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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-06-2008 SCAC MinutesPage 1 of 4 CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MARCH 6, 2008 Call to Order Chairperson Wood called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Roll Call: Committee Members (CM) Present: Beth Wood, Al Edge, Martin Baron, and Diane Bonetti Absent: Delilah Vanderpool Parks and Community Services Commission Liaison Present: Rich Guarienti Staff Present: Paul McCreary, Parks and Community Services Manager, Anna Hudson, Recreation Coordinator, Diane Guenther, Office Assistant Oral Communications CM Wood congratulated Rich Guarienti as Dublin’s Citizen of the Year. The Committee suggested a display for the Senior Center, Staff will have the Graphics Artist create the display. CM Wood thanked everyone for attending the Volunteer Recognition Event. CM Wood drafted a letter of thanks to Julie Carter for organizing the successful event. CM Wood commented that Burr Cain had brought a proposal to implement a “free lunch” program and felt that it is important to acknowledge citizens who make proposals to the Committee. CM Wood drafted a letter to acknowledge his proposal and that the idea will be considered. CM Wood indicated Senior Support is seeking letters of recommendation to support their grant application to ACTIA for transportation for low income seniors. Staff indicated letters of support would come from Council. Approval of the Minutes THE FEBRUARY MINUTES WERE AMENDED AS FOLLOWS; UNDER OTHER BUSINESS Guarienti suggested surveying the volunteers add “and residents of Wicklow Square.” THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 7, 2008 MEETING AS AMENDED WITH CM WOOD ABSTAINING. MOTION BY CM BONETTI AND SECONDED BY CM EDGE. Written Communication- None Unfinished Business L.I.F.E. EVENT OVERVIEW Staff provided an event overview, including Committee and Subcommittee action and input and included an event schedule. Doug McConnell has agreed to be the keynote speaker. There will be no parallel activities during the keynote speech so that all may attend. However, activities will be offered before and after the speaker. The event will not require pre-registration but pre-registration will be available as a tool to gauge how much food to prepare. Staff is still seeking sponsors. CM Edge recommended that there be no signing-in when arriving at the event. CM Edge commented on the lack of handicap parking spaces. Approximately 20 temporary handicap spaces will be marked off on the day of the event. CM Edge feels there is a lack of handicap spaces in CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MARCH 6, 2008 Page 2 of 4 general. Staff suggested that this issue be revisited when the parking lot is due to be resealed and re- striped. CM Baron noted the Life Event Subcommittee did not meet during the last month. The Subcommittee had recommended additional Subcommittees; Staff noted that the program plan is still being developed and that employees and volunteers will be assigned by Anna when needed. CM Wood asked if the Committee accepted the recommendations of the subcommittee during the February meeting. Staff indicated the recommendations were taken under advisement. Staff and the Subcommittee will meet prior to the April Committee meeting. Staff is seeking feedback from the Advisory Committee about the activity portion of the event and noted that a part-time person will be brought in to help with the event planning. The Committee engaged in a discussion about how the Committee should operate; between what the Committee recommends and what Staff implements. CM Baron would like to see progress in this area. Staff indicated how they took the Subcommittee recommendations from the last meeting and incorporated them into the Event Overview. CM Baron asked how does Staff want Committee members to provide input. Event input/comments are to provide to CM Baron and Vanderpool who will relate them to Anna. Committee business should be directed to McCreary. Several Committee Members recommended some type of display for the Senior Center lobby advertising Doug McConnell as the keynote speaker. CM Edge recommended that quiche due to its’ high calorie count should not be served and to use hot dogs instead. Staff commented quiche was a good way to showcase the good food the chef prepares. CM Wood asked for promotions plan at the next Committee meeting. Committee members were asked to send their marketing suggestions to CM Baron. New Business AMBASSADOR PROGRAM At the February meeting, the Committee agreed and supported the proposed mission statement for the Ambassador Program as follows: 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. Staff provided the Committee with an outline of the proposed program components. This program is an umbrella to many smaller programs. The focus this year is the Greeter Program. Staff provided the Committee with an overview of the Greeter Program plan and the four types of typical customers who attend the Senior Center. CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MARCH 