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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Board Minutes 0313121 ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING Minutes March 13, 2012 PRESENT: Leo Allison, Heather Altman, Alex Castro, Ed Flowers, Haryo Marsosudiro, Thelma Perkins, Donna Prather, Jeane Suddarth, Mike Symons STAFF: Mary Fraser, Kathie Kearns, Janice Tyler The meeting was called to order at the Seymour Center by Chair Heather Altman. Introductions included guest Donna Prather, the retiring Medical Director of the OPC Area Program who is considering applying for appointment to the Advisory Board on Aging. The minutes of the February 14 meeting were approved following the motion made by Alex Castro and the second by Leo Allison. The Chair announced that she had received a letter from the Board of County Commissioners thanking the Advisory Board for its annual report. It included a request for further information about the ‘one- stop shop’ coordinated service effort that was initiated during 2011. Janice Tyler will respond to this request. In her Director’s Report Ms. Tyler stated that she and the Chair had conducted interviews for the Senior Centers Administrator position and a recommendation had been submitted to the Human Resource Department. Ms. Altman suggested that the Advisory Board should spend some time at a future meeting discussing the future direction for senior centers, a question that was posed to the candidates during the interviews. Ms. Tyler also announced that Carla Allison has begun her assignment as the Department of Social Services social worker who is permanently assigned to the Central Orange Senior Center. Janice Tyler reported that the Soar Feat Sendoff event had been held at the Seymour Center since the last Board meeting. Through her walk across America, Teri Swezey hopes to raise awareness and money for caregiver programs. Ms. Swezey was a caregiver for her mother and the Department on Aging provided assistance to her during that time. Triangle J AAA will be conducting its annual monitoring visit during the last week of March. Also, the Master Aging Plan will be presented to the Governor’s Advisory Council at its meeting that week. The UNC Capstone student team will be joining Ms. Tyler for that presentation. Heather Altman stated that she has been asked to present on Community Resource Connections at the National Association of County Commissioners meeting in August. She will include MAP information and will ask a representative of the Board of County Commissioners to be involved in the presentation. In concluding 2 her report, Ms.Tyler announced that one of the topics of discussion at the April 5 Department Head retreat will focus on the changing demographics. In providing a FY2012-13 County budget update Janice Tyler reported that the NCBA Senior Employment Program has been a mainstay of the Department on Aging staffing since its beginning. However, the goal of the Program is on-the-job training and placement. The Senior Lunch Program’s SEP workforce has been reduced from 12 to 4 slots during FY2012. Therefore, the Department on Aging’s FY2013 budget request includes one part-time (2 hrs per day) position for each Lunch Program location to offset the Senior Employment Program reduction in force. Although the Lunch Program will continue to utilize volunteers for set-up and meal serving, there is a need for dishwashing assistance. Discussion followed on the training provided to SEP enrollees. Ms. Tyler added that the catering contract for the provision of meals delivered to the Senior Centers is being rebid by Orange County Purchasing. She also informed the Advisory Board that the United Way-funded meals for persons with disabilities age 50-60 were being discontinued due to lack of participation. Ms. Tyler concluded the budget update by announcing that the proposed County Capital Investment Plan includes purchase of a generator for the Seymour Center. This would allow Seymour to serve as a day shelter for older persons staying at Smith Middle School during an emergency. However, no other improvements or expansion for either senior center is included in the proposed CIP. The Chair asked the Advisory Board to consider recommending Keith Cook to the Board of County Commissioners to fill one of the current at-large vacancies. Mr. Cook had attended the February meeting and expressed interest in being appointed. A motion was made by Alex Castro and seconded by Leo Allison to make this recommendation. Motion carried. Mary Fraser stated that the head of UNC’s Institute on Aging had expressed interest in the Institute being represented on this Advisory Board. The Chair asked Ms. Fraser to pursue this further. It was noted that Heather Altman had served as Advisory Board Chair since September 2010. She agreed to continue in this capacity and Alex Castro volunteered to serve as Vice-Chair. A motion was made by Ed Flowers and seconded by Mike Symons to elect these members as Chair and Vice-Chair. Motion carried. MAP Co-Chair Mary Fraser announced that the draft Plan was posted on the Department on Aging website on March 2. She reported that the Steering Committee met on February 29 and provided comments and suggestions. The Assistant County Manager held a meeting of Department Heads the following day where favorable comments and commitments were made. The first of seven public comments sessions was held earlier today. The document will be brought before the Advisory Board for final review prior to its submission to the Board of County Commissioners in May. The work plan for the first year of implementation will include strategies that can be pursued with the current level of funding. It was suggested that the Steering Committee continue to meet twice a year with the Fall 2012 meeting focused on identifying possible funding requests for the FY 2014 budget cycle. Alex Castro encouraged the Advisory Board to consider ways to involve workgroup participants in the post-planning process. He reported that he has already met with community members to begin an assessment of resources in the rural area. Mary Fraser stated that tentative plans call for an event to be held after the May Board of County Commissioners review for all who participated in the MAP process. At that event opportunities for continued involvement will be proposed. The Department on Aging hopes to secure a summer 3 intern who can facilitate this effort. Jeane Suddarth reported that the Senior Tar Heel Legislature will meet the following week and the Governor will be in attendance. Ms. Suddarth plans to give her a copy of the draft Master Aging Plan. The document will be reformatted, a new cover designed, a table of contents developed, and a questionnaire included with instructions for completing on-line if possible. Leo Allison asked about the format for the upcoming public comment sessions. The meetings will be informal. Attendees will be given a copy of MAP. He suggested developing a summary of the goals for distribution to those in attendance. The Chair announced that the marketing proposal for a Capstone Team for academic year 2012-13 had passed the initial review. A committee composed of Advisory Board members who were graduates of the Capstone Program, the Department Director, and a member of the current Capstone Team will participate in the recruitment of students on March 16. Another Orange County senior service agency, A Helping Hand, has submitted a Capstone proposal to study the specific needs of the 85+ population. In Committee Reports, Leo Allison announced the Friends of Central Orange’s upcoming Las Vegas Night fundraiser on April 21. Mike Symons reported that the Friends of the Seymour Center are developing a fundraising campaign that may include a direct mail solicitation. Heather Altman stated that the Chatham/Orange Community Resource Connection is promoting the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services’ Passport , a resource for successful hospital transitions. Copies of the pamphlet will be distributed at the next meeting. It was announced that the next Advisory Board meeting will be held at the Seymour Center on April 10 at 10:00am to follow the final MAP Steering Committee. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Janice Tyler, Secretary