Senior Center Committee
Meeting Minutes – August 29, 2007
Councillor Veno calls the meeting to order, indicating that all members of the Committee are present, except for Mayor Driscoll, who was here for the Site Analysis Working Group meeting, but had to leave for another meeting.
Councillor Lovely moves for approval of minutes from the meeting of the June 27, 2007, seconded by Teasie Riley-Goggin, which passes unanimously.
Frank Clocher moves for approval of minutes from the meeting of July 19th, 2007 minutes, seconded by Pamela Greeves, which passes unanimously.
Councillor Veno calls for working group reports.
Councillor Veno calls for the Public Input working group report.
Paul Lanzikos: Through this afternoon, 267 surveys have been received and tallied, with another 14 received today that still need to be tallied. Information is still in raw form now, and the working group will do cross tabulations soon. But there are some findings that are emerging from the data that has been collected so far.
o The vast majority of respondents (170) do not participate in meals program
o The vast majority (172) say they drive, while 78 said no. This would seem to indicate that adequate parking will be a factor.
o 80 respondents say they have never used senior van; 34 say they use it once every couple weeks; 160 say they have never used it
o 100+ have never used the senior center; 60 say they use it weekly; 80 say they use it a few times a month
o People say they are interested in a wide array of activities
o Most (164) say they live in their own homes, I’m surprised by that, while ½ say they live alone
o The vast majority of people get our regularly, and take advantage of the various health screenings offered currently
o How they get their information? 150 say they get it from the senior newsletter, 160 from the newspapers; local cable TV ranked high as well
o We got responses from virtually every neighborhood in the city
o Do you want to get out more? The group was split on this
o Do you want to spend more time with others in social setting? 133 said yes, while 80 said no
o Do you avoid activities “for seniors”? 200 said no
We should have 300 by the time they’re all tabulated.
Teasie Riley-Goggin: How long will we let it go?
Paul Lanzikos: The working group will accept them as we go, but at some point will need to do the tabulation, so at that time, we’ll have to cut it off. We could collect them through the end of next week – Sept 8th to get them into tabulation.
Teasie Riley-Goggin: When we should pull the boxes?
Paul Lanzikos: It would have to be by the 8th of September, so that tabulation can be completed by the time of the next meeting.
Paul Lanzikos: The working group is starting to prepare for the focus groups, which will include 3 focus groups in September, probably here at COA/Broad Street. We will try to assemble different groups – those that use the senior center regularly, elders who aren’t currently users, and baby boomers. Each focus group session will last about an hour, and they will include different types of questions on the following areas – the desirable characteristics of a senior center, location, design, programs, accessibility, experience with this senior center and other programs for older adults, etc. We hope to have a few potential sites, and set up questions to test desirability of sites.
John Walsh: Are we doing all selected 7 sites, or just the 2-3 that we agreed at the last meeting to look at in greater detail?
Barbara Cleary: Do you want to ask about specific sites, or more general areas?
Paul Lanzikos: Using a focus group gives you an opportunity to ask the questions more specifically.
Barbara Cleary: It is my recommendation that unless the architect comes back ruling out specific sites, we should ask questions about all 7 sites.
Paul Lanzikos: We can also ask if there are other sites that ought to be considered.
Barbara Cleary: It would be interesting to know in general about having one in the downtown.
John Walsh: It’s better to have more general questions about neighborhoods for sites instead of specific sites
Teasie Riley-Goggin: 170 reported that they are driving. Some seniors are asking, “If it’s at the Willows, how would we get there?”
Barbara Cleary: The only other broad category of sites, low on list, is that of industrial entrance corridor sites – Jefferson Avenue, Canal Street, Highland Avenue. That’s where the available land is.
Paul Lanzikos: In terms of timing, we want the data to integrate well with the work that’s going on in other working groups. Would the middle of third week in September be ok?
Barbara Cleary: That works for us.
Teasie Riley-Goggin : The Programming/Use working group is meeting on the 6th.
Barbara Cleary: Can anyone participate in the focus groups, or just those that fit the different profiles?
Paul Lanzikos: We will primarily use volunteers who said they would do so. A group of 10 people works well for this. Perhaps, if we need to, we can put a notice in the paper, and have people contact Doug.
Teasie Riley-Goggin: SATV would work well too.
John Walsh: Are we going to do a public meeting too?
Councillor Lovely: Yes, absolutely, after the focus groups, to put it out to the community as a whole.
John Walsh: Right, to present findings to the public.
Paul Lanzikos: It will be important to make it as focused it as possible, not too open ended.
John Walso: When we hold the public meeting, we have to manage it, do it like we did the St. Joseph’s public hearing at the Bentley School, give people a set amount of time to speak, and keep the meeting moving.
Teasie Riley-Goggin: Last time we went through this process, many felt that they were left out. This time we want to do it right…not just hit a home run, but a grand slam.
Councillor Veno calls for the Site Identification / Analysis working group report.
