HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-02-24 Council on Aging MinutesCOUNCIL Obi' AGING
Regular Meeting ?field on f4brtzary 24, 1971
The regular monthly meeting; of the Council on Aging was held on
Wed.nesday evening, February 24, 1971, at 7:30 Pa& at the Recreation Building
of the Housing for the Elderly, Reading, Vhssachusetts.
In the absence of the Temporary Chairman, %v. Donald D. Gardner,
the meeting was called to order by Mi. Farnham. Whose members present in addi-
tion to Mr. Farnha,~n were Mr. Evans, Mis. Beaton, Its. Glennon and Mks. 1<.ouanisp
the last three of whom were warmly welcomed as new members. Mks. Janet Pierce,
Executive Director of the Reading Housing Authority Community Program for the
Elderly, was also present.
Mrs. Beaton read the ecretaryls report for the meeting held January
27th, and it was unanimously voted to accept this for the record.
NO. Fhrnhaxn reported that a request had been made to the Town to in-
crease the funds by $500 to $1,500 for the use of the Council in 1971, and that
it would be hoped that the Annual Town Meeting would vote this amount.
The new members were asked if the fourth Wednesday of the month for
Council meetings, as previously voted,, was all :right for them,, and it was.
MY. FArnham reported that Mr. William Willson, Jr., had submitted
his resignation as a member of the Council.,, after some discussion, it was
unanimously voted that, if Mi. Gardner finds that she is willing to accept, it
be recommended to the Selectmen that Mrs. Edith Sias be appointed to fill the
vacancy as a member of the Council.
It was then unanimously:
NOTD as That a, recommendation be made to the Selectmen that Rev.
Donald D. Gardner be a_. A: ted Chairman of the Council and that Mks. Beaton
write to them of this recommendation; also that the Council itself, as it is
empowered to do, appoint Dirs. Lucy j. Glennon as Treasurer of the Council to
keep track of the funds even though they are actually handled by the Town.
Firs. Pierce then gave a report on the Community Program for the
Elderly stating that 84 individual people were active in the classes, and that
of these 44 lived outside of the Housing for the :elderly, showing that the
elderly from all over Reading were being served. She read a letter dated
Fbbruar 22nd from NO. John T. Sweeney, Director of the Bureau of Services to
Older americans, approving the termination of the advisory Committee for the
program and the transfer of the advisory function to the Council on aging.
She gave the following brief financial summary of finances for the program:
Costs for Second Proposed Budget for
jar--1/1Z70-3/31/71 `third Year---~,,; /71-3/31/ 12
Title III $3,037 2065
Local (In Kind & Cash) 2,067
Total 85,106 $5F736
1.
L
She said that there were now :your Oil Painting classes, five i
Ceramics (a fifth one had recently been added for men only), two in Knitting,
two in Variety Crafts, and a once®a- mo th library Group. She had a number
of people on her waiting list particularly for Ceramics, but did not feel
that any more classes could be added for financial and space reasons. Be-
cause of the crowded situation, she said that the Authority did not plan to
send out a large mailing to all the known elderly in Reading to publicize
the Fall classes, though they might be announced in the `treading Chronicle.
She thought the Council Qght wish to later recommend that i the fall one
person be limited to taki _ ily two classes, which would give some others
a chance. She also mentioned the high cost of materials for the Ceramics
classes and said she would discuss with the teacher the possibility of
having the students bear a higher proportion of the cost, especially since
many of the pieces are made for gifts to friends and relatives.
The matter of the chairmanship of the Fall Fair was brought up,
and several members expressed the hope that is. Glennon would again be
the Chairman since she had done such a wonderful job last year ,.spite of
suffering a broken hip only two weeks before the FAir. Mrs. Olennon said
she would take the chairmanship, but that her st r . oh would not permit her
to take as much responsibility as last year. She said it would be set up
so that there would be Co-Chair- for all the tables. It was pointed out
thAt the Summer Wbrkshop for LW , Lhi ngs for the Fair is entirely separate
from the classes in the Program a .a that any expenses come out of the Fair
proceeds. Money from the two previous Fairs has been put into a savings
account to help carry on the program after Title III funds terminate March
31, 1972.
Nis. Pierce tion.ed the Ecumenical Services being held in the
Recreation Building as well as feature movies which are being shown even-
ings, both of which are -h appreciated by the elderly with good attendance.
Wth regard to the Sumner l ro{ ram, she su~z, :;mod. that movies be eliminated
in favor of other types of entertainment bucause of having to wait until
dark if they are shorn outside with more attendant bugs, and because even
with fans going it is too uncomfortably hot to have then inside.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously:
VOTED: To make the following rhommandatio s to the Reading
Housing Authority:
1. That approval be asked of the State for a. budget for the Cc i--ity
Program for the year beginning April 1, 1971, of 030 more than the reviou.s
year, but based on the program as it now stands with no additional classes.
2. That letters be sent in the near future to Reading organizations
and clubs asking far contributions to the local part of the program, stress-
ing the fact that during the three years of Title III the local portion:
rises from 40% the first year to 50% the second, and 60% the third.
Nis. Pierce left he meeting at this point.
