Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1982-11-22-HSC-min.pdf HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE Minutes of the Meeting of November 22, 1982 Present Steve Baran, Howard Reynolds Ilene White, Judy Zabin, Nancy Zarle, Roberta Black; Bea Phear Human Services Coordinator George Harris, Council on Aging Chairman, Joan Danziger, Student Intern CMARC Joan presented the Committee with her report on CMARC She has been very impressed with the program in comparison to the sheltered workshops she knew in California She felt the individual plans for clients were well conceived, the amount of contract work was impressive, and their services well run The major issue now is to help the client out into the competetive work world There are two impediments to this Bob Renna at the LABB school has a very high percentage of his students going on to regular employment so it is only the hardest-to-place that then need CMARC and there is no staff person at CMARC who is primarily responsible for this area Joan suggests targetting the town funding to create this position, and then that staff person could go out to employers to locate jobs One incentive is the tax laws, that need to be explained to prospective empoyers Muzzey Update George Harris came as a guest to the meeting, with interest in closer relations between the CoA and the Human Services Committee He gave a brief history of the conversion of the Muzzey school, read the Charge to the Muzzey Conversion Committee from the Selectmen, and reviewed the proposals that they were now considering He said the CoA is considering having a public meeting on the need for a senior center, and is interested in distributing a document that delineates current programs and projections for use and budget into a new site with 8,000 square feet, whether that be in Muzzey or not George then had to leave to attend another meeting CoA Nancy reported that the subcommittee had attended the most recent CoA Board meeting, which was very interesting She felt that George brought enthusiam to the group and that their focus was moving in the right direction. Most of the problems appear to be management problems At the meeting they had discussed the Muzzey conversion and legislation One guest had mentioned an upcoming geriatric conference in Boston, and Joan Melcher said she would file the invitation This is an example of the kind of limited vision Nancy is concerned about The subcommittee does feel they are making steps, and the 5% budget increase is reasonable Nancy felt it is unfortunate that the CoA is run by two part-time people and should have better hours Steve pointed out that we had been hearing this kind of comment for a long time, and the question is how the management can be improved Ilene felt that you can take a program only as far as you can take the staff, and they are not comfortable with new ideas such as more intellectual programming She was concerned that much of the meeting had been discussing the logo rather than substantive issues Steve thought that with new blood on the Board and George talking about identifying grants for a senior center, it might be useful to discuss our concerns with George directly He asked the subcommittee to take him aside some time in the future 1 Other Requests Bea distributed copies of requests that had come in as a result of the newspaper notice The town has received new requests from Woburn Council for Social Concern - for their neighbor network of foster homes and for their elderly home sharing program Bea reported that she had discussed the home sharing program with Joan Melcher, who thought it a good idea conceptually, but had seen no successful matches in the referrals from the C0A Choate Symmes Hospitals - for $900 to put two Lifeline units in Lexington homes for elderly ,ono could not afford them Bea had discussed this program with Joan, who thought it an excellent service Cooperati =e Elder Services - for scholarship money for Lexington resident who need adult day care but are not covered by insurance and cannot afford the program Bea had also discussed this program with Joan, who thinks it Ls an excellent and needed service The committee will read the requests and discuss them further at the next meeting Public Trusts Bea reported that she had talked with Leo Grace, the accountant for the Trustees, and he was planning to send her information on recent distributions (Note He telephoned ince then, and that information is enclosed ) Respectfully submitted, Beatrice Phear November 30, 1982 To Human Services Committee -rom Bea Phear Re Public Trusts I had an informal conversation with Leo Grace, who told me that there had been np activity on ony of the charitable trusts we had inquired about since 1979 He said the Trustees want to distribute the money, and have asked the Selectmen to make requests of them, but there had been no requests that he knew of for these particular trusts He outlined some of the distribution in previous years and reported on the current available balances Y Bridge Trusts Balance - $5,290 Spent in FY 1979 $3 300 rent for Council on Aging 260 for meals on wheels 75 to send a child to special needs camp FY 77-78 $3,720 for meals on wheels 246 for food for a family at Christmas Beals Fund Balance - $4,563 spent in FY 77 $580 for park benches at Greeley Village FY 74 690 for a piano at Greeley 498 for a TV at Vinebrooke FY 73 499 for a piano at Vinebrooke 400 to the City of Boston for a legal bill (he didn't fully know this) Gemmel Balance - $795 from January 1960 through January 1973 spent about $30-35 per year on Christmas plants Harriet Gilmore Balance - $562 spent FY 1974 $1,200 for the Lexington Visiting Nurses for elderly clinics George Gilmore Balance - $25,976 spent in FY 1979 $880 for a sprinkler system for Buckman Tavern He also mentioned the Charles Lyman Weld trust, which was established in 1960 and has never been used, now having a balance of $5,500 This is for educational purposes or the chapel at Westview cemetary Mr Grace thought it might be applied to a community educational effort such as use of Cable TV He suggested the Bridge might be a vehicle for the special needs chorus, and the Beals or Harriet Gilmore for Lifeline and Elderly Day Care He was careful to point out that he is not a trustee, and the committee should consider their recommendations only after talking with Mr Rutherford and the Board of Selectmen He also said he did not have copies of the actual wills and the Town Report summary was not always t complete