Salem Council on Aging
Board of Directors
Minutes from meeting of Wednesday, November 19, 2008.
Meeting was called to order by Chair Kathleen Wilkinson, at 6:37 p.m.
Roll Call
Present: Kathleen Wilkinson (Chair, KW), Pat Donahue (Vice Chair, PD), Elaine Heredeen (Treasurer, EH), Domingo Alvarez (DA), Frank Clocher (FC), James Willis (JW) and Donna Clifford (DC).
Absent: Jane Sarnowski and Joan Lovely (City Council liaison).
KW begins meeting by apologizing for her absence at last month’s meeting.
KW makes a motion to dispense the nomination and election of board members, with the exception of James Willis serving as Secretary due to the departure of Bob Dionne; seconded by PD and FC; unanimously approved.
Motion to dispense with the reading of minutes from the meeting of October 15, 2008, and to accept them; seconded by PD; unanimously approved.
Comments/Recommendations of the Chairperson
1. KW hands out an updated list of board members, with up-to-date addresses,
telephone numbers and e-mail addresses.
2. KW hands out Bylaws of the Salem Council on Aging. She discusses with the board that her goal is to keep the commitment of reviewing the Bylaws once a year. KW asks the board if they would accept the Bylaws as is; board decides to review Bylaws over the next month and vote at next month’s meeting, on December 17.
3. KW suggests that at next month’s meeting, December 17, the board have a Christmas party, combined with the Friends of the Salem COA and the COA Advisory Committee. KW asks Friends liaison Nancy Olbrych if anything about the party was mentioned at last month’s Friends meeting; Olbrych says “no.” She asks Olbrych if the Friends would be able to help, financially, with refreshments. KW and Olbrych decided they will discuss the event after meeting. KW offers to mail out invitations to the event.
Director’s Report
1. COA Director Doug Bollen (DB) points out the new railings outside at the back ramp. Railings were donated by Morin Fabricating Co., $8,000-$10,000 donation by the company. Mark Morin is the son of Bertha Morin, a member of the Council on Aging. DB asks the board if a thank-you note could be mailed and also tells the board Mark Morin will be nominated at the second annual Volunteer Appreciation Night. It was the second largest donation, next to the new van that was donated in the spring.
2. A new rug is in the process of being purchased for the front of the building. DB has received an estimate and Pelletier Rug Co., of Danvers, will be moving forward with the project. DB feels the carpet is an eyesore when you walk in the building. The goal is to have carpet installed by the end of November.
3. Flu clinic that was held on November 12 was successful; 323 seniors came into the Senior Center for the flu shot. This was a decrease, compared to last year.
DC comments that people usually get flu shot in October and that the event went smoothly.
4. DB states that the Council on Aging has escaped Gov. Deval Patrick’s budget cuts. The State Formula Grant stayed the same; the first check came in at $25,000 and we are waiting for the second. The CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) is the grant for vans, which also stayed the same. We should be okay and will see what next year brings.
5. Transportation report: In November of 2008, we gave 1,260 duplicate rides, compared to 1,630 in November of 2007. We have eight new riders in November of 2008, compared to 15 new rides in November of 2007.
6. Nutrition Report: In November of 2008, we served 325 congregate meals, compared to 329 in November of 2007. In November of 2008, we handled 2,455 home-delivered meals compared to 2,866, in November 2007.
7. New Outreach Social Worker Margaret Cull started this week.
8. Three staff members are learning how to take and edit film at SATV; Sandy George (Volunteer Coordinator), Eileen Dunn (Recreation Supervisor) and Jackie Grimes (Principal Clerk). The goal of having staff learn how to film and edit film is to get in-house events on SATV and to eventually have our own show. The show will feature upcoming events, services the COA offers and will have featured guests, for example, board members.
EH comments that the Beverly Council on Aging has a show on once a month, but is repeated frequently.
9. New handicapped signs in the parking lot. Robert Connell, a senior who visits the Senior Center often, made a suggestion about handicapped parking signs being more visible to drivers. We now have five handicap spots designated with signs, compared to the two that we had.
PD expresses concerns about COA van shuttle signs that still appear in the community. There are two shuttle signs on School Street.
EH mentions an existing shuttle sign at the CVS on Essex Street.
10. Tax work-off program under the direction of Sandy George, Volunteer Coordinator. Bill Woolley established the program two years ago but after running the program for a year and a half, he trained and handed it down to Sandy. There are currently seven seniors participating in the tax work-off program; Eleanor Twombly, Pat Groton, Nancy Zarella, Margaret Anthony, Cynthia Chamberas and Dolores Soteris.
11. COA Assistant Director Bill Woolley (BW) takes over the director’s report for DB. BW tells the board that after attending the MCOA conference he is eligible to become a certified Council on Aging Director. He states that as of June 2009 he should be certified.
12. BW discusses the “Are You OK” program that the Council on Aging offers. The program calls seniors every day at the same time to see if they are OK. If the senior does not answer the call, the call will be made again 10 minutes later. If the senior does not answer the second time, a three-tier response is initiated. At this time the COA has fourteen seniors on the program.
