##VIDEO ID:Aa5X4Hi-Gsc## this meeting will be held in person at the location provided on this notice members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting please note that while an option for remote attendance and or participation via Zoom is being provided as a courtesy to the public the meeting healing will not be suspended or terminated if techn ological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast unless otherwise need required by law members of the public with particular interest in a specific item on this agenda should make plans for inperson versus virtual attendance accordingly this meeting will be live on Zoom the public May access the proceedings by joining Zoom meeting ID number 375 414 6055 or by calling 92925 6099 for additional information about remote participation please contact kie antonellis assistant Town manager ATM am a.m. . us 4978 772 8220 extension 100 prior to the meeting I will call the meeting to order at 107 okay um do we approve I need a motion to approve or amend the agenda U Madam chair um can I request that we uh combine the 110b and 140b um agenda items and discuss those first and and Cheryl those are the items regarding the addition of a new member to the board so I think that it would be helpful to kind of move those to the top do I have a second second and all those in favor all in favor so I will make that and I actually did see that yes um oh on the BS I think we are still figuring out how to outreach I think Dennis made a motion to put the um to put Cheryl first before we talk about um so that can a okay first time the agenda will be the board yeah so this chair hi nice to see you good to see you all I had you on mute so you wouldn't hear my dog barking being very good boy right now so so do you want to tell us a little bit about yourself and you thanks I'd be happy to um thank you for um letting me go first um I saw um I forget where I started it might have been in the air air toown emails that there was an opening for um a volunteer to serve on your board and where I I've lived in air for actually it'll be 16 years next week um I live over on Snake Hill Road off of 2A so uh we're in the throws of a lot of construction where I live there's trucks and kinds of stuff going on in the city in the town um and um as I explained to Dennis I am 68 soon to be 69 years old so I am a senior I'm a taxpayer I'm a citizen I'm interested in Civic Endeavors um I put my resume in just so that you would see a little bit about my background I don't know if you folks had an opportunity to to see you know what I've done in the past I've I've been on a few um appointed positions um I was appointed to the Human Rights Commission for the city of fitzburg for about 10 or 15 years I served on I still serve on the board of directors of the Spanish American Center I'm a non-voting member now I was president of their board for a number of years so I understand how important um it is to have volunteers and get input and ideas um I work from home because I have a serious physical disability so I'm not able to get out of my house um in fact I just had an elevator put in my house in order to be able to get outside and get some fresh air um so if the board could tolerate having a board member who's only available via remote uh Zoom meetings that would be the only um limitation um of my ability to um serve and function on the board um do you folks have any questions for me or any um I just wanted to First address that I think remote participation will be an issue from a technology perspective um we have the owl system and all of our meetings are in a hybrid format it's great I love it I can see you guys very clearly that's great and CH you see now that Bobby Gardner is the other member of the board who's currently coming in hey Bobby oh bra that's all right hello hi hi stable is this chair okay for you do you I'm good so we have Cher joining us I would add that I you know I do have some concerns about um what is impacting seniors in and all citizens in the town of air because of the closure of nishoba hospital and also um concerned about um the continuing impact of the covid pandemic we say the pandemic is over I assure you it isn't it is far from over I consulted a hospital in the morning and the unit I consult on remotely is closed to admissions because it's so much Co out there so uh wash your hands wear masks and keep your distance um but I think that the impact of of how we've changed our lives is really important I also recognize that the the counil is advising um the senior center on a process of maybe having a new Senior Center and I think that's great um but it entails a lot of planning and work and citizen input and you know I'm happy to to share my ideas yeah need a lot of hands on that that project yeah I'm really um concerned also about um senior mental health I started Consulting with Aging Services of North Central Mass I consult with them two hours a week they have a um a state funded Grant to do Behavioral Health out Outreach to homebound seniors which is really really important I it's long overdue for that agency to expand uh and to broaden their mental health capabilities so it's an early early process so um such an important need absolutely had a question yeah and to with your concern about the closure of the hospital I had ambulance right after Clos a agent Royal hospital and general and I had to say that to get out of there I get kidnapped that's a long ambulance ride over to L yeah sure is especially when you're in [Music] pain yeah it was and we first go said yes SP condition um is there anything else you would suggest doing with the [Music] hospital I think charl I think Bobby was asking whether you had any ideas about what other uses other than as an inpatient hospital you might foresee for I see urgent care I see um Community Health Center I mean there's any number of things the City of Fitchburg did when they closed Burbank hospital that whole site is an oncology that is a vibrant use of of um of property but you know it's just the matter of who's got the money and who's going to come forward and and um put these that into practice I know the physician practices are still open there I believe the medical building and the nursing home is still there so um it makes sense that a community health center would be long overdue you know that could meet the needs of people of various incomes we also have some immigrants in town I mean where are those folks getting their Primary Care um I mean there's there's a lot of opportunities I don't know if there's Federal money out there um or there will be Federal money but that's how Burbank um that's how that Community Health Center in Fitchburg got developed it was through federal funds just a thought and and having fitzburg be our closest Community Health Center is really difficult especially for the most vulnerable of our clients that would want to use it it's almost well not almost it's completely out of reach for them so yeah I think that would be a great try getting there in the winter going up that hill yeah yeah absolutely Cheryl my name is Mary Markham and I'm just sort of looking at all of your experience and those types of things you didn't like the bottle in my face yes I'm just using the bottle and knowing that we are looking at sort of the a potentially a new senior center in town from your experience what type of Outreach would you like to see or could you help with or suggest I would suggest courting private donors I know that there was a private donor that paid for the senior center in Townsen um he's now in heaven um so he's I don't know if anyone is taken over if it was a foundation or if it was his personal generosity I think he also funded Bron Hill the new one do you think those two things are related I absolutely do um um I think that looking at