The 11M.C..A. Van Trips (in cooperation also with the FISH Program)
more then discussed. Mrs. Beaton reported that the echari cs of the progra~b
had been set up with NO. James Maher and Mrs. Betty O r1 aley alternating t're
driving o Thursday mornings and I' rs e Eve Henderson hare ll! t'ie reservations.
2.
A copy of a flier describing the pro' rare is attached to and made a part of
the mutes of this meeting. This flier had been distributed at thi last
meetings of he Tannerville Club and the Golden Age "~e Clubs Imo.». Heaton re-
ported s,
ported that the first trip on pebruary had been very much enjoyed, but
that the second one had to be cancelled because of hazardous driving con-
ditions. Mrs m Clennon and Mrs. Louanis said that some of the elderly felt
that the Burlington All was too expensive and that they would appreciate
a longer time allowed so that they could have lunch there, and also that
probably the very light response from people outside of the Housing for
the Elderly was due to -the fact that the cost of getting to the Community
Center was too great. It was then unanimously:
VOT9Q That during; the month of March trips would continue to
be scheduled to the Burlington Mall because of the enclosed protection
from the weather there, but that i April_ the trips would be scheduled to
Redstone;
That Mrs. Beaton would make aria is if possible to
have the trips leave the Community Center at 10:00 d_.1, instead of 9430
and leave the shopping center at 1:00 P.M. rather tic be back in Reading
at noon
That . 0s , 3eato n would try to make arrangements for some
volunteer drivers to pick up those at a distance from.. the Cormnm i': Center
ani Housing for Qa Elderly at their homes.
The matter of the summer bus trips was discussed, and Mrs Couanis
remarked that in the past some of the buses were definitely not safe, particu-
larly because of poor brakes. It was noted that It. Wiilson even though no
loner a member would be willing to help with regard to places to go for 00
bus trips. U o: o'. " on duly made and seconded it was unanimously:
VO ;-3 rs. Lnu~- it be appointed Chairman for the Sus grips
since she had had experience doi this for the Golden Age Club.
.
She said she would look into the situation with several bus w c' Vs with
re gird to safety a.rd i ca s and report to the next meeting. , said she
thou Ot that it onI r 'yips could be afforded they should' be in elu2'?e and
NY& bar.
Mks. . lcu '.._'.,s then gave a re Tar'" on the GoldF-.p - ja Club saying that
they had a _"^a .b;;i" ip of 180 members, v'. w ones still_ ± ; ? 1.n and that
there were no dues but that money was raised through collc;ctions, a penny
bank, auctions, oake sales, an country stores. They run five bus rides."a, year,
in the past charging 11 or ¢s2. They- g ve $100 to the Church of the Good
Shepherd where they hold 06 r meetings and last year purchased a loud
speaker system. The problems were insufficient funds, transportation, the
difficulty of finding entertainnon.t with, little or no cost, and apathy of
:embers who in large part seem unwilling to work to keep the program func-
tioning properly.
Mr. Farnham reported on the Hot lunch Programs Trx'ic he had been
investigating. He stressed that this Bust be conducted by the School Depart-
Ynea°.t, that a person must be 59 years of ace to ps:rtici catse, and t;1-`a.t -the cost
to each person is 50t for a well-balanced meal, cFrith the State ubsi dizi
the balance of the co st up to 80). MY. Farnham said that he had made a =rout
3
inquiries about a place to hold the program and that he felt that the best
place would be the first floor room that is available at the Con unity
Center with an adjacent kitchen. This, room is not now very often used
and probably tables could be left up, and if it seemed feasible a social
f4in wi o n or class could follow the luncheon. He said he would contact the
Selectmen about specific detail- c to use of this space, and also that
he would get in touch with 11 r. Inane and set up an appointment m tth Br.
lls, the Superintendent of S hools, to discuss the program.
The need for a "Nals on Wheels" program for shut-ins was brought
before the meeting, and it was unani_mously
VDUit That hr. Stratton would contact Mr. 1'cGrane and find out
~ of details o.~ thy, ?rogram so that he could report thin to the next meeting.
in order that plans could be :made for various summer activities,
it was unanimously:
VOT o To ?fie a third recoi -ndation to the Readi ; Hou i
Authority that the dates of June 23, Jr` 7 an 21, August 4 < 7 15 be
set aside for the Wednesday evening r Programs of the Cc_ _ ily
Program for the Elderly, so that Mrs. 13uanis can schedule th( bus trips
so as not to conflict.
After discussing a possible change of ARTIC I XVI Council of
t' Aging, of the Reading B Laws, it was felt that even though there is
not now a, ber from the Board of Health on the Council a specified in
the above article, no change sho_tld be made in this respect at the moment.
However, it was recommended that '`ar. Gardner write a letter to the Chair-
man of the Board of Ehalth askir that a rel.:e itive be appointed if
possible. It was then un:a_ni ou ly
VOTED That Mrs. Beaton write to the By Iaw Revision Committee
recommending that the words "the Chairman of the Board of Public Welfare''
be omitted from the first sentence of AR T ICI XVI, since the Board of
Olfare, is no lower a Toti board, but part of the Mate Welfare Department.
It was felt that the Council was now large enough so that it mould not be
necessary to have a substitute member.
There being no further business to come before t'_r:e meeting, it
was unanimously voted to adjourn, and Mr. Farnham adjourned the meeting at
10 ° 15 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Nat;:alie C. Beaton
Temporary Secretary