Re: Opening and Welcome

Commission Chair Ciriaco Gonzales called the meeting to order at 10:12 a.m. with a welcome to Sylvia George of Community Ministries of Rockville.  

 Re: Approval of Minutes

Chair Gonzales asked if there were any corrections, additions or deletions to the November minutes.   None were noted and the minutes were approved as read.

 Re: Club Reports  

Kathy Neale had no report as she is currently not assigned a club.

Audrey Beck, reporting for Young In Heart, advised she had no report.

Stuart Crump, reporting for the Willing 3 C’s, said there had been a meeting on December 8th, the annual holiday party.  He noted that approximately 20 people attended, members and guests, and they had a catered luncheon at the Senior Center.  In closing, Stuart said their program was their gift exchange. 

Pete Sante, reporting for the Triple F Club, said the club had a holiday party with entertainment from the nursery school and the Richard Montgomery High School Madrigal Singers.  He noted that there were about 28 attendees.

 Steve Lipson, reporting for the Senior Associates, said the club has disbanded.  With the loss of the President, Lois Darling, and the illness of another officer, no one has come forward to take on any of the official positions, and with a dwindling membership, the members have decided to disband this particular club, leaving open the possibility of having the members join the Young In Heart Club.

Doug Bly, reporting for the Bethany House Club, said their last meeting had been held December 3rd, a holiday party with a buffet supper.  Doug said Steve Gelman, guitarist, played music and led a holiday sing-a-long.  Doug also said the club noted and celebrated the 100th birthday of member Mary Elizabeth Anderson. In closing he said there was no official business meeting.

Re:  Montgomery County Commission on Aging

Ciriaco said he did not attend the meeting but had been in communication with members of the County Commission and passed on the information that the county was very interested in the Home Maintenance Program the Senior Commission has been working on, noting that they had requested copies of the Commission proposal. 

Ciriaco also mentioned that they had asked if the city would be providing a bus to take members of the Rockville and the County Commissioners to the Senior Rally in Annapolis. Ciriaco said they would probably not be this year, noting that he would be driving his van if anyone wanted to car pool with him.

Re  R.S.I.

Ciriaco said he had attended the R.S.I. meeting December 18th.  Ciriaco said that in addition to a holiday luncheon that had been provided by George Galasso, R.S.I. had discussed the issue of the perceived Senior Center’s unfriendly atmosphere.  Ciriaco said he mentioned a few ideas that had been discussed during a recent Commission meeting, such as having volunteer ‘greeters’ in the front lobby, to welcome people as they entered the building, and changing the features of the front desk to make an area that was lower, to eliminate the feeling of the ‘barrier’ as seniors came to do business with staff.

Ciriaco said Jill had requested additional monies from R.S.I. to help pay for the printing of the 4,500+ calendars that would be going out Center members and Rockville residents, ages 60 to 75 (information obtained from voting rosters).  He also said there had been further discussion on expanding parking at the Center. 

Ciriaco suggested that the next time R.S.I. and Commission members are asked to participate in evaluating or setting new policies and programs, that they be included in the total process, not just the defense of, or testimony on, the issues during the final phases. 

Re:   U.S.M.

Ciriaco reminded the Commissioners of the upcoming rally on January 22nd, encouraging everyone to plan on attending, asking that they let him know no later than next months meeting, January 17th.                                                                                                                                       

Re:  Chair Report

Ciriaco noted that during the discussions of the morning concerning the relationships between the Commission and R.S.I., the Senior Center and the Woodley Gardens neighborhood, and between Senior Center members and Senior Center staff, that everyone needs to be a little more organized and a little more courteous and that everyone involved needs to work on their communication of information up and down the line.

Re: Old Business

 None

Re: New Business

 None

Re: Staff Report

Lorraine said all staff budgets have been turned in, noting that everyone had been asked to ‘hold the line’.  She noted that her Supper Club budget had been downsized since Supper Club would be going to twice a month instead of four times a month after the first of the year, and the her Call ‘n Ride budget had been increased since there had been a 30% increase in volume, with the two offsetting one another.                                                                                

Lorraine went on to say that each year, staff made requests for enhancements and this year she would be asking for additional monies to fund raises for the part-time bus drivers, a  Mental Health Worker four hours per week for individual and group counseling services and to hire an Aging in Place Coordinator to work part-time.

The Commissioners had a brief discussion on the Aging in Place issues that they have been working on over the last twelve months, talking about Homestead Credits and Kathy and Steve’s meeting regarding the conditions that would be needed that would help seniors remain in the own homes such as reverse mortgages, lower / delayed payment of taxes, discounts on utility bills, expanded transportation services, lawn maintenance / snow removal, meals on wheels, an enhanced health advocacy program, neighborhood list serves for contractor referrals, etc.  Ciriaco and Kathy volunteered to work on a proposal for presentation before the Mayor and Council during the next budget session.

Everyone was reminded that there would be Public Hearings on March 31st and April 14th – open to Board and Commission members, to allow them to weigh in on issues.  Lorraine noted that you do need to register to be able to speak at any of these meeting.  Ciriaco volunteered to make a call to ask be placed on the agenda.

Kathy said she would go to the January Bethany House meeting as the Commission Liaison and Doug Bly said he would attend the next R.S.I. meeting.

With no further business to discuss Chair Gonzales adjourned the meeting at 11:55 am.