Federal money you know I don't know if who writes the grants for the town um was the grant grant writing is a specific I am not a grant writer I've participated in input in in um proofreading grants and throwing in my two cents but I'm not a grant writer apart from it I'm not also I'm also not a fundraiser but fundraising is I don't know um at the Town level whether there's been some fundraising for this or are we looking for just taxpayer funded um so I think a lot of that is in process right now um the the way that process works is the the town will have to authorize spending for the full dollar amount because no grants are guaranteed but there are efforts underway to um apply for state and federal funding as well as approaching approaching donors as a member of the COA board you wouldn't be a part of any of the fundraising efforts because it's a conflict of interests but um I certainly think that there's a lot of things that the COA board could do I think that was more your question my question was more from that Outreach to say other members of the community in town sort of what from your experience would you suggest or could you see we we've got a good industrial base in air that's why I moved here um you know that our tax rates are a little bit less parsh than other community ities that don't have a solid industrial base and because there's a lot of Industry maybe there's some opportunity to secure funding from private industry mean some of the businesses an air have been very generous to the Spanish American Center in lemonster and how do you think um you would roll your personal or professional EXP experience um in Aging Services into the advisory role for me as the Director of the senior center um I think I think I would be available if you ever had a question um um I've got a background that's pretty strong in in mental health not specifically senior mental health that's kind of a a a branch that I've developed but um I'm really good at um networking I sit on the gate team for the city of Garder and gate is Gardener area inter agency team so you know I try to keep my ear to the ground so to speak with what's you can't practice social work in a vacuum so you have what affects children and the disabled and mental health affects it it trickles down through the whole the whole culture and the whole environment I you know as you can probably see by my resume I have a real interest in um you know minority um non-english proficient folks newcomers you know new arrivals getting settled and feeling part of the community um Mental Health Services my forte you know that's wonderful because I think that's something that as a senior center we could really stand to grow in terms of our um ability to network our ability to provide even just basic educational programs on that's definitely on my list of of growth areas so I think that would your expertise in that area would be would be a real asset any other plus supporting other people on the um Council just you know social support like I said I've lived in air for 16 years but because I'm homebond it can be pretty isolating you know is a great Community my husband is also a senior so so get a two for get two opinions for the price of one any other questions for chery before we letter go or do you have any questions for us about um so you folks meet on a monthly basis on the Tuesday this is this a designated time you ever meet in the evenings or is it always at one o'clock it's typically the second Tuesday of the month at 2 pm we're reading an hour earlier today to accommodate um participating in the library full Clinic okay great well I'll try to um if I know that ahead of time depending on what you folks decide whether you want me on the counsel or not I uh I'll block off my schedule because I book I book client I see clients remotely in the afternoon and on Saturdays so I will make time when you when I know your meetings are perfect wonderful was a pleasure meeting everybody nice to see you thank you all right so I will hear from who about yeah I mean you can stay online it's a public meeting yeah you're you're welcome to stay online we're going to go through the rest of the agenda now but yeah um you're welcome to stay on are there any other question would you I thank the chairman for interpreting my question was worded uh per chairman and what would you recommend to do with the hospital situation like to try and get it reopened or just to do with the building itself to do with the building itself and try to get reopen anything I was thinking about IR councel down in Texas uh the bankruptcy specialist [Music] see decision by the church that if you would be key to that one Bobby I think that one's beyond my individual reach but uh not not a bad idea open another something I gu and I know I know Carly's on the the line as well and Carly's the assistant Town manager does anybody know what the process is from here is it well I think it is that we would um I'm prepared to make motion to ask the select board to support the um support Cheryl's interest in uh being on the board and to move at their next meeting to approve that so yes the the appointment happens by the select board um they frequently ask that that it's not required that we endorse the candidate but when we do they like to hear that right so motion yeah so I'll make a motion that we okay so the motion will read if um that we the air Council on Aging support the nomination of Cheryl boisey to be a member of uh the council and aging Board of Directors for to fill the to fill the unexpired term which is due to expire and the end of June 2025 yeah I second that motion session purposes um all right any thank you any further any further discussion yes so March I think you would want to call for discussion and then vote well I'm gonna adjourn and give you guys time to discuss so you don't feel like I'm hovering um but hopefully I hopefully I'll hear from the um Selectmen and maybe I'll be joining you next month if they give me the Thumbs Up Great you all right everybody don't forget to vote vote vote vote that's right all right take care it's great meeting you all I now Zoom so are you opening discussion March yeah no let's open the discussion I I'm not I don't have a vote in this but I think she is a wonderful candidate she has um expertise that the rest of our board does not have and will help round out the skill set of advisers um for for the the position I mean for the the COA board and you know I don't think it's an issue that she would join only remotely we certainly have the capability if this was a year ago it would have been more difficult um but I I think she's got good ideas she will lend a different perspective um so I I would support I would support you guys and supporting her candidacy h I direct no that's my only concern is that she's not going to be available for anything except well I think you know we had a as a group not too long ago basically said that you know you have to do a couple of different events we didn't saify over the volunteer aspect of it I do think that that's important I guess if this is fulfilling an unexpired term that expires in eight months it gives us an opportunity to see if that works as well but why can't she take the bus well that the bus is able to get so I'll I'll just say you have to be careful in terms of I don't know what her disability is she didn't say that she's disabled and she's homebound so I think you just have to take that that face value that she is homebound um so you know I think does anyone have the policies and procedures document right in front of them is on the website we can look and see how it was worded but as an example I was thinking she's going to have really unique insights to what it's like to be a homebound senior and there may be ways that while still fulfilling the requirements of our policies