob Pierson, Ann Griffith, Don Tapper, Gary Weed, Barbara Blackwell, Diane Blackwell, Dot McAndrew, Doris Rand
ABSENT: Doris Johnson, Sue Campbell
GUEST: Old Lymes’ 1st Selectwoman, Bonnie Reemsnyder, Janet Sturges
The meeting was called to order at 2:00pm by Chairperson Ruth Young. Ruth welcomed our guests to the Board of Directors Meeting.
GUEST SPEAKER: Bonnie Reemsnyder: Bonnie gave us an up-date on the search for a new director for the Senior Center. She stated that there were several applicants but they have narrowed it down to four that they feel are the most qualified for this position. The interviews are scheduled for this Wednesday and Thursday. She said that the applicants are fairly local but not necessarily from Old Lyme or Lyme. They have put a series of questions together to ask the applicants. Only one person from the search committee will ask the questions. But anyone on the committee can follow-up with a question or comment if they wish to do so. She said they are very excited about the applicants and feel they have selected a good group of four to choose from. The questions are very standard but very professional.
Lymes’ 1st selectman, Ralph Eno has seen the questions and is being kept in the loop. The search committee will advise Bonnie and Ralph who they feel should get this position but in the end, it will be up to Bonnie and Ralph to decide who the new director will be. Bonnie did remind the board that this will be a town employee and things need to done the proper way so that there are no ramifications. She did say that they were looking for certain qualifications and past experience. Previous experience with seniors is one of the things that they are looking for. The applicants that applied for this position did not need to have a degree. They did put together a matrix to be sure that the applicant met all the qualifications that was required: (experience with seniors, working with budgets, working with boards of directors or non-profits organizations) that would be required for this position.
Bonnie also brought up another topic for discussion. BIG Y has offered to do a community service. Bonnie spoke with Diane Blackwell about dates that BIG Y had that Diane would be available. Her idea was to bring some of the BIG Y employees up to the senior center and have them do some of the gardening. But most of the gardening and mulching has been done already by Ed Adanti and Diane Blackwell. So now she is looking for suggestions from the board as to what ideas they may have that the BIG Y employees could do as their Community Service Project. It would be on Saturday, May 18th, 3 – 4 hours, 6 to 15 people. She also mentioned that the Old Lyme Middle School has a “Care and Share” Group and they are looking for community service work also. She
thought it would be nice if we could get these two groups together and do some work around the Senior Center. Some of the suggestions from the board members: washing windows inside and out/raking under the evergreens where Ed Adanti has trimmed/(Ed said he would bring up a truck so that after the raking was done or cutting the roots they could throw it on the truck). We are going to re-open the botchy courts and turn them into horseshoe pits. Now the wood needs to be stained. We do have some partial cans of oil stain but need more. The two daffodil gardens are in bloom and need to be weeded. We should have a box of latex gloves available, if needed. If anyone has any used brushes in their garage they don’t need, they could donate them because they will be thrown away after using them for stain. The volunteers will bring their own lunch but we would need to have the bathrooms available. Diane and Bob will get the stain. Bonnie asked that Diane get the items that she
needs and to make her a list of the things that she cannot get and she will get them for her. Ruth thanked Bonnie and Diane for all the help in trying to get this Community Service Project up and running. It was brought up about someone wanting to use the center for a memorial service but they were told they would have to take out an insurance rider from the town for $25.00 or take out their own insurance coverage. This has never been done before so why is It being required now. Bonnie said that it is in the best interest of the town that when an outside organization is using the building, it is being done with nothing to do with the Senior Center itself. It will be protecting the town from the liability should an accident occur. This will become a standard procedure. If people bring in liquor and drink too much and an accident happens, the town is liable. Diane reminded the board about a form that she had previously handed out regarding facility usage and it will be
brought up again as soon as we get a new director in place at the center. She said there is a Tulip Insurance Policy that backs up the town insurance policy in case something does happen. She did say that most centers so have this. It was questioned that there is a group coming in next week for lunch and having their regular meeting. They were told by someone at Town Hall that they would have to fill out a form in order to do this. Bonnie said she felt this is a miss-understanding and she will take care of it.
