HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-02-08 Council on Aging Minutes Town of Reading -tECE1VED
Meeting Minutes TOWN CLERK
REV) ING, MA.
2021 APR 27 AN 10; 32
Board - Committee - commission - Council:
Council on Aging
Date: 2021-02-08 Time: 6:30 PM
Building: Location:
Address: Session:
Purpose: Version:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Jacquelyn Behenna (Associate Member),Barbara Carney, Joan Coco, Jolyn
Ek, Karen Fotino (Associate Member), Margaret Havey, Sally Hoyt, John
Parsons, Karen Pinette, Thomas Procopio, Sandra Shaffer, Marilyn Shapleigh
Deborah Small
Members - Not Present:
Brenda Cashman (Associate Member), Marie Perrot (Associate Member)
Others Present:
Kevin Bohmiller, Mark Dockser, Maria Puglielli, Brian Snell, Kerry Valle
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Marilyn Shapleigh
Topics of Discussion:
Note: Meeting was conducted via a Zoom video conference call (Open Session - Remote
Meeting).
Call to Order by Thomas Procopio at 6:32 p.m.
Acceptance of Minutes from December: Accepted by unanimous roll call.
New Business:
Kevin Bohmiller updated the COA on the following:
o Covid-19 Vaccine: The town is organized to administer 500 doses, but the
state has not yet supplied the vaccine, so there are no guarantees at this
point. The town is encouraging people to go to the VA if possible and to
check the MA vaccination websites for appointment availability.
o Transportation to Vaccination locations: Two van drivers are available to
take people to receive vaccinations when they can be done in town. MVES can
provide transportation within a 5-mile radius of Reading and is trying to help
with rides to the Danvers vaccination site. Reading Response can take people
to appointments in Boston and is reviewing the trust fund rules to see if trips
to Danvers are also possible; however, availability of drivers is an issue.
Down the road, hoping to do home visit vaccinations.
Maria Puglielli reported that Tax Services will be available through the Pleasant
Street Center starting on 2/16. Volunteers will be available weekly. Seniors may
call to make arrangements to drop off and pick up their tax materials in the Pleasant
Street Center parking lot on the same day.
The Valentine's Day Drive-by Event is scheduled for Wednesday from 12:00 -
1:00.
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• The upcoming COA meetings are now posted in Pleasantries and on the town's
home page calendar of upcoming meetings.
• Kevin Bohmiller reported that the Elder& Human Services Administrator position
will be advertised soon.
• Thomas Procopio asked the Council on Aging to think about aiming to spend the
interest that's been accumulating in the trust funds to meet pent-up need once
the Pleasant Street Center re-opens. A brief discussion of the need to
understand what the center's space needs will be when it re-opens followed; it was
determined that an agenda item for the Council's next meeting would be discussion
of what we should be looking for in a new center and what steps the Council might
take to help get the ball rolling again.
• Deborah Small invited all to join a drive-by planned to celebrate Peter Fantasia's
105"' birthday on Monday 2/15. He is a WWII veteran who resides at Artis Senior
Living. Participants will meet at Home.Goods in Reading. Channel 5 will be covering
the event.
Next Meeting: March 8, 2021 at 6:30 p.m.
Meeting adjourned at 7:22 p.m. by Thomas Procopio following a motion to adjourn by John
Parsons, seconded by Margaret Havey. All in favor by roll call vote.
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