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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSSMinutes121009West University Senior Services Board Meeting December 10, 2009 Present: Stan McCandless (Chairman), John Neighbors, Mary Ryerson, Joe Mitchell, Cathy Wright, Lyndon McKnight, Joan Johnson, Jo Lukens, Janet & Pieter Vrancken. Absent: Mary Lee Gray, Maureen Beck, Maureen Graf, Celia Chipman. In Attendance: Toby Brooks, Tim O'Connor. Guests: Councilman Steven Segal. Activities and Previews (Toby Brooks) The overnight trip to San Antonio was a great success. The Holiday Home tour was postponed a full bus load was subscribed. The tour of the city lights was scheduled too early. An Xmas luncheon in the home is planned and a potluck meal for New Year's Eve. APAC (Cathy Wright) 4,000 meals were delivered on Thanksgiving morning over a widespread area. Cathy Wright has been appointed Assistant Secretary of APAC and was commended by the Board. Stan McCandless & John Neighbors discussed the large numbers of refugees with poor language skills who congregate on Gessner and expressed a wish to know what entities in the city are responsible for their care, accommodation and training. Council Report (Councilman Steve Segal) The 21/2 foot setback on Weslayan has been approved meaning that homeowners affected will enjoy a 50 foot lot rather than one of 471/2 feet. Because the prices obtained for recycled materials are down there will be an increase in garbage fees: from $12 to 16 for adults and from $8 to 10 for seniors. The final wording of the ban on texting while driving has been agreed to relate to any driver operating a motor vehicle in a driving lane. The same language will be used by Bellaire City Council. The final language has yet to be agreed for Southside Place. An interior design firm called "Changing Look" will occupy one half of the former JMH site alongside the bank mentioned in last month's minutes. The site previously occupied by Shipley's Donuts at the corner of Kirby and Tangley has been leased to a deli called "Pot Belly". The whole site zoned for Town Houses had previously obtained a waiver permitting commercial development and this waiver would be grandfathered if there were no changes to the premises. Since "Pot Belly" intends to rebuild Shipley's premises they will have to apply for a fresh waiver in addition to their building permit. There may be a parking problem at the site: "Pot Belly" are providing 19 parking places of which 3 are for employees but have admitted that there will be 12 employees on the premises over the lunch hour. This problem needs to be resolved. The matter of new fees at all recreational facilities (the subject of a report by PARD) will be further discussed by the fee planning sub-committee on January 6. An exhibition of Air Raid Warden Activities during WW11 has just opened within City Hall. On December 4"' Councilman Segal was appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) to its advisory Committee on Retirement Matters. The senior services board commended Councilman Segal. Good Neighbor Team (Toby Brooks for Mary Lee Gray) The Thanksgiving Cards were all addressed and delivered. A holiday lunch will be held on Tuesday December 15. Delivery of Poinsettias will take place from the Scout Hut at noon on December 16. Activity Report (Toby Brooks) The appreciation lunch for volunteers held on Tuesday November 24 was accounted a great success. The trip to Matagorda and El Campo had to be cancelled due to cold weather. Canvassing for a meditation course (free & of 6 weeks duration) has brought forth 11 intending participants. PARD (Tim O'Connor) The work undertaken in two meetings by the fee sub-committee of the PARD Board has been summarized and tabulated for this meeting and for a third and final meeting of the sub- committee prior to a recommendation being passed to the PARD Board. PARD will deliberate further prior to submitting its opinion to the full Council which has to approve the fee structure. The staff has not been driving the agenda of the sub-committee. John Neighbors stated that the Senior Services Board should be represented on any further meetings of the fee sub-committee and Stan McCandless volunteered to be the representative. Stan McCandless commended Tim O'Connor for the amount of work that had clearly gone into the handouts presented at this meeting. John Neighbors felt that the misleading comments made by the media regarding the new fee structure should be corrected. There being no further business the Meeting was adjourned at 3:08PM.