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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-01-2007 SCAC Minutes CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 1,2007 Call to Order Chairperson Al Edge called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Roll Call: Committee Members (CM) Present: Al Edge, Martin Baron, Delilah Vanderpool and Diane Bonetti and Beth Wood Staff Present: Paul McCreary, Parks and Community Services Manager; Anna Hudson, Recreation Coordinator; and, Diane Guenther, Office Assistant Oral Communications Ron Dietmier and Tracy Murray from the Alameda County Area Agency on Aging gave a brief presentation and announced they are developing a needs assessment as part of a four year schedule. They are currently in the third year of the four year cycle. The Agency would like the Senior Center to be represented during the upcoming needs assessment. The census indicated that 9% of seniors in Alameda County live in Dublin, which is the City with the fastest growth of the senior population in the County. The Agency's main role is not to deliver services but to distribute funds through non-profit partners. Burr Cain presented the Committee with a proposal for a free lunch program at the Senior Center. Approval of the Minutes THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 4, 2007 MEETING WITH BETH WOOD ABSTAINING. MOTION BY CM BONETTI, SECONDED BY CM EDGE. Written Communication -None Unfinished Business Updated Senior Center Mission,Vision and Values At the September 6, 2007 Advisory Committee Meeting the Committee asked Staff to update the Senior Center Mission, Vision and Values and report back to the Committee on recommended changes that would address the Committee Members' input. Staff proposed the following Mission Statement: Provide programs and maintain a first-rate community facility that promotes and • supports a high quality of life for those 55 and better by: • Providing inclusive, responsive and supportive services • Fostering new opportunities for recreational experiences and socialization • Encouraging volunteerism • Encouraging wellness, lifelong learning and discovery • Stimulating creativity • Drawing on the diverse cultural and intellectual resources of customers • Enhancing accessibility and independence • Developing partnerships with other organizations CM Wood felt this statement was an improvement but questioned the meaning of providing inclusive, responsive and supportive services, she felt this was vague and needed clarification. CM Wood also asked about the inclusion of caregivers in the statement. CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 1,2007 PAGE 2 OF 5 After discussion the Committee accepted the changes to the Mission Statement with additional modifications to the first bullet to read: Providing responsive customer service and the last bullet to read • Developing partnerships with other organizations to address recreational and human services needs. Staff proposed the Vision Statement read Creating rewarding friendships, intriguing activities and a lifestyle of possibilities. The Committee accepted the Vision Statement as proposed. Based on input from the Committee, Staff proposed this shortened list of core values: • Fun • Social Connections • Volunteerism • Lifelong Learning • Accessibility • Health and Wellness • Professional, Customer-Focused Staff CM Edge and CM Wood expressed the list was good and inclusive. CM Baron had come up with an acronym with the word C.E.N.T.E.R. Create Educate Nurture Thrive Entertain Recreate There were no other comments and the Committee accepted the values as proposed. New Business Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Senior Center Strategic Goals In 2005 and 2006, the Senior Center Advisory Committee helped Staff develop strategic goals and objectives for the Senior Center. The purpose of these goals and objectives are to provide a focus for expanding programs and services for older adults. The Committee participated in an exercise to discuss potential goals for 2008-2009. The first question the Committee members considered was, "Currently, when the Senior Center is at its best, what makes it exciting, interesting, invigorating, motivating and productive?" The Committee's comments included: programs, volunteers, friends/contacts, information, learning, interesting and exciting program variety, festivities/celebrations, evening programs, increasingly fun events, willingness to try new things, involvement, fabulous facility and enthusiastic committee and Staff. • CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 1,2007 PAGE 3 OF 5 The Committee consolidated the above list to: • Program Variety Fun People are participating • Enthusiastic Staff/Committee • Willing to try new things • Fabulous Facility • Volunteers • Evening Programs • Friends The second question the Committee answered was, "Assume that today we all fall asleep and wake up five years from now. When you wake up, Dublin's programs for older adults have become exactly what you think they should be. What do you see that is different and how do you know that it is different?" There were some suggestions that in five years there would be more money