Salem Council on Aging
Minutes of the Annual and Regular meetings on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 6:05 p.m., at the Senior Center, 5 Broad St., Salem, Massachusetts.
Board of Directors
Present: Pat Donahue (PD, Chair), Elaine Heredeen (EH, Vice Chair), Jerry Ryan (JR, City Council Liaison), Donna Clifford (DC, Secretary), Dolores Nangle (DN, Treasurer), Julie Carver (JC), Loretta Carroll (LC), Alice Williams (AW), Pamela Greaves (PG)
Also Present: Doug Bollen (DB), Bill Woolley (BW), Sharon Kearney (Secretary)
1. Minutes of Previous Meeting –
Vote will be taken to waive reading of (or read) and accept (or amend) Minutes of the meeting held Wednesday, March 21, 2012.
PD: Makes a motion to waive reading and accept the minutes of the previous meeting of Wednesday, March 21, 2012.
EH: Seconds motion.
VOTE: Unanimously approved.
2. Comments/Recommendations of the Chairperson – The Chairman discussed an article given to the COA from Erica Blumberg about attracting younger seniors to COAs. She also asked for a new list of phone numbers, e-mails and addresses from Board. She discussed committee work, as well.
PD: Did anyone read the article of “Its Appeal Slipping, the Senior Center Steps Livelier” by Jane Gross article that was handed out to us all during Erica Blumberg’s presentation?
The article shows what can happen when people get creative and with the new community life center this is what we are hoping for. If you still have it I recommend you read it. Erica’s presentation was really interesting. And, it is nice to know if we need help thinking about things we can do there is someone like her and/or North Shore Elders Services that could be available.
DB: We will update the contact list for Board members.
PD: Doug has mentioned he would like the boards help on calling other Council on Aging to see what their policies are in regard to someone teaching a class and the people paying for the class. How does the Council on Aging benefit from it? Does the instructor pay any fee? Or do they charge a fee? Or do they get part of the proceeds? I asked him to put it in question form and then each person could take a Council on Aging within our area. And, Doug also mentioned you want to know how long things should stay up on the bulletin board?
DB: No, we don’t have a bulletin board policy. We just let people come in and post things up on the bulletin board. We should have some type of screening process.
BW: We have a sign up there stating none of these agencies are recommended they post themselves. We do not endorse any particular services, goods or product.
3. Report of the Executive Director/Assistant Director
- New Community Life Center – update on status
JR: The plan for bonding the project has not been submitted to the City Council yet.
PD: We’ve come so far I hate to see the things slide backwards and not have anything.
BW: On other matters, there is a good possibility that Meals On Wheels funding through Title III-B from North Shore Elder Services is going to be cut. There will be $21,000 in cuts over the next three years. North Shore Elder Services, in an attempt to fill the gap, has come up with a gift card program in which popular businesses donate a percentage of the gift card purchase to NSES to apply to the Meals on Wheels program.
- Attendance Report – Transportation, Social Services & Nutrition attendance report
March Statistics Council on Aging |
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Service |
March 2011 |
March 2012 |
Joined Council on Aging |
53 |
61 |
Social Services - Over 60 |
273 served 464 times |
193 served 498 tines |
Social Services - Under 60 |
13 served 20 times |
19 served 47 times |
Activities |
1,526 |
1,547 |
Transportation |
1,574 |
1,480 |
Meal - Congregate |
676 |
680 |
Meals on Wheels |
2,240 |
2,625 |
- COA Board Training on May 22, at Belmont at 8:45am.
DB: COA Board training will be on Tuesday, May 22, 8:45 a.m. to noon at the Belmont Senior Center. BW will escort anyone interested in attending.
- New Van Update
DB: A new van should be coming very soon in a couple of months. Friends of the Salem Council on Aging agreed to pay 20 percent
- Spanish class taught by Bill Woolley
BW: A seven-week beginner Spanish class has attracted as many as 25 students.
- Discussion on successful use of the Simultaneous Interpretation System.
