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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Leadership Committee For Senior Services - 04/01/2010 RECEIVED Leadership Committee for Senior Services JUL 1 3 2010 Meeting Minutes Northwest Senior Center Thursday, April 1, 2010 CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE ► A quorum of members were present and the meeting was called to order at 3:39 p.m. by Vicki Garza, LCSS Vice-Chairperson. ▪Roll Call Roll call was conducted by Rosario Medina, Administrative Assistant. Patricia Byrd, Sherri Darveaux, Dotson Lewis, Maria Clarissa Lopez and Arnold Villarreal were absent. ►Consider Committee Member Attendance Issues Ms. Elsa Munoz advised the committee that Mrs. Maria Clarissa Lopez was not in attendance due to a family illness. Mrs. Lopez advised that she is still interested in serving on this committee and wanted to make all the members aware of why she has been absent the past two (2) months. ►Approval of Minutes Committee members reviewed the March 2010 meeting minutes. Donna Rodriguez made a motion to approve the minutes as written. Adelfa Martinez seconded the motion and the minutes were unanimously approved. ►State of the Senior Center Report: Ms. Loretta Lawhon, Northwest Senior Center Site Council President,was not able to attend due to illness. She will be forwarding the State of the Senior Center Report to the committee for their review at a later date. ▪New Business: Realignment of LCSS Member Designations: Ms. Martinez made a motion for the realignment of Vicki Garza and Donna Rodriguez from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program Representative designation to the Community at Large Representative designation. Lindsey Edwards seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved. New Member Endorsement: Ms. Garza reported that there are currently three (3) Community at Large Vacancies and opened the floor for recommendations. Ms. Caroline Szepessy recommended Brian Perez, Bethany Rabinowitz and Olga Gonzalez for endorsement. Ms. Cecilia Huerta recommended Bennel Jackson, Ronald Moore and Ida Hobbs for endorsement. There were no other recommendations from the floor.The committee voted on the above recommendations to fill the three (3) Community at Large Vacancies. The committee voted the following persons be recommended to the City Council for endorsement: Brian Perez, Ronald Moore, Olga Gonzalez and Bennel Jackson. Ms. Martinez advised the committee that she would call the prospective members and verify their interest in serving on this committee before we submit their names to the City Council for endorsement. Ms. Garza agreed and advised Ms. Martinez once she has completed those calls she is to report the results to the committee. Note:Ms. Martinez notified staff on her contact with the prospective members. The results were as follows: Olga Martinez, interested;Ronald Moore, interested; Brian Perez, not able to participate due to his occupation;Bennet Jackson, not able to participate due to her occupation. ▪SCS Division Program Report: Ms. Munoz announced that Lisa Oliver and Leticia Ochoa have been providing oversight support at the Lindale Senior Center on a rotation schedule while Mary Ann Mondragon, Lindale Senior Center Supervisor, has been on extended leave. Ms. Munoz reported that there are many challenges regarding the city budget situation we are currently faced with. She stated that the Program Operations Subcommittee will be reviewing ideas regarding the SCANNED • budget recommendations. She advised that staff will seek guidance and support from this committee as we go through this budget process. Staff will be looking at 10%, 20% and 30% reduction strategies for the 2011 city budget. Program Operations Subcommittee: Ms. Caroline Szpessey reported that the Standarized Site Council By-Laws had already been sent to all Senior Center Site Councils for their review. She then presented a brief update on the 2011 city budget reduction impacts. She then asked Lisa Oliver to review the proposal highlights. Ms. Lisa Oliver explained that the reduction scenarios include a 10%, 20% and 30% reduction. The Subcommittee members recognized that we are faced with maintaining operations but also having a reduction in our budget. Ms. Oliver stated that one of the options calls for a reduction in congregate meal units at the senior centers. She explained that based on current projections a reduction of 11,000 meal units for next year would put us in line with the target contracted number that we should have at the end of this fiscal year. In the event that we are to exceed that number of meal units, we would consider implementing a waiting list. Another option being explored would be working with other departments to maintain operations and maximize the use of the facility. Ms. Oliver reported that one of those options is to work with the Municipal Information System (MIS) department. MIS would help offset the operational costs for the facility in exchange for use of that facility. MIS would then relocate some of their offices to that facility and maintain their operations from there. SCS would be able to maintain operations but would have to split the use of the facility with another city department. The impact of this particular