HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-01-02-COA-min Town of Lexington Council on Aging Board Meeting
Wednesday January 2, 2019
2:40-3:40PM
Lexington Community Center
Present: Bonnie Teitleman, Rlch McDonough, Ellen Cameron (acting chair), John Zhao, Sudhir
Jain, Sandra Shaw, Gerry Howell, Camille Goodwin
Staff: Christine Dean, Melissa Interess
Public Comments:None
Approval of December COA minutes with corrections.
New Business
Brainstormed ideas for inviting guests to COA
• New Town Manager Jim Malloy
• New Superintendent of Schools Julie Hackett
• William James referral service
• Age-Friendly UMass representative
• Disability Commission representative-Bonnie will invite
• Caileen Foley, Lexington Housing rep
• LGBTQI speaker-Melissa will f/u
• Lexington at Home
• Public Information Officer-John will invite
• Lexington Cable-Lex Media Rich will ask
• New Town staff
Agreed that new municipal employees and housing staff could present as panels-Melissa will
f/u; other COA members will f/u as well.
Staff Reports
Christine Dean-Community Center Director
• New staff: Recreation Supervisor Hayoto Tsurumaki; admin assistant soon
• Advisory Committee and Rec Department monitoring drop-in use of space to refine
policies (no commercial business) for residents to meet w/tutors
• Donation policy on website w/link to DPW suggestions of where donations/recycling
might be directed
• Open House 1/26 10AM-2PM looking for providers who might offer volunteer summer
opportunities for youth
• Winter sessions begin next week
• Middle school early release programs full and successful
• Looking for Bingo volunteer caller for Fridays 1-3PM, contact Christine Dean
Melissa Interess-Acting Director of Human Services
• Senior Services has selected a new vendor to manage overnight trips, still using Fox for
day trips
o Next overnight trip: NYC in May
• International Film Series will show 6 international films throughout the year
accompanied by a relevant snack
• MLK Day of Service 1/21 - high school volunteers can perform small service projects (30
min) for seniors
o Gerry H suggested having kids advise seniors on technology and social media
o Sign up required
o Other events and service projects throughout the day
• Chinese New Year 1/15/19 12-2PM with lunch, entertainment; has long wait list
• Human Services Director position is posted through next week; COA board members
may be asked to interview candidates
Liaison Reports
Minuteman Senior Services-Gary Fallick
Community Center Advisory Committee- Sandra Shaw
Transportation-Sudhir Jain
FCOA-Rich McDonough and Ellen Cameron
• Artis, the new memory care facility, did a presentation
Human Services Committee- Betty Borghesani
Disability Commission- Bonnie Teitleman
Recreation Committee-Julie Ann Shapiro, Ellen Cameron
• Long meeting on redoing track and field w/ADA compliant surfaces resistant to mold
Lexington Housing Authority-Camille Goodwin
• Options for senior housing in Lexington adequate for wealthy and some income limited
residents but challenging for middle income seniors and other income limited residents
on housing waitlists
• New policy for admission and occupancy of federal units (Countryside); income
certification to be done annually; tenants approached selectmen to appoint
representative from each housing village
Vision 20/20 Committee-Jyotsna Kakullavarapu
Housing Partnership- Rich McDonough
Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee - Camille Goodwin
Age Friendly/Livable Lexington-John Zhao, Betty Borghesani
• Setting up meeting w/UMass to plan spring survey, focus group, and community forums.
Mental Health and Wellness Task Force- Ellen Cameron, Sudhir Jain, Jyotsna Kakullavarapu
• 4 groups (Identification, Prevention, Intervention, Postvention) are meeting, will provide
recommendations in May to accomplish initial goals
Meeting adjourned 3:40 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Bonnie Teitleman