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06/21/2005 .. . . .' SENIOR CENTER TASK FORCE MEETING MINUTES CITY OF CLEARWATER June 21, 2005 Present: Debra Shade Dr. William E. Haley Dolores "Dee" Fry Dr. William E. Hale Mayme Hodges David Nisivoccia Lynne E. Robinson Walt Schoenig Chair Vice-Chair Task Force Member Task Force Member Task Force Member Task Force Member Task Force Member Task Force Member Absent: Evelyn R. Bethell Rachel Bryan Reverend Herb Freitag Stuart Jonap Shirley Hill Moran Ron Whitcomb Task Force Member Task Force Member Task Force Member Task Force Member Task Force Member Task Force Member Also present: Eleanor Breland Kathy Baird Patricia O. Sullivan Equity Services Director Senior Staff Assistant Board Reporter The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:11 a.m. at the Long Center. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 1 - Approval of Minutes - June 7,2005 Task Force Member Haley moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of June 7,2005, as submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 2 - Clearwater Parks & Recreation Senior Proarammina Statistics - report to be submitted. 3 - Preparation of Outline for Task Force final report The Chair distributed a draft outline of the report, including a completed cover page. Discussion ensued with comments, recommendations, additions, and offers to draft sections: Chair Shade accepted responsibility for writing the cover letter to thank the City Council for the opportunity to serve on the Task Force and to include bulleted points emphasizing Clearwater's demographics, with the highest number of seniors in the country, their contribution to the community through volunteerism, and the economic impact of their presence, including the taxes they pay and disposable income they spend locally. Task Force - Senior Center 2005-06-21 1 '- . Equity Services Director Eleanor Breland reported the Human Resources Department is developing a job description for the Task Force recommended position, a professional director on aging issues. The information will be submitted to the City Manager. He then will determine if he supports the request and if he will present it to the City Council. Staff will compile the final draft report with a standard font and "voice" and distribute it to Task Force members for review and input. Exhibits will not be resent and copywrited materials will not be copied. Ms. Breland has maintained a master file of all distributions for submission to the City Council. It was recommended that the cover letter and executive summary be brief, with the remainder of the report demonstrating that the Task Force has performed its due diligence. It was recommended that the report and exhibits be presented in a folder, decorated with a collage of photographs of faces representing the diversity of the City's Senior population, which ranges in age from 55 to over 100. I. Purpose of Task Force Section completed, based on original letter from the City related to Task Force activities. II. Executive Summary Chair Shade accepted responsibility for completing this section. . III. Members Section completed. IV. Meeting Schedule Section completed. V. Review of Clearwater Senior Demographics and Economics Vice-Chair Haley accepted responsibility for completing this section, to include information on the demographics of the City's population, including enclaves. It was recommended that pie charts and other visual devices related to current and projected demographics would provide a wake up call regarding the City's Senior population. This information would allow the City to proactively address future Senior needs. It was recommended that demographic and economic issues be presented separately. VI. Review of Other Senior Centers I Costs Member Nisivoccia accepted responsibility for completing this section with information on Senior Centers, including comparisons of budgets, staff, organization, and services. It was suggested that this report should be longer than two pages. . Task Force - Senior Center 2005-06-21 2 . . . ~ VII. Review of Services / Programs for Seniors in Clearwater A. Recreational services/programs Recreation Supervisor Dawn Lewellyn was tasked with completing this section, reporting on recreational services/programs available for Seniors in Clearwater, such as library and Parks & Recreation Department programs. B. Social services/programs. Member Fry accepted responsibility for completing this section. Social services help prevent the institutionalization of Seniors. The report will review available social services/programs such as Meals on Wheels, home health care, transportation, home services, personal care, homemaker services, pest control, etc., regardless of which agency or private firm provides the service. The report should indicate if the availability of services is sufficient to meet the needs of Clearwater Seniors. It was recommended that a gap analysis separately identify shortfalls to funding, such as the current 350-person waitlist for Meals on Wheels services and other unmet transportation needs, as well as shortfalls of necessary services. VIII. Review of Funding for Senior Services in Pinellas County Chair Shade accepted responSibility for completing this section. (Review of Potential Funding Resources) Vice-Chair Haley recommended this section would help the City Council to realize that the whole process does not have to start from scratch. After discussion, the members determined that it would not be advisable to make such a report at this time due to the insufficiency of information at hand. IX. Recommendation / Conclusions Member Schoenig accepted responsibility for completing this section. The Task Force has recommended that the City create an Office on Aging within Clearwater, and fund a position for a professional director on aging issues, as a recurring budget item, and appoint an advisory board on aging to make recommendations to the director on Senior issues and to act as a resource. Task Force members could serve on the advisory board. It was recommended that qualifications for the professional director position require visionary leadership skills and a core competence on aging issues. Also recommended was a needs assessment, which includes a survey of community Seniors, before it is determined if a Senior Center is needed. It was recommended the report indicate that the Task Force did not recommend a Senior Center at this time as they felt they did not have sufficient information to make such a significant recommendation. More information Task Force - Senior Center 2005-06-21 3 < . . . . first must be gathered via a concentrated department effort. The breath of needs is so great that the Task Force could not determine which social or recreational services, or combination of both, are most important and/or needed. City recreation centers currently have available space. Multiple centers with different uses could be considered. All Senior services need to be coordinated and tracked so that needs are properly targeted. The changing interests of younger Senior populations need to be considered. It was recommended that medical services, health screening, and some health delivery be a component of aging issues in the City. The City has three different populations of Seniors, ranging from baby boomers to the frail elderly. Activity needs and social consciousness differ between the populations. It was suggested the City's Office on Aging could collaborate with the Alzheimer's Association to provide screening. It was stated the geriatric screening program at Morton Plant Hospital is a great resource. Information related to a Senior Center location as well as collaborative opportunities and strategic alliances will be submitted to the new staff position. x. Exhibits Ms. Breland accepted responsibility for completing this section. Final Discussion Drafts are due to Ms. Breland by July 11, 2005. Staff will distribute copies of the draft to Task Force members by July 18, 2005, with member comments due back to staff by July 20, 2005. The Chair will make a final review of the document to ensure against contradictory statements. The final report will be completed by the end of July 2005. The draft document will be distributed prior to the final Task Force meeting on August 2, 2005, at 11 :00 a.m., at the East Library. The City Manager will review the final report and may meet with the Chair or Vice-Chair with comments and/or questions. The report will be presented to the City Council on September 1, 2005, via a Power Point presentation. A copy of the presentation needs to be submitted to the City Clerk prior to the meeting. Discussion ensued regarding funding issues, with comments that the number of people requiring services continues to increase while levels of available funding remain stagnant. Funding levels have not kept pace with increased life expectancy. It was suggested there has not been a groundswell of protests from Seniors as they have struggle with other issues, such as the rising cost of medication and health care access. It was stated that the County has 36 taxing authorities, for libraries, the JWB (Juvenile Welfare Board), etc., and previously has opposed any set aside to meet Senior needs. It was noted other States have taxing districts to fund senior issues. Task Force - Senior Center 2005-06-21 4 '. ' . . . . It was felt the City should be proactive regarding Senior issues and that the community needs to address local issues. It is much less expensive for society when Seniors remain in their homes, active, paying taxes, volunteering, and participating in the community, instead of relying on expensive, tax-funded nursing home care. Special State allocations currently are difficult to obtain. 4. Adjournment eting adi7d at 10:08 a.m. ~~Ad( Task Force - Senior Center Task Force - Senior Center 2005-06-21 5