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Board - Committee - Commission Council: 2118-AUG 23 PM 12 22
Council on Aging
Date: 2017-12-.11 Time: 6:30 PM
Building: Pleasant Street Senior. Center Location: Lounge Room
Address: 49 Pleasant Street
Purpose: Session: General Session .
Attendees: Members - Present:
Joan Coco, Jolyn Ek, Margaret Havey, John Parsons,Thomas Procopio;
Sandy Shaffer, Marilyn Shapleigh, Brian Snell, Pooja Parsons (Associate
Member), Sally Hoyt:(Associate Member), Jane Burns (Admin),
Members - Not Present:
Janya Stafford (Associate.Member)
Others Present:
Barbara Carney
Minutes Respectfully Submitted .By: Marilyn Shapleigh
Topics of Discussion:
Call to Order: 6:38 by.Brian Snell.
Acceptance of Minutes from 11/15/2017: Page 2 should be edited to reflect that the
Medical Marijuana meeting was held at the library, not at the Pleasant St Center. Motion by
Thomas Procopio, seconded by John Parsons. All in favor of accepting with the edit.
Elder Services November Report(Admin): Accepted.
Financial November Report(Admin): No extraordinary expenditures. Patrons is being used
efficiently. Schroeder could be spending more. Accepted. .
MVES Report (Brian Snell): MVES is currently evaluating how to reach seniors in a more
affirmative manner -- looking for ways to find people.who will advocate for seniors -. social
media etc. The Belly Full of Laughs fund raiser is coming up.. A process is.going on.to
reduce the Board from 45 to 35 members via-attrition. Proposals to change the,current
method of proportional representation for towns to a "same #-of representatives" per town
plus.at-large positions are being considered. No change has been approved yet.
Old Business: .
DKJ Foundation.Event Review: Great turnout including people from virtually.all sectors. .A
positive. impact is already underway. The YMCA is looking at staff training. The library is
getting:staff trained and looking at other programs. The Clergy association has asked Jane.
Burns tomeet with them to talk more. The program initiative.will be revisited after the
holidays. Very strong positive feedback:
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Christmas Meal Deiivery: Fusilli's Cucina is doing.the full turkey dinner with.apple_crisp for,
dessert ata cost.of$13/meal (which is half price). Pick up is Sat, Dec 23 at 2:30. Tom
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Procopio, John Parsons, Jolyn Ek, Jayna:Stafford, Joan Coco, Pooja Parsons, and Sandy.
. Shaffer can do deliveries (35 meals in total). In addition, a girl scout troop put together 14. .
care packages.and.the_Hitching Post giving tree has 54 gifts (some.of which are on meal
..delivery list).
25th Anniversary Planning: One idea that.popped -up is to spotlight"25 seniors over 25
years". Options might be to.work with the high school or RCTV to tell.their stories,and bring
:attention to the senior center and aging in Reading. E.g.,,the Disney artist who now.lives in
Reading, the woman who is 104, etc.. We could profile them over the course of the spring
with interviews, essays, etc. Afterholidays we will get deeper into planning. March is
the actual anniversary date. Perhaps we could.hold a block party in late spring.
New Business:
Donation: A family-donated $10,0.00 to Elder Services that can be used for capital
improvements at the Center and the Selectmen agreed. We did not get the $10,000 grant
:from Reading Coop Bank for the computer room, upgrades to.reception:area, new:laptop_(s)
and tablets for home.visits etc. .The Senior Center's computers are 10 years old and are .
used by AARP tax preparers as well as seniors. But we can't use the donated $10K for
replacement because new computers are not capital improvements. The reception area is
not efficient -- it's too noisy to hear on the phone and very disruptive. So the plan is to use
the $10k.to hire.aprofessional designer-to look at the space to.redesign the reception area
and:great room to allow the receptionist to work efficiently and to make the area more
greet-able and welcoming. A carpenter:is on town payroll so there would be no cost for
construction labor; we can spendthe money on a designer and materials. Then we can go
from there to. look at other improvements.-
Replacing
mprovements:Replacing all 5 computers would cost about $5000. Perhaps there are people on'the Council
who could investigate possible donations. We've traditionally underspent Burbank.
Desktops w/keyboards and high resolution monitor,screens.are needed (no laptops).. Total:
cost.for 5new computers would be $3,629. Anew printer would.cost $429. Tom Procopio
moved that we allocate up to $5,000 out of Burbank to.refurbish the computer room.
Seconded by Joan. Coco. Approved-by all.. Brian Snell will follow-up with the, Reading
Cooperative Bank to try to find'outwhy-we weren't awarded any grant money.
Additional possible expenditures such as an electronic white board 'Were discussed. Jane
Burns recommended that we start with the computer room and possibly go back to the town
on other items. Jane Burns will put the white board on the agenda.for January discussion.
.Staffing Update: Ann Gentile is retiring.: Her last day is 1/4/2018 after:approximately 14
yrs. She books all appointments for the AARP; rides to medical care, fuel appointments, .
etc. A temp started last week who will make sure there is no gap in .coverage and ensure
overlap. Temp to permanent is an-option. .
Elyse Warren is pregnant and due 1/28th. She'll be gone.8 Wks. . She will be replaced on a . .
limited.capacity by.a,Halimark VNA (12 hrS / week) for Q&A,.blood:pressure checks, home
visits, &special events at center.
Upcoming Events: In Jan and Feb, Center activities quiet down a bit due to.weather
considerations.. Public Servicesbudget at budget meeting tomorrow night at 7:: Jane Burn's
position is'budgeted as full time as of July. There is talk of a new center.feasibility study.
Until the decision on an over-ride, probably,not a lot will.happen.
Adjourned Motion.by.John Parsons, Second.by Tom Procopio. Adjourned by Brian Snell . .
at 7:55.
Next COA Meeting: Monday, January 8 , 2018.
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