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Minutes 06-01-98 MINUTES OF SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD MEETING HELD AT CITY HALL IN THE MALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1998, AT 3:30 P.M. PRESENT Betty Collins, Chairperson Robin Matchett, Esther “Peggy” Stranahan Customer Relations Supervisor Olive Field Elizabeth Jenkins, Alternate Helen Schwartzenberg, Alternate ABSENT Amelia Bennell Mary Cannon Mary Como Sara Williams GUESTS PRESENT: Ruth Kehlringer Edna Mundrake 1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER Chairperson Collins called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited, followed by a moment of silent prayer for all the seniors in the City. 2. ROLL CALL The Recording Secretary called the roll and a quorum was declared present. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chairperson Collins asked for a motion to approve the Agenda. Motion Upon motion by Ms. Stranahan and seconded by Ms. Field, the Agenda, as presented to the Board, was approved. Motion carried unanimously. MINUTES SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 1, 1998 4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MAY 4, 1998 MEETING Chairperson Collins asked if there were any additions or changes to the Minutes of the May 4, 1998 meeting. Motion There being no changes or additions to the Minutes, Ms. Stranahan moved that the Minutes of the May 4, 1998 meeting be approved. Motion seconded by Ms. Field and carried unanimously. 5. CORRESPONDENCE Chairperson Collins stated that she received a letter regarding the summit meeting that is commonly held four times a year and which was recently held for the four City Boards. The Boards that meet deal with issues directly related to residents of the City. Those Boards are the Community Relations Board, the Advisory Board on Children & Youth, the Education Advisory Board and the Senior Advisory Board. Chairperson Collins read the letter that in effect requests this Board to submit an article to be included in the Visions, Views and City Newsletter which is published quarterly. The City is planning to do these articles on a rotating basis and if this Board decides not to submit anything for publication, the next Board on the list will be asked. Chairperson Collins stated that the article requested would be for the October issue. Chairperson Collins stated that this would be advantageous for this Board since the fall activities will be announced at that time. Chairperson Collins updated the members that the Senior Advisory Board has been working very hard for a senior center to be formed in the City, since 46% of the City is comprised of senior citizens. Currently, the money allotted for Boynton Beach goes to the Mae Volen Center in Boca Raton. It was anticipated that the Mae Volen Center would share some activities with the seniors of Boynton Beach. Chairperson Collins stated that the drive from Boynton Beach to Boca Raton was difficult for seniors of this City. Therefore, primarily residents of Boca Raton and Delray Beach use the Mae Volen Center. Also, Chairperson Collins stated that social services for seniors need to be offered. It is very important for the seniors who do not know how to access services that this information be provided in some type of publication for ease of reference. It is also 2 MINUTES SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 1, 1998 planned when the Senior Center is operational that there will be a person answering telephone inquiries and directing residents to the various services that are available. Chairperson Collins reminded members that the bus is available for seniors who need to go food shopping and there are four buses available for seniors. The bus will come directly to the door, if a resident is unable to walk to the bus stop. In the Leisureville area there are volunteers, who ride the bus to assist persons with carrying their groceries to their door, if they are unable to do so. This is a wonderful service. Also, the bus goes to the Mall once a week for shopping. Anyone who is in need of this service should call the City’s Public Works Office to arrange for transportation. The Madsen Center had previously been available to seniors on Thursdays. Since the Center had no activities on Thursday, this Board decided to use the Center on that day. The Madsen Center is available to anyone who wishes to join by paying dues and offers card playing, shuffleboard and other activities. For a while, there were volunteers who assisted in various activities for the seniors on Thursdays. However, because the Madsen Center would not provide a cabinet or some type of storage for our equipment, it was too difficult to continue since all the equipment for the activities had to be carried in and out of the Center each Thursday. It was determined that the City Hall in the Mall could be used temporarily for a senior center, and the City’s Recreation Department offered to assist in this regard. This room would be available on Wednesday and Thursday and the activities were to start on May th 6. However, on the first day of activities it was discovered that there are no restroom facilities available and the closest one is in Burdine’s Department Store. Also, there are no facilities to offer coffee or lunch, since there is no water available. Therefore, the City is now trying to develop a senior center. The Mae Volen Center wanted to expand and offered to run a senior center if the City provided a building. It is important that if Mae Volen manages the Boynton Beach senior center that the center be known as the Boynton Beach Senior Center, not an extension of the Mae Volen Center. At this point in time, it looks like the Civic Center will be offered one day a week to the seniors beginning in the fall until something permanent can be established. The Civic Center has a great deal of amenities and should work out well. Chairperson Collins reminded Members that the Board meetings have been cancelled th for July and August. Since September 7 (the first Monday of the month) is Labor Day, there will be no meeting for that month as well. However, it is planned for the members to get together sometime over the summer for a workshop and Chairperson Collins will be contacting everyone to set up this workshop. 