Council on Aging, December 1, 2016
HOLDEN COUNCIL ON AGING
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Conference Room – Senior Center
Present: Susan Sullivan, Richard Mansfield, Faye Ellis, Wayne Howard, Eric Johansen, Maureen Locke, Jim Robinson, Louise Charbonneau, Maureen Buffone.
Non-Members: Rita Brennan Olson.
The Meeting was called to order by Sue Sullivan at 8:00 a.m.
The Minutes from the November 3, 2016 meeting were approved and accepted.
F.H.C.O.A. REPORT
Faye did not make the last Friends’ meeting, but Dave Ellis took notes in her absence. He reported the account balances from the November 14th Friends’ meeting as follows:
Commerce Bank $15,322.86
Leominster Credit Union (furnishings acct.) $2,844.52
Leominster Credit Union C.D. $24,206.46
LCU Trip Account $5,495.88
The committee working on the procedure for reimbursement will be meeting today.
The Friends’ Fair took in $3,581.63, and donations are still coming in. The Brennans did not participate in this year’s fair, but sold some of their products to Dorothy Spofford. The Brennans donated the total amount of the sale to the Friends’ Fair.
The Friends agreed to appropriate $150.00 to Suzanne Donaldson for reimbursement for the Morning Glory Café supplies and all she does for them.
The purpose statement will remain the same.
The Friends will be meeting again on December 5th at 2:00 p.m.
HELP AT H.O.M.E. REPORT ~ Jim Robinson
Jim reported that the winter campaign is off to a great start. Inserts were sent with last month’s electric bills, and donations so far have totaled $5,594.77. Louise sends out thank you letters to every donor. The light department assists in part by paying for the inserts and the postage.
Jim will check on a question regarding the $175.00 donation reported last month, as well as the report that there were no disbursements for that period of time, as the committee had approved some requests.
BOARD OF ELDER SERVICES REPORT ~ Richard Mansfield
Rick reported that Elder Services held their annual meeting in October and their first board meeting in November. There were a lot of new board members in attendance. Maureen Siergie is pulling in a lot of different folks.
Rick did not have statistics to report. There is no longer a wait-list, and there was a surplus of money this year.
They are also working on a strategic initiative by sending surveys to consumers for feedback.
Rick learned that board members can go out with a caseworker to visit a client if permission is granted by the client.
Maureen Siergie may come out to one of our meetings next year to introduce herself.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT - Louise Charbonneau
DECEMBER EVENTS
Monday, December 5 … Senior Center Christmas Party – 12:00 p.m. Catered by Toupin’s Catering. Dinner will be Fresh Garden Salad; Freshly Baked Rolls/Butter; Baked Fish w/Seasoned Bread Crumbs; Slow Roasted Pot Roast w/gravy; Whipped Potatoes; Maple Glazed Carrots; Cream Puff Sundae and Freshly Brewed Decaf Coffee and Tea. Cost for the party is $21.00/person. Cost of the each ticket is being subsidized by the Friends of HCOA.
Wednesday, December 7 … We have toddlers coming to visit – they will have lunch, decorate a cookie with a senior as well as decorate the lower part of our Christmas tree. They will arrive around noon.
Thursday, December 8 … Mountview School Annual Christmas Breakfast ~ 9:00 a.m. at Mountview Middle School for Holden Elders Only.
Saturday, December 10 … Wachusett Area Rotary Annual Christmas Breakfast ~ 8:30 a.m. at The Manor Restaurant in West Boylston. Elders from the towns of Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, Sterling, West Boylston and Boylston are eligible to attend.
Monday, December 12 … Holiday Harp Concert – w/ Harpist Rebecca Swett at 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday, December 14 … Holiday show with Rusty Guertin ~ 1:00 p.m.
Monday, December 19 … Holiday Concert with the Wachusett Community Band ~ 1:00 p.m.
Monday, December 26 … The Senior Center will be closed in observance of the Christmas holiday.
Wednesday, December 28 … New Year’s Celebration w/Bill Sbrogna & the Main Event ~ 1:00 p.m.
Monday, January 2 … Senior Center closed in observance of the New Year’s Holiday.
AMERICAN GIRL DOLL CLOTHES are available on Tuesdays from 10:00 to 12:00 and at the Morning Glory Café from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Fridays.
FY17 FORMULA GRANT
Last month Louise informed the Board that on October 19th, Senior Center Directors were informed that because “the Commonwealth is currently experiencing lower sales tax revenue than had been projected during FY2017 state budget discussions, the FY2017 Formula Grant award basis will be level funded to the FY2016 award amount. The day after our November 3rd meeting we were informed that the FY17 Formula Grants had been reinstated to $10.00/elder which is the original FY17 amount.
TOWN MANAGER
Jacquie Kelly has announced her retirement from the Town of Holden. Louise’s understanding is that her last official day is in May, however, she won’t be around a whole lot after February or March.
NUMBERS FROM NOVEMBER
Artist Mary Cassatt Program – 39
Marty Ayotte Concert – 41
Pocahontas - 45
Home Cooked Lunch - 46
On behalf of the staff, Louise wished the Board a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy 2017.
OLD BUSINESS
There was a brief discussion of the needs assessment survey, and Wayne Howard made a motion to go ahead with the revised survey, which was seconded by Maureen Locke. The motion passed unanimously. The survey will be mailed in the February Newsletter towards the end of January and will also be available at the senior center. Surveys can be returned by mail or to the return boxes that will be made available. Sue will get a copy of the survey to Jacquie Kelly, and she can mention it a selectmen’s meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
Rick Mansfield voiced his appreciation for the use of the senior center for the bereavement program put on by Miles Funeral Home on November 19. Rick said it was one of the larger crowds they have had.
Sue Sullivan and Rebecca Tornblom are up for reappointment to another term on the HCOA board. Sue is willing to serve for another term, and Rebecca will be contacted as to her desire to serve. The selectmen will reappoint them in December.
Both Louise and Rick received a phone call from an unhappy senior who was upset about the price of the Christmas party. She felt it was too expensive for some seniors. Louise and Rick reminded her of the two (2) free Christmas breakfasts that are also available to seniors, but she was not interested in hearing that. Different scenarios were discussed by the board and it will be revisited again at a later date.
CITIZENS ADDRESS
Rita Brennan Olson asked if the light department can pay for Help at H.O.M.E. envelopes to be inserted in the electric bills, couldn’t they provide envelopes for the surveys to be returned in. She also asked who will be doing the spreadsheet with the results and where will it be reported.
Discussion concerning these matters followed. The consensus was that return envelopes could not be included in the newsletter in which the surveys would be distributed. Survey results will be compiled by staff and COA Board Members.
ADJOURNMENT
It was unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting at 8:44 a.m.
Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, January 5, 2017 at 8:00 a.m.
Sue wished the Board a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Respectfully submitted,
Maureen Buffone