EAST LYME COMMISSION ON AGING

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10th, 2008

Present:                        Philip Mountain, Chairman, Mary Broga, Marge Caste, Ilene Harris,

                                    Carrie Janus, Donna Palumbo, Jane Powers

Also Present:                Cathy Wilson, Senior Services Coordinator

Absent:                        No One

1.  PRELIMINARY BUSINESS

Chairman Mountain called the Commission on Aging Regular Meeting of November 10, 2008 to order at 6:03 PM.

a.  Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge was observed.

b.  Delegations

There were no delegations.    

c.  Approval of Meeting Minutes – October 14, 2008

Mr. Mountain called for any additions, deletions or corrections to the Commission on Aging Regular Meeting Minutes of October 14, 2008.

**MOTION (1)

Ms. Harris moved to approve the October 14, 2008 Regular Meeting Minutes of the Commission on Aging as presented.

Ms. Janus seconded the motion.

VOTE:  4 – 0 – 0.  Motion passed.

d.  Correspondence

Correspondence was made available for review.

2.    STATUS REPORT

a.       Transportation

Ms. Wilson reported that the bus, van and the drivers are all doing well.

b.  Senior Trips

(1)     Enrichment Trips – Ms. Wilson reported that the:

      November 5, 2008 trip to the Greek Festival at St. Sophia’s was great and enjoyed by all who went

      November 19, 2008 – they have a trip going to Ella Grasso for a cost of $10.50

      December 10, 2008 – they will have a trip going to the Evergreen Mall and –

      December 2, 2008 they will go over to the Smith Harris House for the festival of trees that they put    on over there.

(2)     COA Sponsored Trips - Ms. Wilson reported that there were no COA sponsored trips for December.

(3)     (3)  Day/Overnight Trips – Ms. Wilson reported that the day trips for December are to Newport, RI for holiday tours of the mansions, lunch and shopping for $86.00 on December 4, 2008 and a December 16, 2008 trip to see the ‘Nutty Cracker Christmas Sweet’ at Olde Mistick Village with a morning trip to the Mohegan Sun Casino for a cost of $50.00. They are working on the 2009 trip schedule now and have not booked anything except for a Jersey Boys presentation at the Bushnell for Wednesday, February 5, 2008 at a cost of $125.00. This is a musical based on the four seasons and they will be going no matter what the weather is.

(Note: 6:10 PM – Donna Palumbo & Jane Powers joined the meeting.)

c.  Programs

(1)     Senior Nutrition Program – Ms. Wilson reported that due to the way that the holidays fall that there are two (2) days with no congregate or MOW during the month of December. These are Christmas Eve – Wednesday, December 24, 2008 and New Year’s Eve on Wednesday, December 31, 2008. She said that they would be holding a Roast Pork Holiday Dinner on December 15, 2008 for $5.00.

(2)     Senior Center Programs - Ongoing – Ms. Wilson thanked everyone for the Triad Program and said that it was quite crowded as they had around 100 people in attendance even though Attorney General Blumenthal was not able to attend as scheduled and no one from his office was able to attend for him.

Regarding the regular fitness, yoga, chair yoga, weight lifting and tai chi classes that they offer, she said that they find that they are constantly making new passes and updating information so starting in January 2009, they will increase the number of classes on each pass from roughly 20 to 24 but NOT increase the cost per class. The card pass will cost more due to the additional classes on it. This will take effect when they renew.

Ms. Wilson said that on December 16, 2008 that they would be trying a group ‘Cookie Bake’ and on December 17, 2008 the Dept. of Social Services will send their information bus to the Senior Center parking lot to answer questions about Medicare Part D, Medicare Saving Plans, ConnPace, Food Stamps, Social Security and any other questions that people might have.

Ms. Wilson said that she will also have the Yellow Dot Program on Monday, November 17, 2008. This program helps to save lives. A photo will be taken, registration / information card completed and a Yellow Dot affixed to each participant’s car.

(3)     Senior Center Programs - New – Ms. Wilson said that she is trying to start a group interested in playing cribbage.

d.  Budget

Ms. Wilson reported that the budget is doing fine and that the 1.5% of their current years’ budget that the First Selectman wanted each department to hold back on spending amounts to $3,340. She said that the easiest way for her to handle this is to take it from the trip account and hold back on trips or have the people going on them pay directly to the travel company. She said that the grant was submitted and that she is just waiting on the check to come to the Town for the $5,450. She had to purchase a wireless air card so that she could use it to plug in with the laptop at Twin Haven or AHEPA and that once the check comes through, she will get the laptop and other items.

Ms. Harris asked Ms. Wilson if she goes by herself when she goes into people’s homes to help them.

Ms. Wilson said that she usually does and that she has not had a problem and would certainly call the Police if something was out of order.

e.  Revenues

Ms. Wilson reported that the revenues are doing fine and are on track for this fiscal year.