and procedures maybe she can lead a program from home maybe she can inform our our current practices on how we reach out to that group um that subset segment of older adults which I I think would be really valuable I mean will she be able to man a tables a town meeting no but I think she would be able to contribute in other ways and I do agree with that because that that homebound aspect especially during certain months of the year you know during winter months it's even more so than just those that are typically pound because they can't get out so to have somebody that's got that and I had thought about that to be honest with you that has that experience four times a year we don't I don't think we say specifically what and yeah what is the language in the in the Poli members are expected to volunteer C sen Center events or functions okay yeah so I you know for again I this is your vote but um I would suggest that there are ways that she could participate in an event from from home like for example when it comes time to do a townwide mailing you know maybe she could spearhead the effort of the labels on the postcards because that could be done from anywhere or you could lead a you know we've got this hybrid programming brand and I haven't been able to get very many people interested in conversation group for example maybe she would want to facilitate a program rather than attending or attending it she could facilitate it and most old people don't use the well that's which is what makes her even better qualified that is her as a disabled person her facility with managing the technology that allows her to professionally conduct her job to volunteer for things she knows that it can be done and she knows how to do it so she could be a pretty good example to others in guiding Us in how to get that across to to others and how to in using electronic devices well and that's that's the thing so we've got the hybrid programming brand but we have not done as much with it as I would have liked um because um which is hopefully changing in the middle of this month but um because because that's just been an area that we've been slow to grow in so um I see potent I see potential there I understand and completely get the hesitation there different um but see it should be giving you advice as a board member on Mental Health she said she oh I interpreted that to mean um you all are advisory to me right you guys advise me on policies and things like that uh I interpreted that to mean like how might the center better tend to um mental health education issues because that's her professional area and did other people hear that differently that's how I and I thought that's EAS you I didn't I didn't hear say delivering me would not be her role to deliver Mental Health Services right sen wants to come in here and say oh she's talking to Katie about no I I didn't hear that I didn't hear that I took it more and right it's an advisory so would be more you know as opposed to actual yeah I do not oh I didn't I suspect that Cheryl knows where the ethical and professional lines are in terms of for professional what's that you take a look at the number of different committees she had sat on and those types of things and those of all have to have had that type of confidentiality or guidelines Border Lines of that especially if as she said she's been remote too for a lot of um you know it's you know it's not a full year this is in reality it's well eight months and maybe this is where Carly can pop in because my there isn't a turn Li there aren't term Li limits on it and the current procedure is when your term is up you Carly inquires would you like to continue on so I don't really think you can look at it as like a a trial basis well I me for it might we also put on this on ours the town's been doing one year but the town's been doing one year for what we yes Carly so yeah we put in our mission statement and our rules and policies that will have a three-year it is a three-year term but what happens Marge is that the the terms vacate before they fulfill the three years so this term it doesn't matter when the person leaves it's actually the length of the term so uh this one expires in June June 30th of 25 and what I do in May is reach out to everyone on that list and say are you interested in being reappointed by the select board and 99.999% of the time there's no issue because we're not going to turn away a volunteer of the town right so unless there's some gross you know major issue where there ethics violations or open meeting law violations we're going to re reappoint folks that are interested and want to serve the town so Carly on on the Staggering of the terms I think that the term you know the term end dates for all of our terms The Staggering the Stagger has gotten a little confused we corrected that in June so right now you have uh a term that expires in 20 well there's three terms in 25 one in 26 one in 27 but um one of them will will be um shorten to get it on a different year basically right but I don't think the proper stagger you should have three expiring in the same year right but we needed two years to correct the Stagger so we're only in year one of that okay so kie if this person goes on she'll be going out in 25 yeah she'll be up for reappointment in June on June 30 Me and Bobby just not Bob is Bob was reappointed to a two-year term in made to correct that stagger okay yeah so last year he was the only one up for reappointment it looks like oh Mary too yeah yeah but we made his length Bob's two years and then once you know in on June 30th of 26 he'll be eligible for his three years again okay we just had to stagger it to make it so this the they veryy I don't want to be a lan but I'm I'm not interested in serving life one come on okay okay so please she'd go on until June okay thank you so the motion remains on the floor any further discussion move the question question move the question to I gu y okay okay we have a motion for there's a motion on the table then motion for motion to endorse in discussion we just did the discussion so you just need to say all in favor all in favor I I any oppos motion cares and Katie and all what we would need to be you know be helpful you send us a letter or an email even is fine just you know saying that you took this vote today then we can if I get that um letter or email um by tomorrow I can get it on the select board agenda for the 15th you want that from Katie either it doesn't matter no I can't come from Katie I can do it well Katie can say the board took a vote to okay but I can do that too okay yeah if we could get it tomorrow that would be helpful I will do that yep okay thanks thanks I abstain so there three of you you three nothing with one so did you want to write the email send the I that ton great so we're gonna have a new board member one thing that I think she may also be helpful in terms of Transportation needs yeah in terms of is a wheelchair van not an option or I mean she must get to the hospital some way so I mean I I I I wouldn't feel comfortable speculating about that during an open meeting but you know um I I think yes agreed all the different varieties of transportation and what is what we would be looking for in a second vehicle um yeah there's a there's a lot of places where I feel like her personal and professional experience would be valuable to the board okay so that's done and I will re do that okay um back to the board uh goal and ability to move their senior center forward do you you guys have met do you have anything that we can do to help you move it forward I think right now we're really just at the beginning of this public input process and so anything that the COA board can do to help increase awareness of the project and assist with the public input efforts would be very very helpful okay the um the draft