scenario would be a reduction in hours of operation of that site to 30 hours per week. Ms. Oliver stated that this particular scenario would be categorized under a 10% reduction in budget. She then advised that the Program Operations Subcommittee members, Ms. Caroline Szepessey and Ms. Vicki Garza, asked her what the 20% and 30% reduction plans would be. Ms. Oliver advised that at those levels of reductions staff would need to evaluate the overall needs of the division and program. Then those recommendations would be brought before the Program Operations Subcommittee for their evaluation and recommendations. After some discussion, Ms. Oliver clarified that the two sites recommended for the reduction in hours would be the Zavala Senior Center and the Oveal Williams Senior Center. Ms. Munoz advised that staff wanted to make the committee aware of the recommendations being made in case they are approached with any concerns regarding the budget recommendations and to gain their input and feedback as we go through this process. Ms. Munoz advised that those facilities would be operating from 9 a.m.—3 p.m. instead of from 8 a.m. —4 p.m. The Zavala Senior Center would be the prospective site to partner with MIS in the use of the facility. MIS would operate an entire wing of the facility and SCS would operate the Main Dining Room, Kitchen Area and two offices in the facility. MIS would absorb the costs of their share of the facility which is approximately$40,000.00 in expenses. Ms. Escamilla asked if the reduction in facility hours would impact the hours of staff at those sites. Ms. Munoi s response was"no, staff hours would not be impacted at this time" Ms. Huerta asked if it had to be Oveal Williams, would it not be more feasible to close Zavala and another center. Ms. Munoz stated that those recommendations were made based of the census numbers. Those two sites have the lowest census participation than any other site. Funding and Resource Subcommittee: Ms. Huerta reported that the Meal on Wheels program had received a donation of$500.00 from the employees of the local Stripes stores and read the donation letter aloud to the committee. Ms. Huerta announced that this donation would sponsor approximately 87 meals (3 months)for a home delivered meals client. Ms. Huerta asked that all members sign a Thank You card for the employees of the local Stripes stores for their generous donation. Ms. Edwards reminded all LCSS members that the Meet and Greet/Mixer event would be held on Wednesday,April 21, 2010 at the Bombay Bar and Grill Lounge beginning at 5:00 p.m. with a$5.00 cover charge. Complimentary appetizers, live music by"On Call"which is a band made up of medical professionals, other specials and a drawing will also be held. Ms. Edwards asked that all LCSS members invite their contacts to attend this event to help support the Senior Community Services Program.A draft event flyer was passed around for review and input. Ms. Edwards also encouraged committee members to attend this event to show their support. She reiterated that all monies raised will be a 100% profit to benefit Senior Community Services. 2 Ms. Huerta announced the Second Annual Community Bazaar and Turkey Leg Sale will be another hosted event on Saturday, May 15, 2010 from 10:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m. at the Lindale Senior Center. She advised that Sisco has doubled their price unit for turkey legs from last year. Ms. Huerta stated they would be seeking other bids and estimated that the cost per turkey leg would be approximately$2.48. The turkey legs will be sold at$5.00 for pre-sale and $6.00 at the event. Ms. Huerta is drafting a donation letter to secure items donated to help ease the expenses for this event. This year's goal is to raise $9,000.00 in profit. Ms. Szepessy asked when donations will be accepted for this event. Ms. Escamilla advised that donations will be accepted beginning the first week of May. Ms. Szepessy asked what items were the most popular at the event last year. Ms. Escamilla stated that the plant sale did very well last year and would encourage more plants to be donated. Ms. Garza said that she would seek a donation from the Botanical Gardens since she is a member. Ms. Munoz announced that Senior Community Services will be hosting a Senior Picnic on Friday, May 28, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. —2:00 p.m. at Guth Park in recognition of Older American's Month. Program Evaluation Subcommittee: Ms. Martinez reported that 222 Comment Cards had been received and all were satisfied. There were a few comments about wanting tartar sauce and/or lemon with their fish. Senior Center Satisfied Unsatisfied Total Ethel Eyerly 46 0 46 Garden 82 0 82 Greenwood 0 0 0 Lindale 4 0 4 Northwest 55 0 55 Oveal Williams 32 0 32 Zavala _ 3 0 3 TOTAL 222 0 222 Items to be placed on the next agenda: ValuesNisioning and Strategic Planning Ms. Munoz urged the committee to consider hosting a separate meeting for the ValuesNisioning and Strategic Planning since we are on a time constraint at each monthly meeting. Ms. Edwards agreed with Ms. Munoz and recommended that we plan another LCSS Retreat with the Strategic Plan as the main agenda item. ',Public Comment: None ,Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 5:05 p.m. 3