HomeMy Public PortalAboutA 2008-05-07 - SENIOR ADVISORY COUNCIL
CITY OF LYNWOOD
SENIOR ADVISORY COUNCIL
GENERAL MEETING
LYNWOOD SENIOR CITIZENS CENTE/R~~tl
11329 ERNESTINE AVENUE ///
LYNWOOD, CA 90262 /
MAY 0 1 200'
AGENDA `~
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
THIS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH KINDNESS AND RESPECT.
12:00 p.m. Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance
Invocation
Roll Call
Certification of Agenda Posting
Approval of Minutes 04/02/08
12:10 p.m. Discussion-Computer Class
Cooling Station Location
Presentation-Reverend Robert Campbell, Charter School
Senior Shut-in Calls
Mission Statement
Free Food Program
Senior Center Membership/Fee
Dial-A-Taxi Coupons
Staff Report-Marisa Cordova
12:35 p.m. Public Comments (2 minutes)
12:45 p.m. Board Orals (2 minutes)
1:00 p.m. Adjournment
Next General Meeting on Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The Recreation Department, Senior Services Division does not discriminate on the basis of
disability. Persons with disabilities may request accommodation services by calling (310) 886-
0425 two-weeks in advance of the meeting. The facility providing this service is wheelchair
accessible.
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Senior Advisory Council
Meeting Minutes
Apri12, 2008
The meeting was called to order at 12:35 p.m. by Marisa Cordova. The agenda was duly posted as
prescribed by the Brown Act.
Pledge of AI-egiance: Member Barbara Battle
Invocation: Member Margaret Araujo
RoII Call: Cecilia Amezquita -Minutes Clerk
Present: Absent:
Margaret Araujo Paulette Bradley D. Joyce Edner
Barbara Battle Lorene Reed
Appointment of Vice Chair:
Margaret Araujo nominated Barbara Battle for Vice Chair, 2°d by Lorene Reed. By unanimous
consent motion passed.
Herman Gordon-Presentation on Living Trust, Wills & Financial Management:
A year ago, I met with Jose Trejo who was acting as the Senior Director at the time. We talked about
collaborating with the Lynwood Senior Center to offer valuable information for seniors. Jose Trejo
put us on hold because he was waiting for a Senior Services Manager to come on-board. We met with
Marisa Cordova about two-to-three weeks ago to collaborate with seniors. Many of the times, vendors
come in with information on one or two products. We specialize on more than just products. We give
out information on services that are vital to the community like Elder Abuse. Two misconceptions are
Reverse Mortgage and Medicare Part D. Most people do not know one thing or the other about these
items, which can save them a lot of money. We conduct classes on things that concern seniors the
most. On the handout I gave are some of the classes we conduct and services we provide. We're
affiliated with Elder Law Firms, CPA'S and Accountants that can help you. The services we provide
to the senior centers are free, but if you utilize one of the services in most cases, it is at a reduced cost.
Member Margaret Araujo - 1 was under the impression you were going to bring handouts and contact
information on these items.
Herman Gordon -What we do is hold information classes, answer questions and then meet with the
person on an individual basis.
Chair Paulette Bradley -Essentially, what you are offering is a referral service.
Member Lorene Reed -Madame Chair we had spoken about having quarterly or monthly workshops
for seniors in order to disseminate information. This was the purpose of Mr. Gordon coming here. He
has a list of workshops he can provide to the center. He is coming here to let us know as the council
and senior representatives so we can make the decision on whether we would recommend the
workshops to staff.
Member Margaret Araujo -Many of our seniors are on a fixed income. Do you have one or multiple
attorneys that you refer your clients to and that will give them a reasonable price for services they
require?
Herman Gordon - We work with a battery of attorneys and they know the needs of the seniors and
they act accordingly. Some attorneys may do it pro-bono and others may charge a small fee, it
depends on the situation of the senior and the attorneys we are dealing with.
Member Barbara Battle - Is there a fee for the workshop? (Herman Gordon-No, but there is a fee for
attorneys and accountants)
Chair Paulette Bradley - Do your lawyers specialize in senior affairs? (Herman Gordon-They are
Elder Law Attorneys)
Member Margaret Araujo -Mrs. Reed had contacted Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Do they do the
same things as Mr. Gordon?
Member Lorene Reed -One thing about Bet Tzedek Legal Services is that because they are a small
group they are limited on the services they provide.
Chair Paulette Bradley -Thank you for coming. We will get in contact with you to workout the
scheduling and talk about the workshops.
Extended Hours at the Center:
Chair Paulette Bradley -There are centers within Los Angeles that have Saturday hours. 1 have heard
that some people are interested in coming in on Saturdays.
Member Lorene Reed -The only request [have had is that the monthly birthdays be celebrated on
Saturdays. We also have many seniors that are still working and would like to come in the evenings.
However when we had the trial period no one was made aware of it. We can let people know in
advance that we will be having an extended hour trial period so people can come.
Member Margaret Araujo - [think the hours we currently have during the winter season are fine.
During the summer months when the days are a bit longer, maybe the seniors that live by themselves
and do not have much to do can come out here to have lunch, watch a movie or play bingo.
Vice Chair Barbara Battle - I think it is a good idea and you can pilot the idea during the summer.
You can conduct a survey to see how many people are interested in the idea. I am currently teaching
on Saturdays but during the summer, I do not mind volunteering.
Chair Paulette Bradley -There was talk about reviving the dances. If we have enough people we can
do dancing for half an hour along with other games and have the center open for other things seniors
enjoy.