one pager that you had with you on Saturday we want to have the building committee as a whole kind of take a look at that and mo it and then we can go a mass distribution yes so my my goal for that is um I'll have to add that on the floor for no no I can I I'll it'll be on the agenda for next week's building committee meeting um to have everyone take a look at it to really Define the messaging and that's my goal is it's always easier to edit than it is to create so to come up with maybe five main talking points that are in that one pager and then to communicate that to the COA board to the Friends of the air Senior Center so everyone's talking about the same hitting the same major point so maybe with the same message two a month two the top two priority points I'm sorry say if you had two priority points you wanted to really get across to the public right then we could work on those yep because sometimes you hit public with so much that it's overwhelming right so if you can yeah I agreed that's why I was trying to make it come up with a a consistent clear the one pager but a set of consistent messages so that depending on where someone is in their understanding of it they're all getting the same the same messaging so as an example for the COA board you know there's a lot of subgroups of people that we could make presentations to if you belong to a particular group that you know a church a Civic organization a hobby Club you know that sort of thing um and would be able to get me or a group of us into one of those meetings to help educate and raise awareness about what will be coming to a future town meeting I think that would be very helpful um let's see then um you know this doesn't have to all just come from me but you know also um timeline forh well I say it's really rough just sort of you know people are you know it is and I think that and we talked a little bit about this on Saturday clearly I mean clearly it's not going to be on the town meeting warrant for October um right now it looks like we're looking at a special town meeting which the select board and the town manager have both kind of voice um support for the idea anyway um now the date of that meeting is kind of the the drop dead date for us Katie Katie had a great idea that outside of the um town meeting coming up on October we could have a table distribute information on the new building with a definitive date for a town meeting a town Forum you know you know a large thing perhaps held at Town Hall um where we will kind of unveil to a broad audience where we are in this process and the date for that Ka mid November um yes I'm gonna contact get in contact with the town manager's office to determine what's available in early November and whether you know just to get some advice about whether a great hall meeting or something at the school would be better um but I'm thinking you know that's October 28th is town meeting so if it was the first or second week of November something that's staying far away from Thanksgiving that way um before the holidays we will have had Newton Street Festival terms of broader commity Outreach you know we have our regular senior center updates but we'd have been to the Newton Street Festival to the air uh libraries flu Clinic um to the town having a table at town meeting and then a in a bigger public forum before the holidays and then Pres resuming that we are looking for a January or early February special town meeting then after the holidays then we would go for another round of several bigger public forums but a mix of big and small meetings um I think is a solid strategy of a way to go and some of those smaller things could go on through the holidays um you know if people have a coffee or a tea at their house or the Rotary Club will still meet for example in November or December or a particular I don't know if there's a council of churches in town or if it's just each individual Church those are all things you know I'm happy to go out and give the presentation I just um need assistance with who are the key groups in town who are the contact people from those and how do I get on the agendas for that kind of that leg work I think would be something that's very helpful the COA board I I will go wherever you tell me just not the week between Christmas and New Year we have if we have that one pager at least I mean just even in casual conversation you can stick in somebody's hand um right which is the advantage of that I'm just thinking that at the um at Pleasant Street School they do their on Wednesday morning the 16th October 16th Wednesday morning um they do it every week yeah so um I could plan to go there next Wednesday the um the woman who lives there she works to another barara Barbara Riley think I never remember um there are a lot of there's a lot of baras I know that's what I was thinking so I'll try I'll reach out to barar or walk up to the and I'll just you know I was there previously um so I'll just stop up for their coffee on Wednesday and let them know where we're at with this okay and and part of this is um kind of informing them of where we are in the process but part of it is hearing the question coming back and what are people wondering about or what are the I mean that's kind of the more yeah what about the residents meeting here that's what I said last time you know I you mean the the people who live here yep we I mean I have been offering probably every other month and update here in the building um got to have coffee and donut here at 10 o' right yep and I'm happy to yeah so November um I can put another um another one of those can't do it ear here I've I've tried to do them across a variety of times and uh but I'm yeah not a t see a th Carly can I ask do you know whose permission do you need to have a table set out front of town meeting I already got the taken care oh you do that's already taken care of yeah okay so does anyone else have a a group that they belong to that they would be willing to or a group they'd be willing to reach out to I can reach out to the rotary rotary okay thank you what could you reach out to them okay to um and I'm happy to come whenever their meeting is I will make that work so thank you and Staffing at the table for town meeting I can be there or have you already arranged um I I think I think that's fine if you'd like to I haven't arranged for that um I have one friends member that would like to be there so I think if we had one Council on Aging board member myself and a friend's member you would count as a building Committee Member too yeah I'll be there okay all right great yeah what at least I plan to be at to town meeting is usually what seven town meeting is at is it Carly is it at six or seven town meeting seven seven so um I was thinking if we're set up by six okay and the M Russ 6:45 you got it and I and I don't anticipate lots of people to stop and ask lots of questions but I would love to be able to hand a one pager to look at that has the date for our public forum on it okay and and to have pictures of the building I mean what you had down yeah yeah even having it up and display can all right okay want to move on to the old news um the rampid pleas Street uh it held off on the letter mail V mailing it um sending it because I could only find a draft letter I don't know can was sent a letter I you and I had worked on one I have that one ready to go but I decided to hold it all and invite him to the November meeting our November meeting our November meeting okay but I thought that the letter came from the disabilities I never got a in my emails I went back through and I only had a draft right but none of us were on the disabilities commission so I mean I think we just have to trust that Allan sent the email to the disabilities commission right know anyone that did not have a dra I know but um so I I think Allan