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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-10-06 Regular Meeting GRAPEVINE SENIOR CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING AGENDA Tuesday, October 6, 2009 — 3:30 PM Grapevine Senior Activities Center 421 Church Street Grapevine, TX 76051 817-410-8130 1. Call to Order 2. Welcome Guests 3. Consideration of minutes for August 4, 2009 meeting 4. Citizen Requests 5. New Business a. Housing Authority update — Joetta King b. GRACE update— Pat Frosch c. Senior Activities Center update kw 6. Adjourn IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THIS PUBLIC MEETING AND YOU HAVE A DISABILITY THAT REQUIRES SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS AT THE MEETING, PLEASE CONTACT THE SENIOR ACTIVITIES CENTER AT 817-410-8130, AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS WILL BE MADE TO ASSIST YOUR NEEDS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 551.001 et seq, ACTS OF THE 1993 TEXAS LEGISLATURE, THE BOARD MEETING AGENDA, WAS PREPARED AND POSTED ON THIS, THE 1st OF October 2009 AT 5:00 PM. Kay ayso , Director Grape a Senior Activities Center CV GRAPEVINE SENIOR CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD Minutes of Tuesday, October 6, 2009 meeting Grapevine Senior Activities Center 421 Church Street Grapevine, TX 76051 817-410-8130 1. Call to Order The Grapevine Senior Citizens Advisory Board met at 3:40 PM on October 6, 2009 at the Grapevine Senior Activities Center The following members were present Dick Guckel — Chairperson Tena Burrell — Co-Chairperson Pam Price, Secretary Paul Ernst Carey Miller R. Bruce Walters Joetta King — Ex-offico, Housing Authority Dorothy Kritz-Ex-offico, Grapevine Senior Activities Center Others present Kaye Grayson, SAC Director Chris Smith — Recreation Superintendent—Parks & Recreation Roy Stewart— City Council Member Liaison Those not present (dell Bowker/Pat Frosch — Ex-offico, GRACE 2. Welcome Guests There were no guests at the meeting. 3. Consideration of minutes for August 4, 2009 meeting The minutes of the August 4 meeting were approved as written. 4. Citizen Requests No citizen requests. 5. Old Business Tena Burrell brought the Board up to date about the Senior Service Alliance (SSA), a senior advocacy group which endorses the Senior Movers program. One service needed by GRACE is drivers to transport seniors to their medical and doctors' appointment and to the hospital. September 15th Tena spoke to the Women's Division of the Chamber of Commerce and asked them to network with them and help arrange to get more drivers. To use this service, a senior must be a resident of Grapevine. Southlake, North Richland Hills, and Keller serve their ,► 1/5 own communities. This advocacy group's purpose is to benefit GRACE. It has been endorsed by the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce. Baylor has agreed to print brochures. Marketing services must belong to the Chamber and services tw are available to seniors in Grapevine, Southlake, and Colleyville. Dorothy Kritz, ex-officio member representing the SAC, expressed the seniors' appreciation for the improvements and renovations done to the SAC. She noted the painting of the building and the work done inside the restrooms. She also noted that there has been an increase in the numbers of new people joining them in the dining room, saying that they've had as many as 50 there for lunch. Everyone enjoys the 'jam sessions" performed by the band on Mondays from 9:30 a.m. until lunchtime. Some of the audience even gets up and dances with the band which is comprised of musicians from Grapevine and the surrounding area. Previously the group of seniors who knit at the SAC came to the Board with a request for donations of yarn. Dorothy said that the supply of yarn has been replenished. The group meets every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Annie Delbridge attended the August meeting to address two concerns: (1) the fact that some seniors were unable to attend the classes in the Computer Lab due to their transportation conflict with the timing of the classes. She was told that she must speak with Kaye and Ken Anderson, coordinator of the Computer Lab, to voice her suggestions and concerns regarding the use of the computers and lab. As of our October meeting she tor had not done this. (2) the need for more activities that could be provided at the Center. Again, Annie was encouraged to put her list of concerns in writing and meet with Kaye Grayson and Dorothy Kritz, the committee representative on the Board. As of our October meeting she had not done this. 6. New Business a. Housing Authority Update — Joetta King There is one one-bedroom unit and one two-bedroom unit vacant with 34 people on the waiting list for a one-bedroom unit and 16 waiting for a two-bedroom unit. The average turn around on a unit is 15 days (for remodeling, repairs, and cleaning). The average wait for a person to be housed is two-three years. The total number of Grapevine Residents on the waiting list is 73. The total number of applications is 501. The Housing Authority accepts applications each year in June. Grapevine residents receive priority consideration. The Section 8 Program is for those people who live elsewhere (not in the Housing Authority units) and receive a subsidy. Section 8 has had 946 �,. 