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News/Events - Meeting Minutes

Attendees: Pam Davis—Chairwoman, , FlorenceChoate—Director, COA, Rocky Carrabes, Jim Harmon, Joan Powers, Dale Balog, Jerry Fiermonte, Audrey, Reidy, Brendan Lynch, Meg Stillman
Absent: Shawn Harris, Selectmen’s Liaison

1. Meeting called to order at 6:01 PM

2. November Minutes voted on and accepted

3. Director and Staff Reports

-Florence completed the COA Budget and turned it in to the Town Administrator. The COA Board will vote on it following approval by the TA. It will then go to the Advisory Board following which it will require Selectmen’ approval. What we get from the State will depend on the “Cherry Sheets’ that may come out as late as some time in the Spring. All of the State Reps predict a very bad year, as does SSES for the Formula Grant.
-November was a fine month; all of our regular programs, many still gaining popularity, were well attended. Our Financial Workshop was actually terrific and informative but drew very few attendees. We continue to target younger seniors. J. Papandrea’s Art Class is VERY popular among this group. She has, in fact, expanded to a Tuesday afternoon art group as well as continuing on Thursdays.
-Florence was also busy completing the van application for SSES. It was long and detailed; an arduous task but completed and submitted!
-Florence is seeking an Irish entertainment group for a fund-raiser in March at the GAR Hall.
-November van rides totaled 510. The breakdown is as follows: Daily Van 405, LINK 79, Med Conn 14, and Volunteer 12. Our vans (Daily and Med Connection) drove a total of 1374 miles. Our WONDERFUL volunteers spend 43 hours taking our seniors to their appointments and 15 hours were volunteered to escort them!
-Outreach is busy, busy with Open Enrollment upon us as well as Fuel Assistance.
We made 2 Home Visits, 54 Office Visits, 96 calls 30 referrals. We have 122 NEW people come through the door for Outreach! Seniors need to make their Health Care decisions by Dec. 15th in order to receive their new card by Jan. 1, 2011. Brendan did attend a SHINE program in Weymouth that spoke to the fact that Tufts and Harvard Pilgrim had dropped Medicare. Tufts however has alternative plans.

4. Old Business
A. Community Center Update-We have not had a meeting of the Community Center Project Committee in two months. We were waiting for the Selection Committee to meet which they did recently. Audrey Reidy, an esteemed member of the Selection Committee attended the first meeting and was somewhat pleased. They toured Pier 44 and she looked closely at the space, thinking of utilization Other members of the Committee agreed that Pier 44 would be a wonderful location for many things but a Senior Center would be great! Meg totally supports a Community Center as it would better serve the community to offer widespread use of that location. She also said that in the future, as a Community Center evolved, it could raise revenue and even support itself. The Board heartily agreed!
B. GATRA Update: It’s looking very likely that we will be approved for GATRA. They will give us up to $60K for our transportation expenses, i.e. Salaries, vans, van repairs and running expenses. There will be a meeting for GATRA on Jan. 11, 2011 in the Selectmen’s Hearing room at Town Hall.

5. New Business
A. No Update

6. Reports
A. SSES Update –Joan Powers---SSES is hopeful to relocate some time in January. It is hoped that a Braintree location will be found. Joan informed us that SSES will have a new website soon. She also said that they would have the funds for new vans by July, 2011. Unfortunately SSES had to lay off two in Protective. SSES has been part of many recent fund-raisers by the “Angel” group and “Stop Senior Hunger.” Asian Outreach is HUGE in our area. Quincy has the largest Senior Outreach in the country!
B. Commission on Disabilities.—Jerry Fierimonte attended the meeting for the Commission on Disabilities. They meet nine times per year. They have funds for the COA, which could be used for an “on call” van to the RIDE in Cohasset.

7,. Meeting adjourned at 6:47 PM

Respectfully submitted,

Q Cutler

ADDENDUM TO COA BOARD MEETING MINUTES OF 12-8-10

Agenda and minutes are available at the Town Clerk’s office

Director and Staff reports are available at the COA, 27 Brook ST., Scituate