Barbara Cleary: The Mayor has lined up Mark Meche of Winter Street Architects to do the additional, more detailed analysis. We have worked up a draft scope of work, which includes looking at all sites, even if they focus more on the 2 identified as priorities. He will look at parking, environmental conditions, unusual conditions, other considerations, really raw pricing for development, handicap issues/access, and pediatrician/vehicular access. We have also developed a sequence of tasks: meet with working group ( including the Mayor), do an assessment, come back and report to committee, and in the end write something up for each of the sites. In the end we’ll have something under the feasibility section of the committee’s report. The plan is to meet with them soon.
The work will be done primarily by Mark. It’s important to us that we have something on every site.
Councillor Veno: This is an important juncture of the committee’s work now. I think it’s very important to have a complete record of a thorough assessment to present to the public so that we can show that we thoroughly considered all the alternatives.
Teasie Riley-Goggin: Joan said about private land, keep it as a possibility.
Councillo Lovely: It would be optimal to use one that we own. But if that falls short, then we got to the next level.
Barbara Cleary: Do we want to the architects to participate in the focus group?
Paul Lanzikos and Councillor Lovely: No
Barbara Cleary: Perhaps at the public meeting then.
Paul Lanzikos and Councillor Lovely: Yes
Councillor Veno calls for the Programming/Use Working Group Report.
Councillor Veno: We met recently as a working group and laid the framework for our discussions going forward. We will be meeting on the 5th, and intend to come forward with a recommendation for square footage requirments for the building, and parking requirements.
Barbara Cleary: What we will need is a range for both of these itesms for the architects, especially a realistic minimum.
Teasie Riley-Goggin: We are looking ahead too, for what might be needed down the road.
Barbara Cleary: We are going to have the architecture look at expansion too. If you can get us that from your subcommittee meeting soon, that would be helpful.
Councillor Veno: In my discussion earlier this week with Mark Meche, we also talk second floor possibilities, if there is a site that seems fits with a two-story build which may have ground floor entrance on the second floor.
Paul Lanziko: Do they know of the other COAs that we have seen? That might be helpful.
Councillor Veno: Yes, I told him about our site visits to other COAs in surrounding communities, who he knows which other ones we’re looking at.
John Walsh: I move that the programming/use work group present it’s findings to the sites analysis group, and that these findings also be shared with the entire committee. If there are no objections, the site analysis group will give it to the architect during it’s meeting. The motion is seconded by Frank Clocher, which carries unanimously.
Frank Clocher: Weed to get the Szetela Lane plans.
Concillor Veno: I’ll make sure I get them from the planning department for our working group meeting.
Barbara Cleary: September 12th meeting of the whole committee. We’ll have to decide then.
There then ensures discussion about the Council’s October 15th deadline. Teasie Riley-Goggin reads the specific language from the Council’s order creating the committee. Paul Lanzikos says that reporting our findings to date by the 15th is consistent with the council order.
Councillor Veno: Let’s plan on making a presentation to the city council at the October 11th meeting. I will put it early on the agenda.
Paul Lanzikos: During our October 3rd meeting, let’s make sure there is an agenda item for us to discuss preparation of our report to the Council.
Councillor Veno calls for Old/New Business
Paul Lanzikos: Tto the extent that you have specific sites, those would be good to be included in the focus groups, with exhibits/maps that might be helpful. We will be doing focus groups during the week of September 26th.
Councillor Veno calls for Public Input.
Joan Szabcar of 6 Phelps St: I have a few questions. Day Care might be included as an important service. Was it included in the questionnaire? Denis, will you continue to take new clients in Peabody?
Denis Coleman: We’re open to whole region, but it’s got a waiting list. We will need to look at marketing study of this service to see if there is demand for it.
Paul Lanzikos: Since that’s a specific, defined reimbursable service, you’d need to do a market study.
Joan Szabcar: Is the St. Joseph’s site still part of the discussion?
John Walsh: It remains on the list, but we’re looking only now at public properties. And that is not a public property.
Barbara Cleary: We’re not looking at those at this point, but may perhaps at a later time if we need to.
Paul Lanzikos: Under what circumstances can you see this being a reasonable site?
Teasie Riley-Goggin: If that were to happen, there would be an oucry.
Joan Szabcar: Would this committee join that outcry?
Teasie Riley-Goggin: It has been wonderful serving on this committee. This has been a great group, and the public input has been great. I think if St. Joe’s came back, there would be a public outcry.
Barbara Cleary: In terms of adult day health, it might be helpful if the workgroup thinks that should be included.
Paul Lanzikos: 36 is good to use as a bare minimum, up to 60 and a minimum of 3,000 square feet.
Denis Coleman: I think it should be seriously considered.
Barbara Cleary: It would be good to say this site will accommodate it or not.
Joan Scabcar: Is this a senior center?
Councillor Veno: The report of the first group looked at this issue, and made the recommendation that this be a senior center first and foremost, and seniors will get first “dibs” on the building. Beyond that, however, when it is not used by seniors, it should be able to be used by other groups.
Councillor Lovely: The departments have been merged.
Paul Lanzikos: Also, that’s the current operational policy for this building (Broad Street).
Councillor Veno calls for any additional public comment. There is none.
Teasie Riley-Goggin: I move we adjourn. The motion is seconded by Frank Clocher, and carries unanimously.
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