HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-04-11-COA-minCOUNCIL ON AGING
Meeting, Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Attending were: Shirley Buck Marian Cohen, Chairperson
Bob Edwards Don Graham
Leo McSweeney Jane Trudeau
Lauren McSweeney, Executive Director
Richard Pagett, Selectman Liaison
Tom Griffiths, School Committee Liaison
Mary Gillespie, Guest
Several members of the Senior Advocates
Director's Report
1. Health Fair. Lauren reported that there will be a Health Fair at the Center on
April 26, 2006. Vendors and providers will have information regarding
wellness, health issues, and nutrition available.
2. Override, The COA has a negligible amount of Nine Thousand One Hundred
Twenty Five ($9,125.00) dollars at risk in the override.
3. New Software. "My Senior Center" is a multitask software package that:
4, tracks participants' activities through membership cards;
5. has billing capacity for activities and the ADC program;
6, stores information on clients.
There will be a demonstration of the software at the Senior Center for the
COA, the FCOA, and the new Town Finance Director, Rob Addelson. In
response to a question by Richard Pagett, Lauren stated that Lowell is the
nearest site to use the software.
4. White Cane Award. A party is scheduled for May 3, 2006 at the COA at 2
p.m. to honor this year's recipient.
Oral History Project
Mary Gillespie informed us that the Museum of Our National Heritage would
like to co- sponsor a joint venture with the COA to record on video and audio
interviews with local senior citizens. They would provide the site and the
equipment. The idea was enthusiastically endorsed by the COA. Bob
Edwards will chair a new subcommittee to plan the list of topics for seniors to
talk about in the interviews. It was agreed that there would be an article in
the June 1 St issue of the Minuteman to recruit more people to share ideas
and work on the project.
Don Graham suggested Jackie Ward and Bev Kelley as possible sub-
committee members.
Benefit Concert
Marian confirmed that there will be a concert to benefit the FCOA at the
Museum of Our National Heritage on June 16, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.
ARTICLE 36
Marian informed us that ARTICLE 36 which requested an additonal Thirty -
Five Thousand ($35,000.00) dollars to evaluate the programmatical space
needs available at Munroe School will be indefinitely postponed. Paul
Lapointe suggested that we use the opportunity to talk about space needs in
the Town, Tom Griffiths felt we should stay focused on our own specific
space needs.
ARTICLE 33
Several of the Senior Advocates suggested that ARTICLE 33 be postponed
so that the Town Boards can consider a shared use between the COA and
the School Department, Tom Griffiths stated that there was to be an
administrative meeting with representatives from the Town and the School
Department to discuss ARTICLE 33. Tom Griffiths stated he was planning to
present Senior Center issues at the meeting.
Marian Cohen solicited ideas to present at Town Meeting when ARTICLE 33
is postponed. Don Graham stated that we should not lose sight of certain
basic requirements needed by the COA in accepting a site. "Let's just not
take anything." Marian thought the Senior Plan Committee should make a
statement with Paul Lapointe representing the SCAPC.
Richard Pagett suggested that one or two seniors make supportive
statements. Several members of the Senior Advocates and John Ruffing, an
architect, asked questions regarding COA parking requirements and square
footage at the White House and Munroe.
Board of Selectman's Response to Senior Action Plan Committee
Richard Pagett reported that the BOS has set the following objectives:
4. to conclude discussion of the use of Munroe by Fall;
5. to urge the School Committee to resolve its interest in Harrington
School and the White House;
6. to reach consensus on a Senior Center site and hold a special Town
Meeting for funding, even if just for that one purpose;
7. to go forward with a realistic plan,
The next meeting is schedule for Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 3:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
J ne Trudeau,