Attending: Larry Mansier, Bill Farmer, Joel May, Anne Bolick, Bob Riley, Virginia Silliphant, Jean Harrington, Severino DiCocco
Excused: Nils Stout
Senior Coordinator: Abigail Waugh
Hopewell Twp. Mayor: Vanessa Sandom
Hopewell Twp. Administrator: Paul Pogorzelski
Pennington Councilman: Weed Tucker

Chairman Mansier brought the Meeting to order at 2:06. Notice was made of meeting the Open Public Meetings Act requirements.

The previous minutes were approved as submitted.

Senior Services Coordinator

Senior center issues:

The Girl Scouts successfully did their "Spring Cleaning" on March 27.
Pennington Borough will give the remainder of the grant funds toward renovation of the handicapped lavatory. Quotes on such activity are expected imminently.

Building updates:

Clarification is required re: approach to the County for matching funds. As usual, procedures tend to be complicated by virtue of our 3 municipality profile.

Transportation:

There were 136 rides provided in March. As of April 1 there were 54 registered riders.

Noteworthy Activities:

4/17 Swing into Spring: More than 100 sign-ups
5/16 Pennington Day: Senior Information Table - fully manned
4/22 Free CPR Class
4/28 Preventative Medicine
4/29 Elder Fraud
5/5 Seniors Connect: Managing Finances
5/8 Gray Matters
5/12 Nutrition Concerns

Literature:

Hopewell Valley Senior Brochures - Available in quantity at end of April

Chairman's Report:

Chairman Mansier reported that he had presented our Board′s accomplishments and goals at the recent Valley-wide gathering of volunteer groups. For the record:

Hopewell Valley Senior Advisory Board – 2008 Accomplishments

- Worked with Pennington Borough to improve conditions at the present senior center.
- Advised architects in devising plans for a new senior center.
- Kept channels open with YMCA vis a vis future plans for the West Franklin site.
- Began work on a HVSAB & Senior Services brochure.
- Assisted in preparation and mailing of Hopewell Borough Survey.
- Helped form the 501(c.)(3) Hopewell Valley Senior Foundation

Hopewell Valley Senior Advisory Board – 2009 Goals

- Advise and support the Senior Services Coordinator
- Continue efforts to improve conditions at the present senior center: e. g. handicapped accessible restroom, cd player, and street signs directing people to the center.
- Complete HVSAB & Senior Services brochure.
- Involve more seniors in creating and offering programs and services: e. g. Evergreen Program at Princeton Senior resource Center.
- Promote the future senior center building in as many ways as possible.

Chairman Mansier presented items discussed at the County-wide Council on Aging monthly meeting. These involved the provision of public transportation to Grandparents Park, Grandparents Day being declared as September 13 and a general discussion of best practices regarding dissemination of information of value to seniors on a region wide basis.

A somewhat revised presentation regarding the new senior center building was presented to officials and citizens of Hopewell Borough. There ensued some discussion about the estimated costs of construction, particularly when considered on a square foot basis.

General:

The responses to the Hopewell Borough questionnaire, although preliminary, were generally favorable and, as expected, the early responders were quite detailed in their open-ended comments.

The need for a valley-wide more formal survey will probably be required to substantiate our formal requests for funds.

Several members presented some ideas on approaches to the creation of a business plan that will embody our plans and assumptions for senior activity. Larry, Abaigail & Bob will meet to discuss format and what issues need most rigorous treatment.

Abigail reports that Wellington manor intends make their recreational facilities more available to the community in general, particularly with regard to senior activities.

There will also be a meeting to discuss activities mirroring those of Evergreen.

Abigail reminds that the Township needs volunteers to test emergency preparedness on May 7. It is our understanding that this self-generated hysteria is intended to assess what problems might arise as people urgently need to descend on the Township offices.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:52

Respectfully Submitted:
Bob Riley: Secretary

Next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 2:00 at the HV Senior Center