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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-07-2008 SCAC MinutesPage 1 of 4 CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 7, 2008 Call to Order Vice-chairperson Martin Baron called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Roll Call: Committee Members (CM) Present: Al Edge, Martin Baron, Diane Bonetti and Delilah Vanderpool Committee Member Absent: Beth Wood Parks and Community Services Commission Liaison Present: Rich Guarienti Staff Present: Paul McCreary, Parks and Community Services Manager, Diane Guenther, Office Assistant Oral Communications - None Approval of the Minutes – THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 10, 2008 MEETING. MOTION BY CM EDGE AND SECONDED BY CM BONETTI. Written Communication- None Other Business The Parks and Community Services Commission Liaison requested this item be moved to the start of the meeting. Guarienti discussed some of the highlights from the Council/Commission Goals and Objectives Workshop on February 2. Council discussed the importance of advertising, and the weekend and evening programming that started this year. Council also discussed expanding use of the City’s website to promote the Senior Center. The Committee engaged in a discussion about the working senior and whether they are coming to evening/weekend activities. CM Edge suggested a survey to determine who is coming to these events and to have more Committee meetings at the Senior Center. CM Vanderpool expressed that maybe providing transportation might help. CM Baron questioned, how do you survey people who do not attend? Guarienti suggested surveying the volunteers. CM Baron noted that just a few years ago several thousand people came to the Center annually now there are approximately 11,000 people attending. If you look at event evaluation responses people keep saying the same thing; keep doing what you are doing. The LIFE event is held to attract new people to the Center but the stats do not reflect an attendance increase after the event. Attendance increases at a steady pace. CM Baron questioned, why don’t we get more response? The Committee discussed this point. CM Edge suggested a marquee and the Members agreed. Staff indicated $5,000 has been budgeted for better identification of the Senior Center, however a reader board was not planned. He indicated he would CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 7, 2008 PAGE 2 OF 4 evaluate the feasibility of a reader board and that this item will come up on a future agenda. However a reader board would likely be beyond the existing budget for the project. Unfinished Business LEARN INFORMATION FOR EMPOWERMENT (L.I.F.E.) EVENT Staff had met with the subcommittee of CM Baron and CM Vanderpool to further refine the draft event plan, which McCreary reviewed with the Advisory Committee. The theme for this year will be “Mind Quest”. The goal of this event is to share information about recreational activities for seniors. The focus will be on how recreation can help increase mind power. The event components will include entertainment, workshops, games and refreshments. The Committee provided input on the event plan. CM Edge suggested including a walk with the event. Attendance in 2007 was 150 people and there was no walk. The previous year 200 people attended when the walk was included. CM Baron indicated the subcommittee recommended the guiding values for the entertainment should be semi-professional, engaging and interactive and that the event should select a headliner as a “hook”. The sub-committee also recommended the event run until 3:00 PM and add a fifth workshop/speaker. CM Edge suggested Kaiser as a possible major sponsor; they have the resources and are community oriented. CM Baron suggested the guiding values for the workshops are creative, educational, entertaining, skill- based, enticing and/or inspirational. He also suggested having 3 fixed and 3 portable activities. CM Baron would like to engage the mind and hands, in skill-based activities and allow people to wander. CM Baron suggested the guiding values for the games are friendly competition, mindfulness, fun, rewarding, and quick turnarounds. The Committee felt it was not important to hold traditional bracket tournaments, just hold quick competitions for fun, possibly posting the best scores for the day. Suggestions for games competitions included board games, Wii, ping-pong, computer games and games that are not intimidating. CM Baron suggested that the guiding values for refreshments are wholesome, tasty, portable or fixed, buffet, not requiring seating. CM Baron indicated the sub-committee recommends discontinuing the sign-in process and make it easier to come to the event, like one of the City’s festivals. McCreary indicated Staff would use another means to track attendance. CM Baron questioned why the Step Out for Senior Centers Event theme was dropped. Staff responded that the program had originally been sponsored statewide by the California Park and Recreation Society, but had been discontinued. Baron suggested having the walk like the Step Out Event again this year. McCreary indicated that Staff prefers to keep this event focused. However, a separate walking event could be held at another time as a substitute to one of the new events offered this year, such as the Progressive Dinner. CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 7, 2008 PAGE 3 OF 4 New Business AMBASSADOR PROGRAM MISSION For fiscal year 2007-2008 the Council has a high priority objective to expand operational hours, programs, and marketing of activities at the Center. Based on input from patrons and the Committee, Staff is pursuing is the creation of an Ambassador Program as one of the objectives. The primary purpose of the program is to expand community outreach and enhance access to Senior Center programs and services. Based on the Senior Center Vision statement and input from the public and Committee, Staff developed a draft mission statement for the Ambassador Program. The Ambassador Program promotes and supports a high quality of life for older adults by connecting them with people, programs, and services to meet their recreational needs and maintain independent lifestyles. It provides community outreach to attract new patrons as well as methods to welcome and retain them as customers. The Ambassador Program helps combat loneliness and isolation by strengthening social connections and enhancing transportation options to the Senior Center. It also provides a conduit to other organizations providing human services to meet the specific needs of older adults. CM Vanderpool asked if the program would eventually include a carpool program. Although she fully supports such a program, she was concerned about liability issues for drivers and the need to evaluate models to follow. The Committee Members all concurred with the proposed mission for the Ambassador program. McCreary indicated Staff will be implementing the Ambassador Program in phases. Some of the program components could include a greeter program, outreach program, enhanced information and referral service, and a carpool transportation program. Based on current staffing resources, McCreary indicated Staff will focus on planning and implementing the greeter program by the end of the Fiscal Year. The Committee Members agreed that the focus for this year should be a greeter program. Staff will return to the Committee with the greeter program plan at a future meeting. Other Business CM Bonetti reported that the Foundation is concerned that they do not have many volunteers and that people are burning out and aging out; they have a need for new members. They currently have 14 Foundation Members. Because the Foundation may not always have the ability to raise money with the fireworks booth, they are protecting the funds they have. Adjournment Being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:55 a.m. Respectfully submitted, __________________________________ Diane Guenther Office Assistant CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 7, 2008 PAGE 4 OF 4 APPROVED: ___________________________________ Martin Baron Vice-Chairperson