RECEIVED APRIL 17, 2008 @ 10:05 AM
Michele R. Grande, Redding Town Clerk
TOWN OF REDDING
COMMISSION ON AGING
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2008
9:00 a.m.
HERITAGE CENTER
Commissioners Present: Alternates Present:
Rosalind Kopfstein, Chairman Janet Cianci
Jack Froehlich Lore Handy
Florence Hayes
Bill Morris
Alice Pardee
Sharon Rehme
Jean Whitham
Tom Wylie
Staff: Gail Schiron, Municipal Agent; Marie Sibilio, Senior Center Coordinator
Community Participant: Anita Fields
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m.
I. Approval of Minutes from March 5, 2008
The Commission reviewed the Minutes from March 5, 2008. Anita Fields was present as a Community participant, and Marie Sibilio was also present. It will be made clear in Paragraph 2, Page 2 that Mr. Polio recommended purchase of computer manuals.
The minutes were approved as corrected.
II. Public Participation
There was no participation from the public.
III. Reports
The Municipal Agent and Heritage Center Reports were presented to the Commission. Ms. Schiron updated the Commission with regard to the affordable senior housing list. There are 31 single individuals and 9 couples on the list. There are still interested parties inquiring as to the housing and they are encouraged to get their names on the list.
For January, February and March, there was a total of 5,693 miles put on the van and 669 trips were made.
Ms. Kopfstein read from an email from Henry Polio with regard to the SeniorNet program. Mr. Polio attended a SeniorNet meeting in late March, and a topic of discussion was the $3,600 requirement to be part of the program. It was decided to group learning centers together to meet the requirement. Also discussed was how best to use grant money if it becomes available. Mr. Polio’s suggestion was to update present computer equipment with new computers. Mr. Wylie pointed out that when Redding started with the SeniorNet program, they were a satellite to Danbury, similar to what Redding, Torrington and Kent N.Y. will be now as cluster groups. Mr. Wylie said that provided there is enough interest and an instructor is available, evening classes could be a possibility.
Ms. Sibilio reported that 220 van trips were made last month, covering 1,803 miles. Denials are rare and last minutes changes can usually be accommodated.
Different methods of collecting for the food pantry were also discussed.
Ms. Kopfstein said that a driver would have to be hired to drive the van in the Memorial Day Parade. A suggestion was made to ask a volunteer fireman to drive the van. Volunteers are needed to ride on the van that day, and a coordinator for the van’s participation in the parade is needed.
Ms. Whitham made the motion to ask Marshall Sanford for a visible parking spot for the van that day, perhaps at Town Hall. This would serve as a form of advertising for the use of the van. Ms. Pardee will discuss this with Mr. Sanford at the Redding Fire Department’s weekly meeting. There was unanimous consensus to this plan.
Ms. Rehme reported that the only update for Georgetown affordable housing is that the new cycle for grant applications is about to begin. The funding available is “pre-development funding” and this pays for architectural design, surveys, etc. The next meeting is scheduled for April 10, 2008.
The Commission discussed the ongoing budget process and its effect on the Heritage Center.
IV. Mark Twain Library Centennial in 2008
Ms. Whitham reported that there has been much email activity with this project. She has been working closely with Ms. Metzger, Ms. Cianci and Ms. Bonfanti on the project. She said a date and location for a tea needs to be determined.
So far there are four contributions to the Heritage Center’s contribution to the project.
Ms. Whitham asked that the Mission Statement of the sub-committee be included in the minutes:
“A~sub-committee of the COA will work on a special project~to include senior citizens in the 2008 Mark Twain Library Centennial Celebration.~
The~mission is to produce a collection of Mark Twain Library Memories, contributed by Redding's seniors, and to present these remembrances~in October 2008 as a permanent gift to the library.”
~
V. New Business
There was no new business.
VI. Adjournment
The next COA meeting is scheduled for May 7, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.
There being no further business before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 10:10 a.m.
Submitted by vak 4/9/2008
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