2/5 applications turned in with 128 of those being Grapevine residents. The total number of vouchers for this program is 83; there are 86 Grapevine residents on this waiting list. The ethnic breakdown of current head tenants of a total of 97 is as follows: Hispanic: 07 Black: 05 White: 84 Asian: 0 Other: 97 The project of installing the storm windows has been completed. b. GRACE- !dell Bowker/Pat Frosch No report c. Senior Activities Center Update — Kaye Grayson The computer class registration was September 28. There were a total of 53 students who registered for the October-November session (including those who phoned in to the Center as well as walked in). This is a typical number for this time of the year. The Matter of Balance, an eight-week class, is halfway completed. This course is free of charge and is offered through Senior Citizen Service and the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. A manual is provided for each participant to keep. The class is an excellent way for seniors who have concerns about falling and want to learn way to better balance themselves so that they can feel more confident about walking and doing other routine activities. This the second Matter of Balance class to be held at the Center. It will be offered several times each year if there is an interest and demand seen. Thursday, October 8th the Center will take a second group of seniors to the State Fair. The seniors will leave at 9:30 a.m. and return around 4:00 p.m. It is free admission to the Fair for seniors ages 60 and older on this day. There is a $1 per person charge to help with parking; otherwise, the only expenses the seniors have is for personal use for food and other items. Seniors are asked to call the Center or sign up at the front desk to reserve their spot on the bus. The final trip to the State Fair will be on Thursday, October 15th The monthly meeting for the Diabetes Support Group is Thursday, October 8th at 1:00. These meetings are opened to all concerned persons. The group regularly meets on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 1:00 at the Center. 3/5 On Friday, October 9th, the Center will have a trip to the Mid-Cities Greek Food Festival, leaving at 10:45 a.m. and returning around 1:30 p.m. Seating is limited so Seniors are encouraged to sign up early at the front desk. Seniors need to bring money for food. Currently there is a waiting list. Friday, October 2nd was the first date Home Health Services set up its clinic at the Center to give flu shots. The next flu shot clinic is set for Friday, October 23rd. Pre-registration is required and can be done at the front desk or by calling the Center. The SAC started its Walk Across Texas program this past September; it will wrap up with a celebration party on November 16th. Participants log their miles each day by signing the book at the front desk or by emailing Dianne, Recreation Specialist at the Center. There about 60 seniors who are participating this year. The Grapevine team competes against those at the Colleyville and Bedford Senior Centers. November 14th has been scheduled as the date for seniors to go out to DEW Airport to meet and greet the troops who arrive there. The flights arrive anytime between 7:00-9:00 a.m. that Saturday. Interested seniors should notify the front desk; once the exact time of the arrivals has been determined, they will be notified on Friday, November 13th to confirm the departure time from the SAC. 41w Seniors are now provided transportation to the Grapevine Public Library every Tuesday. The bus leaves the SAC at 10:00 a.m. Interested seniors should meet in the lobby of the Center. The bus returns to the Center around 11:45 in time for lunch. Dorothy also reported that the Choir in the Center has approximately 25 members. Bernice Hatcher has been the accompanist for the choir; she is going to retire as the accompanist, and the choir is looking for a replacement. For the seniors there is an alternative to the Silver Sneakers, Janie Harris who works at the Center, is leading another exercise class. Kaye thanked City Councilman Roy Stewart for the completed renovations made to the Center. Adequate lighting in the front lobby area where the seniors set up their jigsaw puzzle table has been a concern. Roy checked with the Facilities Department and they were able to add more lighting for them. 4/5 The Friday before Thanksgiving, the SAC will host a special Thanksgiving Dinner for the Center which will be served at Noon. Reservations are required by November 13th. Usually there are at least 100 guests. In honor of veterans from Texas' 24th Congressional District who have earned the Purple Heart medal, there will be a recognition ceremony at the Lancaster Theater on Sunday, November 8th at 2:00 p.m. Interested veterans will need to contact U.S. Congressman Kenny Marchant's office. The local VFW and Ladies Auxiliary will host a dinner for veterans on Sunday, November 8th 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Kaye told the Board that the Center, working through My Senior Center (www.mvseniorcenter.orq) and Senior Citizen Services of Tarrant County, has a new Touch Screen Check-in system. Grapevine was selected as one of four senior centers to receive the system. 7. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 4:33 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Aft-A) Pam Price, Secretary Minutes approved by the Board on I day of , 2009. 5/5