showed us the draft of what he was going to send okay and then he would have sent it but we'd have to check with a member of the disabilities Comm to make sure it went out but that's great but either way I think we kind of have to send the letter move we changed it some I said Okay okay so yes he's happy yeah Mar do you know da C need's to CH I know who he is but you don't know who you've never met I don't know so just to add in sorry um the disabilities commission currently does not have a quorum yeah and you know and you know that was the committee Allen was working on so they're not I just want to you know um let you guys know they're not regularly meeting right now we are in the process of looking for members but we also need to identify a staff member that can staff the committee um so I just wanted to put that out there yes I knew that too um but the letter was sent when they did in fact have a quum and when the town was aware but we never heard from the disability commission right I think that's why we said that we were going to write directly to the Housing Authority so that we could continue on that relationship since going the disabilities commission isn't going to be able to move forward at this point never heard from house I didn't get that that the that we would separately into it would I am unaware that we had felt that um aside from what the disabilities commission had done that we would act independently in reaching out to them you guys you guys voted for Marge at the last meeting you guys voted for Marge to send a letter to asking for followup yes yes so Marge didn't send it because she didn't know if the first letter got sent and my point was just that I think whether the first letter got sent or not is irrelevant at this point if you guys want to follow up you just need to follow up and Katie and ient there was nothing to follow up Katie and I rewrote the letter and I just didn't do it yet because I figured this meeting was pretty p anyway can I think to answer some of that I think our presumptions got to be that that letter was sent yes I think you know and it came from the disabilities committee or whatnot right reference the council and agent so I don't think it's remissive us to then say hey this letter you know we're just looking for some followup and whatnot yes you know just understanding where it with the understanding that that initial letter has been sent correct yes but that letter will go out Katie and I rewrote it okay took the original letter reded okay didn't but I thought this meeting would be too packed to have him in okay so what do we want from Ken if he were to attend a meeting um ask him to have where it is at and that's what we asked him in the letter you know where is it stand is it going to happen what what if any are the road blocks for making it and so how do we formally invite him I have the letter in the letter that she was gonna oh it's G to be one letter containing both things okay yes asking for an update recapping what had happened asking for an update and please give that update at our next meeting I see yeah got it got it okay so that will go out probably tomorrow um the COA conference PAD as to put it in it is October 23rd to 25th in bman the board members May attend if you hand out the material information before and after sessions yes so that's a a great meeting I think several years ago some of the board members MERS had attended some of it's relevant some of it's not it is further way this year in fouth so um but they're always looking for volunteers to um you know hand out the surveys and collect the surveys at the end of the session and then that allows you guys to attend for free um so if you want you can take a look at mcoa from Massachusetts council's on Aging MCA online.com um and that will have the program you know all the different sessions the different times yeah at the CEST yep in fouth so if there was something you were interested in being the not the facilitator per se but the survey person um then you if you do that on a particular day you can attend the rest of the conference for free but you'd have to reach out to them directly to sign up for a volunteer slot they're always looking for volunteers um and sometimes there's things that are really relevant for a COA board member about advocacy or about building projects things like that some years there's not but just beautiful hotel that it is all we done great um does anybody have any of new I think you had D the even D I am working off a different on the even in gathering to senior still working um before you have a building committee Mee we had talked about this um having a light dinner and maybe the friends and the COA could serve it and do the clean up for so you can come in and have you meeting in here and we could but um and maybe draw some of those seniors that are still working yeah I don't I don't disagree something's got to you know you got to do something to draw right right you speak up yeah no I was just saying about the senior still working and getting that early dinner before a building committee meeting and maybe we can some other seniors um so is it that that prior to a building committee meeting we would have or prior to a tan agent board meeting no prior to a building committee meeting if you're working meeting and maybe we could have a 5:00 early dinner no that friends and the friends of the A and the COA serving it I don't think five o' would work because I think your seniors who are still working are probably getting out of work somewhere between 4:30 and 5 maybe 6:30 meeting you know so you're looking at something around that time so I'm kind of thinking out loud here um what if rather rather than before a building committee meeting if we did a Young Senior targeted public input session where come down to the senior center for a meal a six o'clock meal and a 6:30 meeting or a 6:30 meal and a 7 o'clock public input session with the idea of uh and we could do a targeted Outreach it would have to be by mail because I don't have phone numbers or email address Dr is for a lot of the younger seniors but we could do it via mail um for the 55 to 65 group and ask them what they would want out of a senior center like that could be a targeted wine and cheese uh well I don't think we can do wine and cheese but we we could we could do fake wine and cheese how about that yeah and again sparkling well but that's the you know as I was sort of saying on the sidelines that's the difference for Public public input sessions in for the building project in a small scale because if you wanted to host a coffee or a wine and cheese night in in your home for your 10 best friends or 10 neighbors then you can choose think I get a double digit but you can choose to serve wine or beer or something at it um I I don't think I can do that at all in the municipal building I think can apply for a one day liquor license outside of the municipal building but I just don't think that would be necessary for the public input process stop him at the new stop sign v stand out at that new stop sign near your house do like the idea trying to engage coming back to the main point I do like the idea of engaging younger seniors to see what they would want out of um is the youngest senior how old is the youngest senior 55 I would ask 55 55 to 65 and again we can put it on the corner well I mean the Commonwealth consid 6 Fe a Senor but if you get to that 55 group as as your you figure it's going to take a couple of years to build the building they're coming into that what a DAT y go with the um what about looking at November on it well we know the U coming up but I was hoping that the friends and the COA could work together and right kind of so after November 5th Maybe so I'm thinking um so the November 11th is a holiday so I was thinking the 12th 13th or 14th for