3 MINUTES SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 1, 1998 6. REPORT ON SENIOR ACTIVITIES, PEGGY STRANAHAN Chairperson Collins asked Ms. Stranahan for an update on the first day activities of the seniors at the City Hall in the Mall. Ms. Stranahan stated that seven seniors were present and were very enthusiastic, but were disappointed that not more people were present. Ms. Stranahan updated those present as to the future plans for a center and that these arrangements were temporary. These people also volunteered to be helpers when there is an actual senior center. During this meeting, the restroom issue surfaced, as well as not being able to make coffee without water. Unfortunately, the room was not conducive to a senior center. With regard to the Madsen Center, Ms. Stranahan reiterated what Chairperson Collins stated that without being able to store the needed equipment for the bingo, etc. on the premises, it was too difficult to constantly carry the equipment in and out. Ms. Stranahan stated that at one time an agency came into the City for purposes of establishing a senior center at the Mall and made a grand presentation of what they intended to introduce. They were going to offer these services on a daily basis. Therefore, it was decided not to pursue our own senior center if this agency were going to offer all these services. However, it turned out that this agency were actually a Foundation that operated an HMO. After the “Foundation” determined that most seniors were coming strictly for the activities being offered and did not want to join their HMO, they left the City. 8. REPORT FROM HANK ACKERMANN, CITY LIAISON Ms. Matchett was present today for Mr. Ackermann and requested that when the minutes were prepared that she receive a copy to review and discuss the concerns expressed at today’s meeting with Mr. Ackermann. 9. FUTURE PLANS-SENIOR NEEDS A. Chairperson Collins stated that Herb Stevens of RSVP has offered to assist this Board with signing up volunteers. It is important that teams of volunteers be in place to be available to take turns volunteering their assistance at the senior center. Also, the transportation issue must be dealt with. The proper planning and coordination will have to be in place to get people to and from the senior center. 4 MINUTES SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 1, 1998 Various activities and programs were discussed that could be offered at the senior center, including adopting the foster Grandparent program with the schools of the City. Ms. Field informed the Board that the Head Start Program takes their children to various convalescent homes and there is wonderful interaction between the children and the elderly. Also lectures and games should be included. Line dancing and bingo are also very popular and various speakers could be scheduled to come out and address the seniors on topics that would be of interest to seniors. Ms. Stranahan produced a recent newspaper article regarding the healthy economy in South Florida that is largely due to senior spending. In Palm Beach County alone, there are 140,000 retirement households with an average household spending $20,000 per year. Seniors are very important to the economy. 2. Chairperson Collins also stated that some provision is necessary in determining the addresses of seniors who cannot get out of their home on their own in the event of an emergency or catastrophe. The City of Delray Beach has a list of seniors that live alone and these seniors are checked on periodically. Some type of list should be available for seniors living alone and there should be a telephone number where they can call to inform the City they are living alone. The telephone number of the senior center, when it is established, could be used to accomplish this. 3. Chairperson Collins stated that the senior center is not just for recreational purposes, but is needed for all the social services that seniors are in need of. The City furnished games and a cabinet for the proposed Senior Center in the Mall, but unfortunately we cannot use them until a center is located. The Board is very appreciative for the Recreation Department supplying games for the seniors. It is important, that a senior center be equipped with a kitchen and a bathroom. Vice Mayor Shirley Jaskiewicz had told Chairperson Collins that the City would assist with coffee. 5 MINUTES SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 1, 1998 4. Also, with regard to people living alone, there should be a place where the next of kin can be registered in case someone needs to be contacted on behalf of that person living alone. Ms. Schwartzenberg suggested that seniors could also “adopt a senior” in situations where a senior lives alone and has absolutely no next of kin. Also, hurricane season is approaching and people living alone must be notified in case they have to be evacuated. 5. Mrs. Jenkins stated she preferred the dial-a-ride system as opposed to calling Mae Volen for transportation, as they do not accommodate her community unless a person is very sick or almost dying. Chairperson Collins stated that even if Mae Volen offers to provide transportation, passengers are left on the bus for several hours while the bus makes all the stops dropping off the various passengers. Chairperson Collins stated that dial-a-ride comes personally to pick you up and drive you to your destination. Also, dial-a-ride will come back for you when you want to return home. 6. Chairperson Collins commended the current City staff for their willingness to assist seniors and to listen to seniors’ concerns. There are good communications today both with the Recreation Department and Public Works, especially with the bus scheduling. Chairperson Collins said it was important to get the senior center active in the fall and not wait for a senior center to be built. Mr. Ackermann had informed Chairperson Collins that the City has a committee looking for a building for the senior center. 7. With regard to having a workshop during the summer months, Chairperson Collins inquired if any member was going to be away for a month or more. 8. Ms. Matchett informed the members that she was responsible for the utility accounts, beach tags, switchboard coverage and many other services for the City. Ms. Matchett inquired if her department could assist the seniors, since calls are received everyday at City Hall regarding a lot of the problems that have been discussed at today’s meeting. Ms. Matchett stated that her department mails utility bills once a month where information could be included. Also, Ms. Matchett suggested that information on the senior center could be placed in the lobby at City Hall. 6 MINUTES SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 1, 1998 Ms. Matchett also informed the members that the City would be installing a new phone system and a lot of cities offer “info lines” and this could also be considered in accommodating senior needs. Chairperson Collins stated there has to be a number to call where people can leave their name so that if they needed assistance during a hurricane or disaster they could be contacted. Also, it was restated that the City needs to have available some type of booklet with phone numbers to call for assistance and which also contains addresses of importance to seniors. The type and size of the booklet was discussed. It was determined that the booklet should be small, not confusing and simply stated. Chairperson Collins thanked Ms. Matchett for attending the meeting today and offering her assistance. NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING – OCTOBER 5, 1998 10. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting properly adjourned at 4:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ____________________________ Barbara M. Madden Recording Secretary (two tapes) 7