and Staff available for senior programs. CM Edge suggested the Foundation become more active in funding the Center. Other suggestions included • More events for families that integrate seniors' families into the program. • More programs planned to meet differing demographic needs. • Friendly greeters and a help desk • Five vans for transportation to and from the Center. • Video taping programs and making them available on CTV or the web. • Improved accessed to case work and support services at the Center, such as medical and legal. • Having resources for searching for part-time work • Longer lunch serving time and convenience food available throughout the day • More cultural activities CM Baron commented that when he walks into the Center he sees people with a story to tell. These stories could be digitized and made available. He suggested creating hands-on interactive entertainment, and reaching out to those that are isolated. CM Wood suggested the notion to get' away from a structured luncheon, create a more casual environment, to be able to pick up a meal anytime, such as convenient food at an "internet café" with internet wi-fi access CM Baron suggested a senior buddy program; offering a service of a "senior to go" if someone needed a buddy for any need. CM Wood stated there needs to be a way for people who are attending events to let others know that they have a skill to share. CM Bonetti suggested a community bulletin board for services. .CM Wood felt this bulletin board would reach beyond handymen and include such people as retired bankers, accountants, nurses; literally a volunteer skills directory. CM Baron felt that maybe a way to bring in more people is have seniors bring in their families for an activity. CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 1,2007 PAGE 4 OF 5 CM Wood stated the notion that on holidays so many seniors are alone and there is nothing going on for them to participate in; the notion of something to do on a holiday is good. CM Vanderpool feels that the holidays are the hardest for seniors. CM Baron suggested a traveling senior show where on events such as birthdays or holiday the traveling show would go the senior's home and put on a little show dressed in costume. After the discussion the Committee developed focus areas including: • Expanding Programs • Increasing ways to make Friends • Accessibility • Connecting with Human Services • Transportation to the Center • Increasing attendance • Having a Greeter/Help Desk • Increasing Funding • Ensuring Staffing Level Keeps Pace with Growth • Preventing Isolation • History and Heritage • Family • Advertising • Volunteers CM Wood discussed the need for establishing five year goals and a strategic plan of how to reach those goals. She also reiterated the need for a marketing plan. She stated this five year plan could lay out and clarify the goals, the strategies and the details. McCreary stated the purpose of today's activity is to decide the goals for upcoming year, and that considering more long range plans would be more appropriate after the Department Strategic Plan has been completed. The Committee outlined potential operational goals for the upcoming year to include: • Implement the Ambassador Program • Continue to plan events to draw more people to the Senior Center • Provide better access to the Senior Center for those residents without the ability to transport themselves • Determine feasibility of expanding service hours and format of food programs. • Continue to expand programs • Developing a five year Senior Center strategic plan and marketing plan based on upcoming Department Strategic Plan. The Committee suggested ways to look for alternative funding sources. They suggested asking the Foundation to fund some of the future program needs. Staff stated that the Foundation has expressed an interest in donating physical assets to the Dublin Senior Center and not as much to fund programs. CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 1,2007 PAGE 5 OF 5 It was suggested that Staff research opportunities for the Senior Center to receive State or Federal funding to be a human or community service provider. Another suggestion was to partner and collaborate with other cities in the Tri-Valley and to increase the revenue made on private facility rentals as a means to pay for future programs. Staff will utilize the Committee's input to prepare draft goals for upcoming year for presentation at a future meeting. Other Business Staff gave a brief overview of the planned Sunday Matinee events. Staff distributed a list of available movies from 1929 to• 2005 asking each Committee Member to let her know if they had particular favorites. CM Baron suggested an educational or trivia component be part of the activity. CM Vanderpool said she would ask members of the Women's Club for additional suggestions on the movie selections. CM Baron suggested visiting the Niles Essanay Museum. The Committee requested that the proposal by Burr Cain for the free lunch program be added to a future agenda for discussion. Adjournment There being no further business the Committee adjourned at 11:25 PM. Respectfully submitted, Diane Guenther Office Assistant APPROVED: Al Edge Chairperson