6, 2008 Page 3 of 4 CM Baron recommended providing people with a list of connections, such as services or events with contacts. Guarienti recommended giving “samples” of what you do, engage people in conversation, be out in front not behind a desk. CM Wood recommended placing a nice desk or table near the front door with a membership packet and welcome gift. A computer with internet access should also be available. She recommended that the position not be a clerk job but one of prestige. This should be a much respected position. This person would not hand out coffee. Committee members recommended that they take turns being an Ambassador. CM Wood provided handouts to the Committee. She had conducted some research on her own and examined existing Ambassador Programs. She explained that one definition of an ambassador is a diplomat, a high ranking individual to be a representative. CM Wood asked for more definition, define scope and what is required of an Ambassador. CM Wood read the following suggestions for the program mission into the minutes: Builds on and expands the outstanding efforts undertaken by Dublin Seniors since 1997. Because of the success of the original Senior Center program, the Ambassador Program now comes together to expand the program’s scope to the wider community. Promotes and supports a high quality of life for older adults by connecting our senior leaders with other leaders in the Tri-Valley area as a great way to develop mutual respect between people and to share our core values. This connection is developed around personal exchanges and first hand experience with people and organizations outside of the Dublin Senior Center. The Ambassador leaders travel under the banner of the City of Dublin and represent our City’s courage, and openness. CM Wood also recommended the first paragraph be added as a lead into the mission statement. CM Wood stated the program as an outward facing program. CM Edge feels the program would be like a mini-concierge. Commissioner Guarienti asked how you would recognize an ambassador. East Bay Regional Park District uses polo shirts, possibly a pin could be used to identify the individual and not be designated as clerk position. CM Baron asked what the first milestone is. Staff indicated May is the anticipated start date for the Greeter Program. The job description is being finalized. Staff commented that the handout provided by CM Wood would be useful for the outreach portion of the program anticipates for next fiscal year. CM Baron suggested utilizing community leaders; people who are ready to transition from retirement. CITY OF DUBLIN SENIOR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MARCH 6, 2008 Page 4 of 4 Other Business CM Baron commented that every time he participates in an activity at the Center he must sign a liability/release waiver; he would like to find a way to get away from this practice. CM Baron notified the Committee he made a suggestion to the Mayor and Councilmember Sbranti regarding a “don’t use bad language” initiative. CM Baron commented on an interview about the next group of boomers coming through. He suggested that people who are entering the “boomer age” could come to the Senior Center and there would be an information/resource room, a guide for resources as boomers approach retirement age. Suggesting this would be a way to get people into the Center and the City could become known for this. The Committee had a discussion about what this might look like. CM Wood commented that these would be things for Staff to think about. Guarienti gave an overview of the last Parks and Community Services Commission meeting, which was held jointly with the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission to review the Kolb Ranch plan. They also reviewed Phase One of the Fallon Sports Park, it is anticipated that the park will be developed in four phases. Guarienti briefly reviewed the CPRS conference he attended. CM Wood requested that Guarienti be added to the next agenda to review a workshop topic in more detail. CM Wood asked the status of the 2008-09 Council goals. The next step will be the ranking of programs; on March 31st Council will take community input and the budget hearings will be late in June. CM Wood noted the Committee has stopped working on the marketing plan while waiting for the City survey to be completed. She expressed concern about not loosing sight of our marketing plan while waiting for the results and does not want to loose momentum. Staff indicated all Dublin residents can participate in the online forum this spring and the results of the survey will be available in July. CM Wood would like the information before it becomes part of the strategic plan. CM Baron stated every good marketing plan has an annual review and suggested this might be an agenda item. Adjournment Being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:50 a.m. Respectfully submitted, __________________________________ Diane Guenther Office Assistant APPROVED: ___________________________________ Beth Wood Chairperson