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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSenior Advisory Board - Minutes - 08/09/2006CITY OF FORT COLLINS SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES: Meeting held August 9, 2006 Chairperson — Don Wells - 970-222-4997 Staff Liaison — Barbara Schoenberger — 970-224-6026 City Council Liaison — Doug Hutchinson, Mayor — 970-221-6506 Attendance: Bud Herin Peggy McGough Marcia Richards Kathy Schuster Don Wells Marjorie McTaggart Anita Basham Dennis Kaz Excused Absence: Jim Downey Matt Malcolm Dianne Heath Unexcused Absence: Guest: Liaison: Douglas Hutchinson, Mayor Staff: Barbara Schoenberger Karen Bryner I. Call Meeting to Order Chair Don Wells called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. A quorum was present. II. Public Participation: None III. Approval of Minutes — Peggy McGough made a motion to accept the minutes with corrections, Marjorie McTaggart second, motion carried. IV. Correspondence Notification of "Bridging the Gap" event and a form to submit a nomination for the annual Senior Service Award. V. Old Business A. Report on ad hoc committee to raise matching funds for the expansion of the Fort Collins Senior Center — Bud Herin tried to get in touch with Jim Barnett who was supposed to meet with Gene Markley at a lunch this past week but was unsuccessful. Bud and Peggy took papers and plans for the building to Jim, making it easier for him to explain the project to other potential committee candidates. B. Soap Box submissions to the Coloradoan - Jim Downey (spring) and Bud Herin (summer) — Don commended Bud Herin for his Soap Box. One negative response was made from a lady wanting the money spent on the YAC rather than the Senior Center. C. Plans for the joint meeting with Senior Center Council scheduled for September 13, 2006 at 12 noon. Don, Marcia, and Peggy will work the event. An Outreach Presentation will be given as follows: • Introduction of the SAB — who we are and what we are charged with doing in the community: Chair — Don Wells or Vice -chair — Marcia Richards • Outreach — including description of outreach community meetings, maintaining a visibility in the community, and relationships maintained with boards/commissions/agencies that deal with senior issues — Anita Basham • Advocacy - Affordable Senior Housing — Marcia Richards • Advocacy — keeping informed on existing senior programs, services, and activities through speakers, liaison relationships and reports, educational reports provided by Board members, providing evaluation and support as appropriate, and working with Building on Basics (BOB) — Bud Herin • Advocacy — transportation issues including bus access for the elderly, access to Harmony campus and other health facilities, maintaining Dial -A - Ride — Matt Malcolm and Dennis Kaz • Communication — maintaining media relations and encouraging and supporting communication and networking between agencies and senior service providers — Marjorie McTaggart • Coordination - Bridging the Gap event and network of liaison relationships, collaboration with Senior Center Council — Kathy Schuster • Education — development of a City Policy on Aging — Anita Basham • Introduction of Senior Council Chair — Peggy McGough • Introduction of Senior Center Council members — Peggy McGough • Public Participation — Don Wells (Marcia Richards) and Peggy McGough D. Report on Bridging the Gap —_ Bridging the Gap is scheduled and on track for 2006 and 2007. Table hosts & hostesses will be given suggested topics for discussion at their table. E. Report from Policy on Aging Committee — No report F. Progress report on Chili Cook -off— Senior Advisory Board members will need to pay $15.00 each for ingredients. A time schedule needs to be made and the committee will schedule a meeting. All SAB members need to get articles for the cooks' bags and must be turned in by the September meeting. G. Community Homecoming —All names for judges and dignitaries have been submitted to the committee. Nomination submitted to represent the SAB for dignitary is Donald Wells, Chairman and the nomination submitted for judge to represent the SAB is Anita and Charles Basham. People who have been chosen to serve should hear soon. H. Senior Law Day — Eldercare and Larimer County Bar Association are sponsoring this event. I. Development of evaluative tool for outreach meetings — Marjorie McTaggart has suggested that follow up would be very helpful after an outreach meeting. This follow up might help in finding out why residents aren't coming to the meetings and what those who do come may find helpful as well as areas that may need improvement. Don Wells suggested developing a form to be handed out at the meetings. Marjorie suggested talking to the coordinator of the facility visited and discuss what they would like for the Board to talk about. It was decided that Marjorie will talk to the facility contact and also a resident of the DMA Plaza. J. Service Award - Barbara Schoenberger suggested Jim Downey because of his involvement with seniors, service on different boards, and other volunteer services he has provided. Marjorie McTaggart nominated Jim Downey, Bud Herin seconded the motion. The motion passed. Barbara volunteered to draft a letter to nominate Jim. Marjorie will help with this if time allows. Don will call Jim to give him the news and to ask him to give us information. VL New Business A. Liaison Reports • Northside Atzlan Community Center