HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-06-25-COA-minTown of Lexington Council on Aging Board Meeting
Date: June 25, 2025
Time: 2:38 PM
COA-Sue Rockwell, John Zhao, Bonnie Teitleman-Levin, Sudhir Jain, Janet M
Perry, Ellen Cameron,Julie Ann Shapiro, Sandra Hackman
Staff -Michelle Kelleher, Dana Bickelman, Kelsey Rollins, Veneeta Kumar,
Selectboard
Julie Ann called hybrid meeting to order 2:33 PM and took attendance
No public comments
Approved May Meeting Minutes 2 corrections
New Business
New COA board member Sandra Hackman introduced
Vineeta Kumar, new Selectboard liason
Staff Reports
Christine Dean (reported by Michelle)Community Center Director
• Grant awarded $17,500 for Together Program, for youth,local gardeners
and older adults a garden project beginning w/pizza party, 50 signed up
Michelle Kelleher, Senior Services Director
• Alzheimer's Awareness Month
o Speakers on nutrition, dementia,facilities, cooking,Blue Zone diet
recorded by LexMedia, MK has slides
• Grant awarded to do program on Hoarding in fall, much interest
Kelsey Rollins, Senior Services Coordinator
• Bathrooms for disabled will have automatic door openers installed in CC
$35,000
• Town meeting request to be made for generator at CC, necessary for
power fail
• Lexington Goes Purple has growing partnership w/Bedford
• Brainstorming mtg for several local FCOAs in fall
Dana Bickelman, Director of Human Services
• DEI Dept reconfigured, explained at Selectboard, with emphasis on equity,
will be new worker
• July is Minority Mental Health Month
• Next year 2.5 interns-SalemState, BU
Liaison Reports
Minuteman Senior Services, Sudhir Jain
• $412,000 donation; 400 volunteers;
• 2127700 MOW delivered food '/2 daily intake
• Tech support for older adults will expand with tablets, teaching
o Benefits -socialization shopping appt's, mental health support
o Older people learn skills for Uber,Lyft
• MMSS Anniversary Party 11//5/25 $100 pp
Transportation Sudhir
• Bus Routes 62 and 76 combined, Rt 62 on weekends
• New Sunday buses
• Lexington -Alewife every 30 min
• New Lexpress buses
• $20/yr unlimited Lexpress rides
FCOA Sudhir
• Subsidize speaker's programs OWL,
o 690 attended, 250 in person
• Increase communication w/Lexington
classes zoom and in person
residents
• Annual report good
Lexington Housing Authority- Sue Rockwell
• Repositioning of funding, gardens set
• Annual inspection #100,000 request for Greely underground
cables, Michelle Ciccolo recommends Shell at $21,000 savings
• New Sec 8 housing phasing in 30% income OR flat rate using state
money
• New HR dept planned for 9 communities using state money
Disability Commission -Janet Perry
• Accessibility expert came to Comm mtg -will review annually
• New rotary/roundabout hard to see
• Uber, Lyft will accommodate pets
• Idea to train businesses on how to accommodate disabilities
Housing Partnership - John Zhao
Need affordable housing, acc to new Lexington
Assessment Report
Housing summit hosted by Selectboard will be
7/16 he will do 4 communities
Mental Health & Wellness Task Force — Eller
Housing Needs
7/16. John gave feedback,
Cameron, Jyotsna
Kakullavarapu. No update
Vision for Lexington Jyotsna Kakullavarapu-no updates
Lexington Center Committee -Janet Perry no update
Strategic Equity Advisory Team (SEAT) - Ellen Cameron
Not currently active
The COA meeting was Adjourned at 3:58 PM.
Next meeting August 6, 2025, Hybrid, Community Center, 2:30-4PM. No
meeting in July
Bonnie Teitleman Levin