Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSenior Advisory Board - Minutes - 05/09/1979MINUTES COORDINATING COMMISSION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS May 9, 1979 The regular meeting of the Coordinating Commission for Senior Citizens was held on Wednesday, May 9, 1979 in the Council Information Center at 2:30 P.M. The meeting was called to order at 2:30 P.M. by Chairman Ed Chilcott. Members Present: Members Absent: Guest: Ed Chilcott, Chairman Lois Chung, Secretary Ann Azari Louie LaRoche Esther Stratton Wilson Wilmarth Darryl Farrington Chet Hommon Eleanor Hoag John McGraw The minutes of the March 14, 1979 and the April 11, 1979 regular meetings were approved as written. Roll call was taken. The Senior Citizens Coordinating Commission reviewed the discussion with the Mayor of Fort Collins to be sure we are following his guidelines in "How Best We Can Serve the City of Fort Collins." Ed Chilcott reported on the S.O.S. program to help seniors with everyday problems. Ed asked if we should discontinue the program. Wilson Wilmarch agrees we should drop it as is the general concensus of the Commission. The response has been poor from both the participants and the agencies. Ed will ask Dennis String to pick up the S.O.S. program. Ann Azari suggested we tell Dennis String we are dropping the S.O.S. program because of the overall poor response. New Business: A chance for people over 65 to earn credit against their property taxes. The Elderly Property Tax Rebate Program was well received by the Commission. It was agreed that the work the elderly do must be necessary work and not just busy work. The Commission needs new members. Recruitment will be made through newspaper ads, etc. The June 13, 1979 meeting of the Coordinating Commission for Senior Citizens will be held in the Council Information Center Room at 2:30 P.M. The meeting was adjourned at 3:10 P.M. Respectfully submitted, c�Lj7 AM COMMMffY SERVICES DEP4RTMB9 I DATE: TO: FROM• RE; I. II. MEMORANDUM May 3, 1979 Coordinating Commission for Senior Citizens fix' Ann Kennaugh, Apting SecretaX Minutes of the April 11, 1979 Regulax:Meeting Call to Order Called to order by Chairman Chilcott at 2:30 PM in the Council Information Center. Roll Call Members Present Ann Azari Ed Chilcott, Chairman Darryl Farrington Chet Harmon Louie LaRoche Esther Stratton Wilson Wilmarth Mmbers Absent Lois Chung, Secretary Eleanor Hoag Chests Chuck Bawling, Mayor Paul Ianspery, Assistant -City Manager Staff Mary Ann Kennaugh, Administrative Aide Consider Approval of the March 14, 1979 Regular Meeting Minutes Approval of the minutes was deferred to the next regular meeting to allow mars time to review Gary Houser' s Iarimer County Synopsis on the consolidation of agencies serving senior citizens in Iarimer County. Such review will allow for clarification of the second paragraph on page two of the minutes. -2- IV. Discussion with Mayor Bowling Discussion began with Mayor Bowling thanking the Commission for their work and encouraging them to continue inviting City Coun-il manbers to their meetings. Ed Chilcott briefly reviewed final figures for tax/utility rebates given to senior citizens in 1978 (601 senior citizens received $138,483 in rebates). In an attempt to inform more senior citizens about the City's rebate program, the new City utility billing system which makes it possible to send notices out with the billing, will be utilized to send a notice about the program. Staff will try to get the notice printed both in English and in Spanish. Mayor Bowling asked for the Commission's support and assistance in.infoxming people about the importance of the sales tax extension. He expressed his feeling that without a door-to-door "campaign" by volunteers to explain the tax, the referendum approving the extension would not pass. Mayor Bawling stressed that City budgetary problems for next year have already been recognized and that monies from the sales tax will be used for the operation and maintenance of current capital improvement programs. He further indicated that without the extension there would be a drastic curtailment of City services. Future capital improvements will be necessities, the major cost due to inflationary rates, not growth. There was brief discussion regarding the mill levy and per- centages of it which the County and the School Board receive. It was suggested that future rebate programs by these agencies be explored. Discussion of assistance for senior citizens paying real estate taxes as follows: Mayor Bawling suggested that the Commission take a step-by-step approach toward getting larger state organization support and then work toward the amendment of current state legislation. Paul ranspery will explore a program being used in Connecticut whereby senior citizens work for the City and get credit against their taxes. Mayor Bowling was asked how he felt the Commission could work more as a coordinating body (in keeping with the name of Coordinating Commission for Senior Citizens) Mayor Bawling indicated that the teen "coordinating" may be a misnomer and that City Council would accept any name the Commission might choose. 13,. General discussion of the ComRdssion's role and issues affecting senior citizens as follows: Members would like to be a sounding board for anything that might impact seniors and would like more interchange in the tax reform. low cost legal services for senior citizens to be explored by the Commission in teens of establishing income level eligibility criteria. requests to the City for any monies relating to senior citizens could potentially cane through the Commission. the Commission could work on a tax plan and present guidelines to City Council. currently funds are not available to establish a senior center danicile, Mayor Bowling said he hoped that corm unication would remain open between the Commission and City Council and invited Commission members to cone to the City Council meetings. The Commission thanked Mayor Bowling for attending their meeting. General discussion of changing the Commission's name followed, Commission Member Farrington moved that the name "Coordinating Cartnission for Senior Citizens" be changed to "Senior Citizens Om ssion". Commission Member Wilmarth seconded and motion passed 7 - 0. Ayes: Cawdssion Members Azari, Chiloott, Farrington, Hammon, LaRoche, Stratton, Wilmarth. Nays: None. v. Report on Camumity Development Block Grant Fund Ann Azari briefly outlined the process of determining Who will receive cxmnmity developnent block grant funding. The use of a Citizens Steering Committee to review funding requests allows for citizen input as well as City staff input. Ann reviewed the list of requests and which ones had been recaTnended for funding approval. Ann indicated that about 10% or 2 to 3 total requests were turned down by the Citizens Steeling Committee (initial screening for eligibility had already been completed by staff). Primary use of these funds is to benefit neighborhoods in lower income areas. vi. Report on Program to Make Firewood Available to the Elderly Ed Chiloott reported the program is ongoing. • • • -4- VII. Senior Opportunities and Safety Meeting VIII. New Business Chet Harmon gave a brief Presentation supporting the }American Cancer Society and distributed some informational pamphlets. IX. Adjournment. Meeting adjourned at 4:10 PM.