04/26/2005
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Present:
Absent:
SENIOR CENTER TASK FORCE MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
April 26, 2005
Reverend Herb Freitag
Dolores (Dee) Fry
Dr. William E. Hale
Dr. William E. Haley
Mayme Hodges
Rev. James W. Lancaster, Sr.
Lynne E. Robinson
Walt Schoenig
Debra Shade.
Ron Whitcomb
Stuart Jonap
Evelyn R. Bethell
Rachel Bryan
Shirley Hill Moran
David Nisivoccia
Also present: William B. Horne II
Garry Brumback
Cynthia E. Goudeau
Eleanor Breland
Kathy Baird
Dawn Lewellyn
Patricia O. Sullivan
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Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Pending Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
Task Force Member
City Manager-departed at 6:10 p.m.
Assistant City Manager
City Clerk
Equity Services Director
Senior Staff Assistant
Recreation Supervisor
Board Reporter
The meeting was called to order at 4:30 p.m. at the Long Center.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
2 - Welcome & Introductions
3 - Task Force Mission
Equity Services Director Eleanor Breland said the purpose of the Task Force is to make
recommendations to the City Council regarding the development of a senior center facility and
related programs. To accomplish this objective, the Task Force will: 1) Review other senior
centers for best practices and programs; 2) Review services/programs currently offered/
available for Clearwater senior residents; 3) Recommend to the City Council other programs/
services that the Task Force would like to see offered for Clearwater's senior residents; 4)
Review costs of some currently operating senior centers and their programs; 5) Review any
local area services that are available for seniors; 6) Recommend to the City Council the best
location(s) for the senior center, considering the availability and convenience of transportation
(public, personal, etc.); 7) Review the feasibility of consolidating programs into the senior center;
and 8) Other tasks as necessary to accomplish the Task Force's mission. Meetings will be held
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no less than monthly and the Task Force will determine if they should meet more often to
complete their mission by July 31, 2005.
Senior Center Task Force target timeline: 1) April 2005 - latest date for meetings to
begin; 2) July 31,2005 -latest date for meetings to end; 3) August 8,2005 - submit
recommendations to City Manager; and 4) September 1, 2005 - present recommendations to
City Council.
The Senior Center Task Force will be advisory in nature to the City Council and the City
Council ultimately will determine which, if any, of the Task Force recommendations will be
implemented.
4 - Election of Chair and Vice-Chair
Task Force Member Freitag moved to appoint Debra Shade as Chair. The motion was
duly seconded and carr_ied unanimously.
Task Force Member Lancaster moved to appoint Dr. William E. Haley as Vice-Chair.
Chair Shade moved to appoint Dee Fry as Vice-Chair.
Task Force Member Freitag moved to close the nominations. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
Upon the vote being taken, Task Force Members Freitag, Haley, Hodges, Robinson,
Shade, and Whitcomb voted to appoint Dee Fry. Task Force Member Lancaster voted to
appoint Dr. William E. Haley. Task Force Members Fry, Hale, and Schoenig did not vote. The
motion to appoint Dee Fry as Vice-Chair carried.
5 - Government in the Sunshine Reauirements
Ms. Breland and City Clerk Cyndie Goudeau reviewed Florida's Sunshine Law.
6 - Rules of Procedure
Ms. Breland requested the Task Force to develop rules of procedure.
7 - Meetina Dates
Meetings were scheduled for May 10 and May 24,2005 at the Long Center at 9:00 a.m.
It was requested that Task Force members bring to the meetings all infoimation they
have related to Task Force objectives and a list of desirable activities. Before the next meeting,
members indicated they would participate in fact-finding activities by visiting other centers,
working independently, and gathering information. Information is to be sent to Ms. Breland for
distribution to Task Force members.
8 - Councilmember/Citv Manaaer Comments
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Councilmember Doran expressed confidence that the City Council would embrace or
provide great consideration for all Task Force recommendations. The senior center is one of
the Mayor's four major initiatives.
The City Manager reported partnerships never were developed between the City and
Senior Citizens Services, Inc., the Court Street center that closed recently. The City Council
has a sense that a need exists for a senior center. No funds have been budgeted. Some
nearby senior centers are funded by cities, while others are administered by not-for-profit
organizations. While capital funds are important, operating funds are imperative.
9 - Discussion/Questions
Ms. Breland reported the City Council had not budgeted for consultants to assist the
Task Force. It was recommended that recurring costs for a center be determined.
Information was requested: 1) A list of City-sponsored activities targeted to seniors; 2)
The status of Senior Citizens Services, a list of services offered, and a report on attendance
figures; 3) Best standards; 4) Available real estate, including underused City facilities, and 5)
Concrete numbers regarding Clearwater's senior population.
Dr. Haley, of USF (University of South Florida), will provide a map that diagrams where
older adults live and a needs assessment related to area older adults and their cultural diversity.
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In response to a question, Ms. Breland said the Parks & Recreation Department's
Master Plan includes a future senior center but no determination was made regarding funding,
location(s), etc. The Communities for a Lifetime report was completed in February 2003.
Dr. Hale reported Senior Citizens Services was a membership organization that.charged
minimum fees. The center closed due to internal problems and a $10,000 - $20,000 monthly
deficit. The property on Court Street remains empty.
It was recommended the Task Force substantiate the need for a senior center and that
nearby centers be evaluated regarding what is good, bad, right, wrong, what works, and what
does not.
Representatives of Senior Citizens Services and senior centers in St. Petersburg and
Dunedin will be invited to the May 10, 2005, meeting. Representatives will be allotted ten
minutes each to share their experiences, including financial information, staff, successes,
failures, costs, funding sources, etc. Following the presentations, Task Force members will
have the opportunity to ask the "hard" questions.
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