that larger public forum forum and again I need to um check in with the town manager's office about availability of of buildings and things but you know I think we could do both of those uh it might be confusing if they are both in the same week um it will be so maybe like the sixth or the seventh um well the the the larger one mid [Music] November is kind of targeted at the entire town the entire town yeah [Music] um when is the yeah I don't know so first week in December yeah I the first week of December because I think there'll be equal numbers of people who are happy and sad on November 5th and six so if I could not set my if I could set myself up for Success the following week I would like that so and then we get into the two weeks that are looking forward to Thanksgiving so yeah how about the first week of December I think that's so the third and the fourth the fth yeah I actually think that's probably that takes it out of sort of the uh the holiday too still kind of in the holiday season but we're looking at the third fourth and fifth right now does anyone have a preference and this again is for a a dinner here a dinner for younger seniors and a presentation presentation yes that dinner's G Happ like a sit down dinner would you do a sit down dinner or would you do it more like uh wine and cheese yeah using that type of like cocktail party type of atmosphere maybe heavy appetizers or that type of stuff I think the I think that that style the greater informality more time people aren't sitting in a seat they're mingling more time to yeah that's yeah day on November 5th how about the December we're talking December B about Tuesday the 3 Tuesday the third that works for I know what do you think Tuesday the 3 here at six I'm just thinking about what the concerns are they need to be home to Fe the then you have the for to fall back on snow yeah I suspect many of them will be empty nesters okay or kids are open up to pend for themselves there's always door Dash back all right December ready to go in the microwave all right great young senior night yep and and the it's going to be December 3rd we uh probably want to say what like six 63030 no no I think 6 if you I would stay 6 or 6:30 but if you haven't arrived like 6 and you just have that out well on what days do most Tuesday's probably a good good option for that work from home yeah but not everybody works in a career that works from home so no I know we're not going to get no I and they're also people but she has to go like some days to G her because she does um yeah okay okay all right so um anybody else have anything new old I uh I emailed Robert regarding Mark and attempts to kind of move Transportation forward um the uh I went on the Mart website and they had previously had public I thought that their monthly or quarterly meeting for public meetings for input from the Comm as any open public meeting would be but I couldn't find on the website where their um public meetings were held or when they were held or how they were held um they're actually um Dennis if you don't they're doing everything remotely now right well okay but like solely remotely remotely sorry they don't have an in-person comp component anymore that I'm aware of and okay all right but I can get that schedule for you and send it to you because they definitely open meetings yeah yeah yeah yeah you could do that that'd be great um okay I guess that's okay then all right yeah that' be helpful sure no problem and and again it's simply an effort to add another voice to get a second van and a second full-time driver and um initial some initial emails went back and forth with um Bruno the head of Mer and um the delineation that was necessary was whether we were adding to our service hours or whether we were just hiring to replace within our existing allotment of hours and so um because I said expanding the hours um there's now some paperwork that has to go back and forth so um I think I am the one who needs to write up a draft memo for Robert to send too to Bruno so okay so if nobody anything else Kati directors okay all right so did everybody have a chance to read my director's I did I did not okay I was here when oh okay um so I can just hit the highlights then um so the town will begin tracking um supplies and Personnel expenses that are related to the closure of the um hospital so stay tuned for that that um we are aware of that or are going to be cing that as well um we had what I would say is probably pretty standard attendance for September uh 114 seniors came 526 times um our average daily attendance was um 26 people but with a range of 18 to 33 we didn't actually let me go back and check that because that shouldn't say 3 because we had 53 at maybe that's a typo let me just I'll go back and fix that um it should say 30 18 to 53 because we had 53 at Pleasant Street for the picnic um that doesn't that average daily attendance comes out of my senior center software so that doesn't include the 15 um Meals on Wheels clients and the 74 van riders that we had in the month so that's average daily attendance is for person programming um as always I list the special programs for the month um coming up on October 17th we'll be doing a train the trainer session with cyber seniors for anyone who is interested in participating great um you can get certified by them on you know age how to teach Tech skills to older adults in an age sensitive way I'm hoping to get um I've posted it all over social media and uh hoping to get them high schoolers interested as well because that's part of their model is an intergenerational teaching um setup so hopefully we will have some people interested in that um and I'll follow schol on that it will be at three o'clock the 17th from 3: to 6m how do you do you have to officially sign up ahead of time or do you just uh yes I would like you to that you're gonna attend y yes with me um and so um let's see um I have a new set of craft instructors that's going to be beginning in the fall watercolor has been very successful um as far as the hybrid programming brand it's definitely been having the owl has been useful for our board and committee meetings um but would love to see more opportunities to take advantage of that hybrid platform um so I will continue to work on that going forward um staff provided Outreach Services to 22 seniors a total of 35 times in September um most of them related to home care and Home Care Management um this month although there's the whole laundry list of other topics that always come up um we did the Newton Street Festival on Saturday many thanks to the COA board members and Friends members and the building committee members who um assisted with that I think it was very successful um most of the people that came into the booth were people that are not our average everyday users which means that was successful in reaching out to a broader uh group of people um see Mary Allen is continuing to participate in Regional outwork Outreach worker activity um in addition to networking and partnering with continuing education opportunities with our partner agencies and that's important so that you know knowledge is knowledge and programs shift rapidly so keeping a pulse on what's available uh as a referral source for our seniors is incredibly important um piece of good news Loaves and Fishes is honoring the air Senior Center as their outstanding Community partner of the year um so that is fantastic though all of the staff are involved in um registering folks coordinating folks all of those things I just want give a huge shout out to Sam who sometimes delivering in excess of a hundred bags of groceries a week so um he does that with a tremendous amount of patience and Grace so I am very grateful for Sam congratulations to you and the staff thank you um so we'll be attending their annual dinner to participate