Public meeting =Peggy McGough attended the meeting on August 2, 2006. Steve Budner and Jean Helburg presented an overview of the new building that is to be constructed, increased programming anticipated, staff reductions, and fee increases. It is anticipated that at least 40% more revenue is needed for operations. Attendees concerns: Is the new staff versed in minority culture? Atzlan seniors do not want to come to the Senior Center. Low income programs for children, summer programs for children and the Christmas Party need to be retained. Keep the old staff because they know how to service the Hispanic community. New staff must take training and learn the spirit of the NACC. The senior group at NACC is known as Los Ancianos Unidos. One of the parting statements from a speaker to the members of the recreation staff, "You will be held accountable". • Recreational scholarships for the needy were increased this year and more will be allocated next year. A Father's Day fund raiser — a 5K run netted $8,000 in revenue. Another fundraiser will be a breakfast at the Golden Corral with funds going toward scholarships. Peggy spoke with Pat Haymore with the Red Mountain Ranch, Soapstone Natural Area, Lindenmier Archaeological Site Monday, August 6, 2006 in order to obtain information and clarification concerning the Open Space Tax dollars, GOCO dollars and Larimer County dollars being used to purchase land near the Wyoming border. Peggy registered for a trip that is being offered by the City. Pat Haymore from the Natural Areas Division was the driver, narrator and educator. More archaeological research has been conducted on the land by CSU professor Bell this past summer. Currently environmental, agricultural, geological and various impact studies are being conducted. The city and the county open space programs are working together developing usage plans for the property. Several anticipated roads to designated parking spaces will be built, some picnic shelters that would be cosmetically complimentary to the land. Biking trails, hiking trails, and horseback riding areas are all under consideration. One of the areas will be ADA accessible. The site may be open for public use in 2009. Many seniors will probably enjoy the hiking, biking and walking trails. Budgeting for Outcomes 2006 Version_— Proposed recreation fund reductions affecting the Senior Center. The Senior Center Council is concerned about the cuts and has begun contacting members of the Senior Center to ascertain how some of these items will affect their participation at the Senior Center. • $15,000 Cut senior/adult program expenses — Miscellaneous — This would include such items as supplies, repairs, food, technology with the cuts spread over trips, wellness, general interest and arts and crafts. • $38,900 Cut trips program and includes the lay off of one FTE Recreation Coordinator. • Revenue increase of $24,000 by eliminating activity discounts on selected activities for adults age 60 and older based only on age. Steve Budner will be moving to NACC and Peggy Bowers from the Youth area will be coming to the Senior Center. Office on Aging — Marjorie McTaggart reported OOA's Executive Committee met with a CSU professor to discuss ways to approach and communicate with the Hispanic community. OOA wants to create a focus group of Hispanics to get input for the OOA 4-year plan. Some of OOA's providers received cuts, including Loveland and Fort Collins Meals on Wheels, SAINT, Elderhaus and RVNA. United Way has increased funding, but added 12 new agencies. State funding makes OOA able to cover about 50% of the funding cuts. Each OOA Council committee is conducting site visits this month. Marjorie was asked if SAB would share the suggested topics for table discussion at "Bridging the Gap". Copies of Bird Flu Pandemic Influenza presentation information were given out. Main message was not "if' but "when" we'll be hit with a pandemic. Staff will be working with agencies to identify special needs population during an emergency. State is asking OOA for an emergency response plan as is required for the nutrition and transportation programs. (County plan has not been updated since 1998). RSVP/VOA - Kathy Schuster - The future of RSVP is not in question. The funding has been granted and the organization is extremely active. RSVP received a grant from the Office on Aging for the Respite Care Program. An "information night" is planned for Sept. 19th & 20th with the other agencies involved in the Youth Mentoring Program. VOA is one of 4 charities selected to be a benefactor of Thunder in the Rockies event at the Budweiser Center in Sept. This event drew over 60,000 people last year. Colorado Dept. of Health initiative for the county for emergency plan involves RSVP providing volunteers for food distribution. A new position has been added to RSVP to recruit volunteers. There is a desperate need for volunteers for the handyman program and back up drivers for various food delivery programs. V1II. Other Business Budget — Bud Herin — Following conversations with City Council members, he does not feel Trips and Travel program will be cut. Some discounts need to be given, maybe 10% rather than 20%. Bud encouraged all members to contact their council member. If the library issue is passed there may be no cuts. IX. Adjourn Meeting was adjourned by proclamation of chair, Don Wells. Submitted by: '(pia.- ��_;,,�"✓ n Bryner�R in Secretary Don Wells, Chair Marjo " McTaggart, ec " "ary