BW: We received a grant of $2,500 to buy a simultaneous interpretation system, which is a transmitter with a headset and a microphone attached to it, used by a bilingual speaker to provide interpretation.
DB: The semi-annual catalog of recreational activities has been mailed to 20,000 homes in Salem. None of the expense comes out of our budget; it comes out of the recreation revolving fund.
- Report on the Friends to the Council of Aging
DB: The Friends are going to purchase the three computers and pay the 20 percent for the van. They will hold a spaghetti dinner June 21 at the Moose Family Center.
- Committee to explore policies for COA services provided by private business groups vs. nonprofit groups and political campaigning at the COA, as well as fees which COA may consider charging for instructors for services.
DB: Pat asked me to make up some questions. There are so many directions for discussions we can go in on policies and I’m no sure what other COA’s do for policies.
1. Do you provide any additional transportation services specifically for senior citizens who want to go to their polling place? If someone calls to request a ride to a polling place, with the proper advanced notice, will you give them a ride?
2. Do you allow candidates for public office, either incumbent or challenger, to: make a group presentation or hold a forum with senior citizens at your Senior Center; distribute campaign materials at your Senior Center; circulate around your Senior Center introducing themselves to senior citizens? If not, is there a date, prior to the election, at which you cut them off?
3. How do you determine whether for-profit or a non-profit business or agency is allowed to make a presentation at your Senior Center? To what degree do you allow them to solicit customers/patrons? Are they allowed to hand out material publicizing their business or agency, or are they only allowed to leave it at the Senior Center?
PD & BW: Thought first question was taken care of.
DB: Yes, the Board had decided that if you want a ride to vote, you would have to call to reserve a ride in accordance with our standard policy.
PD: What about in the evening?
DB: No, because transportation closes at 4 p.m.
PD: Do you think the standard policy should remain in place for those who want rides to vote?
AW: Yes. Absolutely.
PG: I agree. Need to call ahead and make a reservation.
LC: Yes.
DN: I do.
EH: Yes.
JC: Yes.
BW: Question number two –
Do you allow candidates for public office, either incumbent or challenger, to: make a group presentation or hold a forum with senior citizens at your Senior Center; distribute campaign materials at your Senior Center; circulate around your Senior Center introducing themselves to senior citizens? If not, is there a date, prior to the election, at which you cut them off? If I have feedback from six senior center directors it would be helpful.
PD: Recognizes that Donna, Julie, Pam and Alice are willing to make calls.
DC: What about the bulletin board?
BW: We post a note that reads: “The City of Salem and the Salem Council on Aging provide this information as referral only not as recommendations and cannot guarantee the quality of the provider or service.”
DB: How long should we leave them up for? We don’t have a policy on this.
PD & EH: Suggest a month.
EH: And the items on the board should be dated.
PG: Suggested – The disclaimer statement be printed on orange paper with larger print and in a frame so it can been seen on the bulletin board.
Activities – Update on Programs and Special events coming up.
DB: We received a $1,000 donation from Salem resident Mike Kompa. I also sent out a thank you letter for all the people that delivered at the Moose for the home-delivered meals on Easter day. Sandy George and Meghan Murtagh hosted the annual volunteer appreciation party. There were more than 100 names read aloud. There were a special awards made to Pat Gorton and Brian Yuell, each of whom have volunteered more than 1,000 hours in the past year.
4. Treasure’s Report Update on budget and accounts
DB: We are doing OK. We are still level-funded by the City and the budget will come up at a City Council meeting soon. The only cut, so far, will be from Title III-B for Meals on Wheels.
5. & 6. Committee and New Business: None.
7. Visitor Comments: No Visitors
8. Next Board Meeting
PD: Next board meeting will be on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at NEW TIME 6 p.m.
9. Vote to Adjourn
PD: Makes a motion to adjourn the meeting.
EH: Seconds motion
VOTE: Unanimously approved.
Regular meeting adjourns at 7:09 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Sharon Kearney.
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