Attending: Lawrence Mansier, William Farmer, Anne Bolick, Severino DiCocco, Joel May, Virginia Silliphant, Nils Stout
Excused: Jean Harrington, Thomas DiMuzio
Others: Senior Coordinator: Abigail Waugh
Hopewell Township: Kim Johnson
Pennington Borough: Weed Tucker
Public: Helen Lee, Jane Petrie
Chairman Mansier called the meeting to order at 2:08PM. Notice was made of meeting the Open Public Meetings Act requirements. The Minutes of the January meeting were approved as read.
New Member:
Thomas DiMuzio (609-737-6686) has been appointed as a representative to the Senior Advisory Board from Pennington Borough to complete the unexpired term of Bob Riley through 2010.
Senior Services Coordinator's Report:
Administration: A report on 2009 programs and attendance was submitted. Met with Hopewell Valley Emergency Services regarding fire safety at the Senior Center
Events and Programs: Attended Swing Into Spring planning meetings. The event is scheduled for April 17th. Attended Hopewell Valley Come Out and Play Day (HVCOAPD) planning meetings and met with Bob Friant regarding an accessible trail even on the Lawrence-Hopewell Trails. Participated in initial planning for a Spring art show with Artists' Choice. Met with Hopewell Township Health Department to discuss 2010 health related programs.
Finance: Met with "Futures" sub-committee of the Senior Advisory Board regarding programs and funding recommendations.
Publicity: See flyers, Senior Spirit, press releases, email updates, cable, and also see www.hvseniors.org
Social Services: Home care and transportation resources were the primary pieces of information requested this month. The weather played a large part in shaping these requests.
Transportation: Spoke with residents at the Senior Center about Ride Provide of Mercer County. Worked with residents on snow related transportation issues.
Volunteers: Met with Hopewell Valley Regional School District Superintendent, Dr. Tom Smith, regarding increasing senior volunteer involvement in schools throughout the district.
Chairman's Report:
Chairman Mansier reported that Jean Harrington was having trouble getting around and suggested that a card be sent which the members and guests present signed.
Chairman Mansier and Vice Chairman Farmer met with William Schluter, former state senator. They informed him of our services, gave him copies of the presentations and surveys used during the past year, and talked about our funding needs.
The group was reminded of the Hopewell Township meeting to honor volunteers scheduled for February 23rd at Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
NOTE: Following the meeting, Chairman Mansier added information that the Lion's Club will be donating a wheel chair for use at the Senior Center. Details will follow.
Committee Reports:
Teens Meeting: Bill Farmer reported attending a Pennington Borough meeting at which the Teens use of the former Capital Health System building was discussed. The Teens have approximately $50,000 available, though the building may be costly to renovate. At the meeting Bill offered the support of the Senior Advisory Board, but no specific commitment.
Handicapped Restroom: The renovations are nearly complete. However, Nils Stout listed several items that are either not yet finished or not up to code. Since the final payment to the contractor has not yet been made, it was felt that every possible effort should be made to insure that the job is done correctly. Nils will review and recommend the necessary changes.
Explorations: Five programs have been scheduled to begin during the week of April 19th (see previous minutes). Posters, flyers, inserts in the Senior Spirit and notice on the HV Seniors web page will be employed for publicity purposes. Ginny Silliphant and Abigail Waugh will explore the availability of other speakers for the Fall semester, including Ian Burrows and a couple from Hopewell who are now in Greece. Weed Tucker reported that the Pennington Point club house could be available as a venue for Explorations; they would require a $50 refundable deposit.
Futures Sub-Committee: Joel May reported that the Futures Sub-Committee met on Tuesday, February 9th. At that time, 16 items were suggested for possible funding during the coming year. The list was submitted to the members who individually prioritized the items and the result was summarized as follows:
| New, lighter, more maneuverable tables Repair bump in parking lot access ramp An Automated External Defibrillator 5 Computers w/Monitors and Desks Wifi Networking Projection (Movie/DVD/TV) capability Whiteboard with stand Bookshelves (used?) Auto-Opener for outside Senior Center door "Homey" area (SE corner of the room) Blackout shades for the windows Piano Tuning (develop music groups) A literature rack for the vestibule Investigate repair of outdoor lights Repave and reline parking lot Explore demand for outdoor sports (e.g. horseshoes) |
2.6* 3.7 4.1 4.4 5.4 7.1 7.4 9.0 9.7 10.4 10.7 11.0 11.3 11.6 13.4 13.4 |
* The lower the number, the higher the priority
The prioritized list will be submitted to the Budget Committee of the Hopewell Valley Senior Foundation for their consideration.
Public Input:
Jane Petrie reported that FISH is doing well, having applied for its own 501(c)(3) status.
Weed Tucker reported that Pennington Borough is submitting a grant request through Congressman Rush Holt's office for a $500,000 federal grant to match the $500,000 grant funds available from Mercer County for the new Senior Center. Councilman Tom Ogren wrote the grant request which will be submitted over Mayor Anthony Persichilli's signature.
New Business:
The Taste of Pennington, hosted by Stony Brook Assisted Living, raised $322 for the Hopewell Valley Senior Foundation.
The Foundation also received a grant of $1,000 from Pennington Day. It is to be used to help pay for the renovations to the handicapped bathroom.
Kim Johnson asked that Chairman Mansier and Vice Chairman Farmer meet with Hopewell Township Mayor Michael Markulec to discuss plans for the new Senior Center. He is particularly interested in our short-range (one year), medium-range (two to four year) and long-range (five and more years) plans.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:30PM
Respectfully Submitted:
Joel May, Secretary
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 2pm at the HV Senior Center.