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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. ~-~ ~. ~~~® clTVOF LvnlwooD CITY (:!_FRlte Ar.-er(;E 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. 2 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. 4