in that so that would be great um let's see we served um see and I think that this is not right going to go back um and fix it the usually we're a little over 300 meals and it there would be no reason for it to be lower for September um because we did have a good turnout at Pleasant Park picnic so um 77 seniors got uh I think that actually should say more like 320 meals um but the meals program is popular we've kind of reached this place where um we have 24 seats to fill we typically have 22 to 24 people but then you know illness happens appointments happen so a few people drop out but then a few people come in without signing up so we usually end up in that 20 to 24 um range for pretty much all of our meals now um we're going to start experimenting with B desserts going forward um Barbara has been so wonderful to provide desserts for us a couple of days a week um on volunteer basis but we also want to be able to start offering um morning coffee and pastries so she's going to start transitioning towards that in support of the friends um fundraising efforts and then we're going to don't worry no one will be without dessert um we're going to start um looking at bulk dessert ordering like restaurant style bulk dessert ordering so you did you order that from Costco or old food suest cakes Cupcakes um so you could order a cupcake from Costco but they're like as big as my head those cupcakes are huge right um and you can't um that's a good question whether or not Costco will deliver their Bakery Goods I'm not sure they do um I they have a limited set of things that they send via mail so um yes I can go pick those things up but typically um it's a matter of finding the appropriate fit and then someone's got to take two hours out of the day to Costco I have a great all the time at BJs that's my chef BJ BJ my chefj I like it I like it yeah I don't know we're working on a whole food budget but I like it yeah no whole food is expensive what's that whole food is expensive it is but if you're only doing once a week yeah but once a week for 24 people is still a lot well you know need all right but um the idea was that it wouldn't necessarily be just cake um it would be other things yeah so we're we'll be experimenting with it stay tuned um yeah so um all right let's see um as always we have um a host 13 volunteers who worked 100 35 hours last month um we are so incredibly thankful for them we are working on um next week to expand the volunteer opportunities that are available here at the senior center um as well as the senior tax workof opportunities to include a handyman or a Home Companion program thank you the seniors volunteers oh yes I did yeah I yeah I'm very thankful for our volunteers they they work tirelessly for us um see 135 hours last month so I'm very very thankful for them as well usually they have it in by is it April it's like volunteer month volunteer appreciation in April yep yep um and then um so more updates to come on a handyman um or Home Companion volunteer um slot and then uh in terms of the building committee we've really talked about that um already so um then Transportation 74 Riders a total of 368 rides in September we are noticing an increase in utilization of the lemster Fitchburg um appointment slots on Monday mornings and act in conquered on Friday mornings we last month we added Littleton and Westford to Wednesday mornings um we always have takers for when you do that if you're going to Littleton or Westford and the van takes them anywhere in Littleton or W you know if they're going to M basket or if they're going to the Amerson Health Center or whatever so so if to go into the conquer they can go to the I don't know whatever store they want to go to or they can go to the Emerson Hospital yep the senior center yeah Baker Avenue Extension falls under comfort as well that's always been the policy of the Center is that we take people where they need to go so it's not limited to medical or shopping I would say medical and shopping are probably 90% of what we do um but if someone is going to the hairdresser the bank the post office we do that as well someone has a new restaurant they want to try out they're welcome to do that um when we have had um folks who live here at the housing complex if they have um Advanced to like an assisted living um or higher level of care we have often taken folks who live here to go visit their friend in their new dwelling so it's um really whatever people need the appointment for but I would say that medical and grocery shopping is the bulk of what we do have you noticed a different set of riders or are they the same Riders just going different places um right now it is the same Riders we've maybe added three or four New Riders this month um but mostly the same Riders I will be curious to watch that Trend as the weather gets worse um or as people try it and think oh I can do this it'll be fine and then they realize what a hassle it is and so maybe they don't do it the second time so it's a matter of how and of course a lot of people just because the hospital closed at the end of August didn't mean that they had an appointment coming up right up in September so it's I think it will take several months to really get AG what the new need will be um let's see last but not least um today for volunteer opportunities uh oh and as I said before we are working the process to try and get a new um driver and dispatcher and and a second call um so today from 3 to 5 we will have a table at the air Library food Clinic um October 17th as I mentioned from 3 to is the Cyber seniors Tech certification class if you interested in becoming a teacher um let me know you're welcome to come when's that uh October 17th okay from 3 to 6 and then um we also have is it the 6th October Fest is coming up I don't have a newsletter right in front of me is that the 16 the the the lunch at 15 I have one right here U no I don't but I had it it's I can tell you it's on my calendar it is the 16th okay so the 16th so um that day will be um hopefully a very busy lunch in so if there's um you'll have okay um so some additional assistance for that we're doing octo an October Fest lunch and so we'll have BR worst and yes BR wor brw peppers onions sour cut um we'll have the traditionala yeah I wish we'll have we'll have October October Fest themed music going bands are really hard to have in here I've tried it before it's really difficult to get the sound right it's usually really abrasive um you mean yeah yeah the tuba especially um there's no distancing yourself from a tuba in here um but then we'll also um we're also doing a selection of non-alcoholic beers I see so oh like Munich Fest like in Munich in Germany yes yeah October Fest yep I see yep after St Patrick's Day you know it all Blends together get German folk music on oh yeah yeah there's yeah we'll have we'll have German Museum yes I'm not wearing any uh leader husband I don't have a durndle um but we do have we will be wearing um we will be are you gonna get those night grads I I I do have the grades so yeah um so it should be a festive and good time um so please either join us or volunteer that would be I think that is all I have um Senor update y um so you know I think we've talked about a lot of it since our last meeting let's see Bishop Road was already selected um you know we've just moved forward refining the cost estimates and um which you know initial estimates are $267 a month for the average tax assessed valued home um in town that that number could fluctuate um it will come down if you know we're carrying conservative estimates on the cost of the utilities if those don't end up being as expensive as we think they will that number could come down we're looking at both state and federal grants um that could bring that dollar amount down um any local grants any local donors any business