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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-11 Council on Aging MinutesRECEIVED TOWN CLERK Ri.._IO1 ` D MASS. 2000 DEC 2b P 3 30 Present: Carol Patterson, Barbara Powers, Sally Hoyt, Edwina Kasper, Steve Oston, Marguerite Bosnian, Dawn Folopoulos (staff), Paula Koppel (guest speaker). Excused absence: Carole Scrima, Ruth Goldberg, Stacey Bertocchi, Margaret Havey, Charlie McDonald (associate member), Meeting called to order at 6:33 PM. Minutes approved for the December 10, 2007 meeting Guest speaker: Paula Koppel Paula described the motivations, goals and benefits for the upcoming (02/27/2008) Reading World Cafe at the RMLD Field House. She encouraged COA members to attend to represent the senior citizens' point of view in this inclusive community dialog on the future of Reading. Handouts were provided with further information on discussion topics and registration procedures. Paula also requested that the COA formally endorse the Reading World Cafe, as have many other local organizations. Steve Oston so moved. Sally Hoyt seconded. The motion was approved 4-0-2. Administrator's Report was accepted. Dawn will mail completed January statistic to COA members. Staff is preparing the annual report. Scope of the new Nurse Advocate position is still being fine tuned on a case-by-case basis. Financial Report was accepted. Dawn requested that the artificial Christmas tree at the Senior Center be replaced by a smaller, more user-friendly version at a cost of $195.45, to be taken from the Burbank Trust account. A motion was made by Barbara Powers and seconded by Marguerite Bosnian to approve this purchase. The motion was approved by a 6-0-0 vote. Dawn asked permission for Elder Services to continue to advertise in the Reading Recreation Magazine at a cost of $165 per issue for a full-page ad (up $15 from last year). There are 3 issues per year. A discussion on the cost/benefits of the expense took place. Sally Hoyt moved to accept the expenditure, seconded by Barbara Powers. The vote was 6-0-0 in favor. Old Business: Letters of thanks were read for Christmas meal deliveries by COA members. Name tags should be worn at COA meetings. Two members do not have tags; this will be addressed shortly. The issue of a chef for the Senior Center was researched by staff and found to require major renovations of the kitchen, including new appliances and structural modifications. Costs of such a venture were deemed unaffordable at present. Discussion will continue after Ruth Goldberg returns from vacation. Council on Aging Board Meeting Monday, February 11, 2008 Reading Senior Center--Game Room An update on a replacement for the VFW Annual Dinner for seniors provided some encouraging news: that State Representative Brad Jones would assist us in making this event possible this year. Steve Oston reviewed the new Senior Discount project. Databases of local retail outlets and service organizations were downloaded from Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Reading sources. Initially, only discounts available within Reading itself will be surveyed. After a list of Reading organizations is completed, the Discount committee will begin to acquire discount information from these organizations and complete a handbook next year. New Business: Staff requested that the COA be responsible for formulating draft policy on the subject of regulating presenters who speak on topics relating to health, financial or other issues of interest to seniors at the Reading Senior Center. The new policy would seek to balance needs of the seniors for information versus the opportunity for them to be sold products or services they do not want or need. A committee was formed consisting of Steve Oston, Sally Hoyt and Barbara Powers. Staff will organize this effort for short- term results. A grant recently described in local newspapers for the Town is not new money, but has been counted upon for years to support, in part, certain Elder Services staffers. A proposed Town ordinance requiring residents to remove snow from their sidewalks or be fined was tabled by the Board of Selectmen. This ordinance was not necessarily in the best interests of our senior citizens. Sally Hoyt handed out copies of a letter from the Silver Legislature that urged State senators and representatives not to support the bill for retesting of elderly drivers, calling it age discrimination. Upcoming events at the Senor Center in February were described; these included line dancing, "You Are What You Eat" presentation, Valentine's Day lunch and the Abigail Adams lunch. Meeting adjourned at 8:18PM.