SECRETARY REPORT: (Judy Dutton) Secretary report accepted with the following deletion: (Pg. 4 – line 3 & 4 – ‘this way there will not be any confusion about are you a member of the Senior Club’) The Senior Club is an organization all by itself and had nothing to do with the center.
TREASURER REPORT: (Bob Pierson) Bob handed out copies of the treasurer report and gave a verbal report. Report accepted as presented and placed on file for audit.
COMMUNICATIONS: Diane gave a report on the casino trip scheduled for Tuesday, April 23rd. $645.00 for the bus. $100.00 deposit. Bob will make out a check for the remaining amount. We will leave at 9:00am. Rules of the casino are that you need to be at the casino 5-1/2 hours to get their vouchers. So we are anticipating arriving at the casino at 9:30am and leaving at 2:30pm. When we get to the casino, people from the casino get on the bus, welcome us and hand us vouchers and we get off the bus. Diane explained that the flyer for the trip said: $15.00 gamble voucher - $15.00 food voucher – cost per person - $25.00. Flyer should have read $30.00 per person. We have enough people going to cover the extra $5.00 per person. It would be nice if we could fill the bus
with 55 then the center would make a profit on this trip.
SPECIAL EVENTS: None
DIRECTORS REPORT: None
USE OF BUILDING: (Ann Griffith) 435 signed in. We had our regular activities. We had AARP Driving Course – and Tax Aide.
PROPERTY: (Don Tapper-Gary Weed) looked at leak under the steamer. We need to pay to have it done. The steamer will have to be moved and the pipes replaced. Also the leak in the closet needs to be repaired. This can be done for around $300.00. Joe Bullers can do this.
POLICY: (Diane Blackwell, Sue Campbell) None
SEARCH: ((Ann Griffith, Barbara Blackwell) None
FINANCE: (Bob Pierson, Gary Weed, Doris Rand) None
MEMBERSHIP: (Ruth Young) Ruth handed out a fundraiser letter that she prepared. Everyone liked the letter and a motion was made to accept the letter and mail it out.
PUBLICITY: (Diane Blackwell, Barbara Blackwell) None
OLD BUSINESS: (A) No response from the Estuary regarding bonus pay for Café Manager. A motion was made and seconded for the Board of Directors to pay Lisa Campbell $105.00 for her volunteer work during the winter storm.
NEW BUSINESS: (A) Discuss facility use proposals: Put on hold until a new director for the Senior Center is in place. (B) Discuss Emergency Management areas of recommended improvements. Put on hold until a new director for the Senior Center is in place. (C) Discuss course of action on recommendations: Tabled: see (A & B) above. (D) April is Volunteer Month – suggestion for a reception: There is a meeting scheduled at Old Lyme High School. Would we like to send a representative from the Board of Directors to attend this meeting? The meeting is April 23rd. Bonnie said she will be there so if we have any handouts/brochures/newsletters that we would like her to take, to please give the material to her and she should would be glad to put it on the table that she will
have there.
OTHER: Send a thank you note to: Bridge Gardens who donated the pansies for the window boxes. Also a thank you note to Ed Adanti for pruning, mulching and raking and re-seeding. Also “Soupy” who fixed the lady rooms door. Ed will have someone repaint the Directors office with a basic color. Ruth will write these thank you notes. It was mentioned that the cleaning group has not been coming. The cleaning group says they do not have enough time to do all that needs to be done. They do come in on Friday and re-stock the paper. There is a book in the closet that should be filled out with our concerns we have and a town employee will contact the cleaning company.
A motion was made to adjourn at 3:02pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy Dutton, Recording Secretary
CC: Board of Directors/Old Lyme 1st Selectwoman/Lyme 1st Selectman/Old Lyme & Lyme Town Clerk/Senior Center Director
THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE MAY 20, 2013, 2:00pm
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