sponsorship um all of the efforts of the friends group could bring that number down but we'll talk we'll you'll still hear us talk about that number that estimated $267 because um we will go to town meeting to ask for the full amount because that's just what you have to ask for because grants aren't guaranteed right so um so you have to ask for permission to borrow the full amount and then hope that you don't actually need to borrow that much um we are working on as we said before uh the beginnings of the really broader public input process and yeah trying to work towards a wintertime special town meeting and uh and you know I I would continue to encourage people to attend the building committee meetings you know remote you know it's obviously you're available remotely I have been somewhat struck by how little you know how few people have been attending those meetings I mean which is the reason for the Outreach obviously um but I would just you know when you're talking to your friends family you know these meetings are publicly posted and people because that I think is a good way for us to know who is in fact interested about these things but also for them to be able to see the whole committee and ask you know perhaps difficult questions at that time you know because all the information is sitting at the table that they may want um so I've encourage people to continue to try to do that Bara stop laughing at meurt my um anything anything no thanks okay approval of minutes so I have been remissed and didn't do September I thought augusts were done and approved no no did no but they were done by am I the hold up yes for okay okay for you are absolutely right and I completely forgot that okay um okay so they're done we saw the draft no they Mary Ellen did them she emailed them to me and said take a look at these before I sent them to the committee and then they stay in my inbox there was a revision you were going to do thought I no I don't think so no but there was a revision we're going to make maybe 2023 is Dennis okay so either way I'll take a look at them and then have marelen resend them sorry about that put that off until November November okay public input [Music] [Music] another is to consider instruct for exercise I know people the exercise because it's all so we do have just to know Barbara we do have an instructor who's teaching five classes a week right now that's just um videos do you need anything um so he teaches strength balance and flexibility on on Monday mornings and then he teaches yoga in taiichi but I I hear your point a general aerobic instructor y yep not that yeah we were [Music] that's a great suggestion yeah that's good that's m432 and what I'm um is I was reading this as you were reading it the to okay announcing it it says in here um for us to if you want to attend I think you interested in specific make plans for in person for the meeting to come to the meeting but if is this posted anywhere it's on every agenda um yes the the COA board meetings are posted on the town's website um per open meeting law and they're posted on the Bulet board outside of town hall as well um including that information posted where in it's posted on the bulletin board outside of town hall as well as on the town website and then um the date and time of the meetings are posted are obviously listed in the in the newsletter right but you know what I was trying to say about coming in that was the thing if they knew in advance if they had something they wanted to say come in person mhm that's right yeah so that's you know hopefully people see it in the newsletter or they see it posted at Town Hall and decide that they'd like to come because we're the more the Maria have people and this was up last week on the town website I know know you're coming you're coming October 16 right I'll pick you up and I'll get bring you home too so you can do the cyber security te you're going to be a teacher you am I no computers right the 16th is a training session for the trainers correct it's not a it's not right so so the so yeah these two these two are poking at each other so the idea is that is that on the 16 you know I could sit down and try and teach someone how to do it but if I don't have a thorough impatient and proven method to do it we're probably going to end up arguing with each other right like that's so this so this is the the idea is that cyber seniors has a proven track record of age friendly age sensitive Tech skills training for people so like for example um you when I help people when I help my mom or I help other seniors I tend to make parallels between um old time like clothing catalogs where you pull the insert out of the center and you write and I try to relate it I try to make parallels to it so this is another way of thinking about it um so yeah it's not for people wanting to learn but before before I can turn around and offer Tech skills class how to teach someone like Barbara who's uncomfortable across the board uh I had it ended up working in reverse because I was able to get the devices before I was able to get the curriculum on how to teach so we're finally bringing that backend through yeah I have one more thing to say yes my name again no the um want to say thank you to Sam for all that he does he is above and beyond for every single person yes every single person he helps and he does I had BR stuff in for you know desserts right I might have something and he will go to the table to bring it and then bring the bag back for it you know I mean goes above and beyond and I just think I don't know how we can give no we didn't huh no we definitely didn't didn't what no we didn't no he didn't but I don't for what he does I see no I I I yes something we can do for Sam Sam I me something no I understand I I think we've had this conversation before and you run into State ethics laws regarding the paying of public for no I understand I I don't know the answer to it I I I think it is certainly something I think we should think about it figure it out you know and especially now well I mean there's there's no free r no you don't have to pay for rides any oh yeah that's right that's the thing I forgot to the rides now because a lot of people didn't have the dollar or the two dolls to go on you know wherever they had so now they're going to take the van you know um yes so that's yes that's a big change yes thank you to marked for announcing on Friday and he'll play all of you got the robo call that um rides on COA Vans will be free between now and the end of the fiscal year June 20th 2025 surrounding towns as well Statewide Statewide I'm not Statewide Mart wide Regional wide So within the Mart system I have no I have no idea whether other regional transit authorities did that as well but Mark did I don't know if we could have a cake something you [Music] know no he used he used to um but something you know I don't know I mean and ktie does a good job too he's on the does he's fantastic goes I this is not stop that that's not about me that's about Sam I don't know is there something yeah I mean I think that's a great idea to think about how if the seniors would like to honor him you know um how we can help facilitate that even maybody is you know maybe thank thinking something good just it is you know he can in a cake so I don't know what does he eat maybe we could make a set fire or something that I don't know juste sod that he drinks you know yeah I just he is you will never find another s last night we were at that place din okay well you never know until you try something new and I just for the S we think of something put on and we got to tie up so we can get to the library okay so any other input oh I gotta stop okay um okay so if we're done meeting is adjourned at two oh make a me wej the meeting second motion the meeting second second meeting adjourned at 2:40