3.  OLD BUSINESS

a.       Renovation of Senior Center Office

Ms. Wilson reported that she has spoken with the First Selectman and that he has said that he has not forgotten the renovation and that he would still like to wrap this work in with other projects that are being done within the Town as it is cost effective to utilize the same workers for more than one project.

(Note:  6:25 PM – Marge Caste joined the meeting)

b.      PT Senior Center Position

Ms. Wilson said that they have been discussing the sharing of this position and making it a full time position by merging the monies from her part time person allowance and what Mr. Putnam has in his budget for the 30 hour person that he had. She said that the person would work for her M-F – 8:30 AM – 12 Noon; have lunch from 12 Noon to 12:30 PM and work in the Parks & Recreation Office from 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM. This person would also help out Youth Services even though they would not be contributing any monies. The work from Youth Services would be something that the person could complete during some free time in either of the other two areas. She said that they had $12,675 & $35,856 and they would need $28,977 for a 37.5 hour per week person. The remainder of the monies which comes from Parks & Recreation would be utilized by them to hire extra help for a 12 to 16 week period from spring through summer to aid with the summer beach passes and programs. The position would be an Administrative Secretary and they are trying for January 2009 and will have to begin advertising it soon.

c.       Capital Request

Ms. Wilson reported that she put in a capital request for two vehicles for $100,000. One of the vehicles will replace the Youth Services old vehicle and the other would replace the Senior Center bus as they want to keep the Senior Center Van. She said that they would like to get two (2) 15 passenger vans with wheelchair lifts. This would get them away from needing drivers with CDL licenses and the Senior Center and Youth Services could use them concurrently as they use them at different times.

Ms. Broga asked how old the Youth Services vehicle is.

Ms. Wilson said that she thought that it was mid 90’s and added that it has a lot of hard – ‘around Town’ miles on it.

d.      Transportation Issues

Ms. Wilson said that the bus would be having some minor repair done at the end of this week as the part would be in.

e.       Other Pertinent Business

There was no other pertinent business.

4.       NEW BUSINESS

a.       Request of Lions Club

Ms. Wilson reported that the Lions had done well during the Lobster Fest this year and had asked her to submit a list of some items that they need or could use as they would like to put some money towards them. She suggested that they could put the refrigerator for the Crafts Room on the list and a new microwave for the kitchen as the one in the kitchen is one that someone gave them when the one that was there broke down. She also suggested that perhaps they would want to ask for some money towards the purchase of the new vehicles.

Ms. Janus suggested that they could ask for the $3400 that they have to hold back on within their budget as that would help them out and the seniors would benefit from it by not reducing any of the program offerings.

Ms. Wilson said that perhaps they could fund a ‘Matter of Balance’ class as she has run out of funds for them and by funding such a class, the seniors would directly benefit.

Mr. Mountain asked how much the Lions wished to dispense to the community.

Ms. Wilson said that she had thought that it might be in the $5000 range. She said that she would put together their ‘wish list’.

b.      Request for Parahus Funds

Ms. Wilson reported that some of the people who took the fitness class had recently passed away and donations were made of around $250 to the Parahus Fund on their behalf. She said that the fitness instructors had requested that they get an amp and a cordless mike as they used to have one and it worked out much better for the classes. One of the instructors had purchased a portable amplifier and found it too cumbersome to haul around and she had suggested that it be purchased for use by the fitness classes. The cost was $127.19 and Ms. Wilson said that she had paid for it so that the fitness classes could use it. She asked that they reimburse her from the Parahus Fund.

Ms. Broga asked if this would belong to the Senior Center.

Ms. Wilson said that it would belong to the Community Center and that Parks & Recreation could also use it as they had one that everyone used and then some of the parts went missing and it could not be used. For this one, they would get a cart with a drawer that they could lock so that things would not be missing.

**MOTION (2)

Ms. Janus moved to authorize a check for $127.19 from the Parahus account be made out to Cathy Wilson to reimburse her for the amplifier she purchased for use by the fitness classes.

Ms. Broga seconded the motion.

Vote:  7 – 0 – 0.  Motion passed.

c.       E-mail contact for COA Board Members

Ms. Wilson said that she had received a request from the Selectman’s Office to provide email addresses for the COA Board members that have them. She passed around a paper for them to fill out this information.

d.      Budget 2009/2010 Issues

Ms. Wilson said that she has not started working on this yet however; she has heard that they are looking for a zero percent increase on the program side while leaving the payroll side intact.

e.       Other Pertinent Business

Ms. Wilson said that she had thought of establishing a ‘brand’ such as with a yearly fundraiser that people would identify the senior center with and come and support. Suggestions ranged from a special dinner to an event, with the purpose being to raise revenue for the senior center.

5.  PUBLIC DISCUSSION

There was no public discussion.

6.       ADJOURNMENT

**MOTION (3)

Ms. Harris moved to adjourn the Commission on Aging Regular Meeting of November 10, 2008 at 7:00 PM.

Ms. Caste seconded the motion.

VOTE:  7 – 0 - 0.  Motion passed.

Respectfully submitted,

Karen Zmitruk,

Recording Secretary, Pro-tem