Member Margaret Araujo -Maybe we can collaborate with the Lynwood library or the library at
Plaza Mexico. They bring in many offers. We can try to convince them to donate books to get the
seniors involved
Member Lorene Reed -Maybe we can host a book signing as they do at Plaza Mexico
Chair Paulette Bradley - 1 think that is an excellent idea. Many seniors buy books or trade off. We
have gotten started; we have a kiosk, a window to post our agenda, we have signs on the doors. 1 will
definitely make the best effort possible to inform people we are having a guest speaker in our senior
newsletter. 1 will contact the Lynwood Wave to advertise. If we ask people, they will come.
Member Lorene Reed -Can we do a press release, it goes to marketing and they send it to the Wave.
Chair Paulette Bradley - It requires commitment of what and when you are going to do it and
following through.
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Member Margaret Araujo - We need a list of the Radio Stations, Newspapers, and TV Stations.
When we plan an event we can fax the information and follow through with a hard copy. Also, have
the Commissioners and the Block Watch Captains announce it at their meetings.
Vice Chair Barbara Battle -The city has a website and maybe we can get the information on the City
site.
Marisa Cordova - To my understanding all these things have to go through marketing. They first go
through our director and once authorized it goes to marketing.
Member Margaret Araujo -1 would like to ask that Ms. Alderete from the marking department come
to our next meeting and inform us on what the proper procedure would be.
Chair Paulette Bradley - We will invite her and have a bullet point request of what we would like to
discuss with her.
Open Room to Lunch Group/Change Time:
Member Paulette Bradley - I see people go by the door and they seem to have an assumption that it is
a private meeting. This community meeting is why 1 had llu make signs and post them so people can
be aware. My idea is to open the door and change the time to thirty minutes earlier.
Member Margaret Araujo - I would like to suggest that we move the time so people can participate
and have bingo until before or after the meeting.
Marisa Cordova - 1 think it is also a matter of understanding and communication. We need to explain
to them what it is all about and you have die-hard bingo players.
Lorene Reed motioned to move the meeting to 12:00 noon and to open the room to improve
communication and to get a better feel of what the Senior Advisory Council is attempting to do, 2"a
by Margaret Araujo. By unanimous consent the motion passed.
Swearing fn of Officers:
City Clerk Maria Quinonez administered the oath to Margaret Araujo, Paulette Bradley, Barbara
Battle and Lorene Reed to serve as Senior Advisory Council members.
Group Trip to Checkout problems at the Lynwood Natatorium:
Chair Paulette Bradley - We need to do awalk-through around the pool. Let's look at our calendar
and see when we are available to checkout the pool. Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 17:00 a.m. I will call
you the day before to make sure everyone will attend.
Facility Monitor:
Chair Paulette Bradley -Comments made as to unauthorized people going into the library, using the
computers, and not checking-in at the front desk. The layout of the building makes it difficult to have
eyes on everything at all times. I thought that perhaps we could utilize senior volunteers that have
expressed interest in coming and helping with what we need. We can have several "people' monitors.
Member Lorene Reed -With there being so many ways to enter the building, we can ask Mr. Greg
Woods for volunteers.
Member Margaret Araujo - He is compiling a list of volunteers for different departments. We have
requested senior volunteers. Mr. Woods has a volunteer packet they have to complete.
Member Lorene Reed - I believe the volunteers have to be finger-printed. The people that have come
to us can go to Mc Woods to fill out the proper forms.
Chair Paulette Bradley -There are situations with the computer class that we have to look into and
discuss. We will put it on our agenda and maybe we will have some answers.
Public Comments:
Pearline Calderon - I frequently use the computers. I sign in and out. One day a man came in and
started looking around and sat at the computer for about three or four minutes. He saw that 1 was
getting anxious so he got up and left. It really scared me to see that anyone can come in the building
with no one detecting it. Maybe we can have locks on the computers where each person must come to
the front counter to sign in and out.
Sylvia Herron - It was a great meeting and it was very informative. 1 think the extended hours on
Saturday is great. t have neighbors that care for their grandchildren during the week but if they can
come on Saturdays and do activities that would be great.
Public Orals:
Member Lorene Reed - On the next agenda I would like to discuss the cooling station being located
in the senior center versus it being elsewhere. It was an excellent meeting.
Vice Chair Barbara Battle -1 am happy to be able to attend these meetings. Due to my previous work
schedule it did not allow me to be here. I am looking forward to being here.
Member Margaret Araujo - I think the meeting went well. We are functioning properly, we are
working together and getting things done. 1 think the seniors will be pleasantly surprised at all the
stuff we are working on for them.
Member Lorene Reed - 1 want to commend staff on the newsletter. It talks about the television
antenna changing from analog to digital and the newsletter came out on time.
Chair Paulette Bradley - I would like to thank you for being here and on time. I appreciate it and we
can keep our meetings on schedule. Please mark your calendar for April 26, 2008, it is our one-year
anniversary.
Adjournment: Member Margaret Araujo made a motion to adjourn. By unanimous consent, the
meeting adjourned at I :44 p.m.
Margaret Araujo motioned to reopen the meeting, 2°d by Lorene Reed. By unanimous consent
motion passed.
Chair Paulette Bradley -The purpose of reopening the meeting is to discuss the nomination
for the Older Americans Awards Recognition.
Member Lorene Reed -The first person that came to mind was Ethel Pacheco due to all the
years that she has spent with the Women's Commission, Block Watch Captains and the years
she has volunteered. for the Sheriff's department.
Lorene Reed nominated Ethel Pacheco for the Older Americans Award, 2"d by Margaret
Araujo. By unanimous consent motion passed.
Margaret Araujo motioned to add Marisa Cordova to all Senior Advisory Council Agendas,
2"d by Lorene Reed. By unanimous consent motioned passed.
Adjournment: Member Margaret Araujo made a motion to adjourn. By unanimous consent,
the meeting adjourned at 1:51 p.m.
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