The COA has purchased a $1,500 upgrade for the program so it can be compatible with Windows XP. BW has been experiencing problems with the program and it is largely dysfunctional. BW introduces the idea of using the Connect-CTY system that City Hall uses to make citywide phone calls about road closures and snow emergencies. BW is working with Connect-CTY representatives to try to electronically configure the system the city is currently using to perform the same function that the Are You OK program is supposed to perform.
KW asks if the center is getting the $1,500 back for the faulty upgrade and BW’s response is that an effort is being made to do that.
13. BW is working with DA on reaching out to the Latino senior population in the community. The goal is to locate Spanish-speaking senior citizens, identify their needs and make the services of the Council on Aging more accessible to them. BW explains that this is a grassroots project, using surveys and walking door to door, meeting with seniors one at a time, with the help of translation by DA. Not making any promises at this time but hopes to get the word out.
PD asks what has been identified. BW explains that the surveys contain basic questions; heating oil, meals, transportation, and are initially based on publicizing services and programs more than identifying specific needs.
PD also asks how many Latino seniors are in the community. BW responds with approximately 1,000 over the age of 60.
KW comments that meeting the needs of the Latino senior population has been a concern for many years.
14. Mayor Kimberley Driscoll spoke to DB about a seminar called “Successful Aging in Place,” that was offered to seniors in 2005. Mayor Driscoll would like to see this program renewed. BW will be meeting with Bonnie Celi, from the Salem tax collector’s office, who put the seminar on in 2005, to get ideas on planning. The seminar was filled with 15-to-30-minute presentations from eight to 10 professionals. Presentations will include; tax collection, social services, planning, community development, bank representatives, home representatives and North Shore Elder Services. In 2005, 125 seniors attended the event. At the next
meeting BW will hand out copies of the 2005 “Successful Aging in Place” seminar program.
KW asks when the seminar is planning to be held and how long? BW responds by suggesting the spring of 2009. Large task that needs ample time to plan and find presenters, plus seniors are more apt to come out in the spring than winter months.
BW also asks the board for assistance in the planning. KW, EH and DC offer to assist in planning and developing project.
Final remarks from the Director
DB says the Ward II dinner was successful; 150 seniors attended. There will be 100 seniors at the turkey dinner at Salem High School held on November 20. The Moose Family Center is offering a Thanksgiving meal for seniors on November 27. On Tuesday, December 4, we have the Carmen Thompson Variety Show; and a remembrance service on Tuesday, Dec. 11, to remember all those who have passed.
DB asks Friends liaison Nancy Olbrych if it is possible to get a new 52-inch television for the Senior Center donated by the Friends. The existing television was donated to the Senior Center by the Knights of Columbus after the original television died. The recently donated television, however, has a picture that is difficult to see clearly. The COA is looking for a flat screen TV to open up space in the dining room.
PD asks DB to write a letter to the Friends requesting the television. KW approves request.
BW: DA and I were invited by North Shore Elder Services Meals on Wheels coordinator Nuvia Calderone to be interviewed for her local access cable TV talk show. The purpose of the interview is to get the word out about our efforts in reaching out to the seniors in the Latino community. The interview will be recorded and put on a DVD.
Budget Report
DB says the budget is on point; we are at $161,766.20. The only outstanding problem is with vehicle parts. We only have a balance of $2,290.13 and we are only five months into fiscal year.
FC asks DB what would happen if the money for vans ran out. DB responds a van may not be fixed and will sit in the parking lot. DB also explained that the COA could hit the van donation account if necessary.
** JW asks to address the chairman of the board; requests to leave at 7:40 p.m.
Visitor Comments
Nancy Olbrych: The Friends group is looking to buy different arts and crafts supplies and use volunteer seniors to make gifts that can be purchased to raise money. If enough items are generated they could be sold at the fairs on the Salem Common and at holiday bazaars. This fund-raising idea will be brought up at the January meeting.
Friends President Andy Lapointe has been working with Sharon Felton, Council on Aging Social Worker, on senior-detection bracelet program. Bracelets are used by seniors who are suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia that may be prone to wander. The detection program costs $1,100 and comes with two bracelets. This is something Lapointe is working on with the Friends and on his own. Lapointe also donated a fully cooked turkey dinner to a senior. The Friends group is looking to extend this opportunity to more seniors next year.
Fundraising ideas; selling cakes and pies and doing a calendar raffle.
Final Remarks;
KW asks the board if there are any last comments.
FC expresses his concern with return address labels and letterhead used by the department. He is troubled by the use of the name “Community Services” in the title “Park, Recreation & Community Services Department,” instead of Council on Aging.
DB responds by explaining the merge of departments; Council on Aging, Veterans, Library and the Park and Recreation Department.
KW explains that we do not have the power to change the name of the department but expresses that she is taking his request seriously and says a letter will be written to Mayor Driscoll addressing the matter.
KW motions to write a letter to Mayor Driscoll addressing FCs concern, seconded by FC and PD; unanimously approved.
KW makes a motion to adjourn, seconded by PD; passed unanimously.
Meeting adjourned at 7:53 p.m.
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