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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSSMinutes4082010West University Senior Services Board Meeting, April 8, 2010 Present: John Neighbors, Stan McCandless, Jo Lukens, Cathy Wright, Lyndon McKnight, Joan Johnson, and Mary Lee Gray Absent: Mary Ryerson, Selby Clark, Celia Chipman, Janet Vrancken, Pieter Vrancken, Joe Mitchell, Maureen Beck, Maureen Graf. Guest: Councilman Steven Segal. Staff: Tim O'Connor, Toby Brooks. The Meeting was called to order at 2:00pm. The Minutes of the previous meeting were approved as presented. Activities (Toby Brooks) Discussion on the water aerobics fees and why the increase from the years past. Explaination of an increase in instructor hourly fee, also indicated this was probably still under the going rate. Work has begun on the Fall 2010 Newslette APAC (Cathy Wright) AAA reports that the stimulus money has all been spent. Training in the use of "smart" electric meters is progressing. 51 AARP staff members are involved. There is some concern about the ability to disconnect these meters remotely: seniors who may need their electricity on at all times fear they may have difficulty being reconnected if they are disconnected. There is some concern about electric utilities' rate plans. Currently 31 companies have 146 plans filed and seniors complain that these are difficult to compare. AARP is insisting that these plans be comparable across the board. A senior who is cut off for non-payment of his bill can go to another company. The Utilities are protesting this practice claiming that before a new customer can be turned on he needs to first pay off the bill to his previous supplier. The practice of pay day lending was strongly condemned: some of the rates can go as high as 500%APR. AARP is protesting this practice particularly since once a person is on line the terms can get worse. This practice is legal in Texas and it is brokers not banks that are pushing it. A Senior Citizens Resource meeting is being organized - Sylvester Turner is at the forefront of this. Metrolift has reached capacity and is not accepting any more applicants for service. AAA is sponsoring a meeting at the Garden Center on May 5: there will be two activities: exercising and eating right followed by a free lunch. This may be of interest to our Seniors. AAA is preparing for Senior Day in February of next year and has asked that all delegations prepare their lists of items which they wish the legislature to consider. The Adopt a Senior program is getting off the ground: 20 apartment buildings have signed up for it. The next step is to get an organization such as a church or the Rotary Club to take responsibility for a single building. In the event of an emergency such as a hurricane the church would call their building to ensure that it has water & electricity and report the result of that call to the umbrella organization. Council Report (Councilman Steven Segal) 1) The ruling restricting door to door solicitation passed on its second reading. No hanging of publicity on doors is now allowed and a permit will be needed to solicit. Charities and religious messages are exempted. The no knock list is still applicable. 2) The Fee Schedule for the Recreation Center and for Colonial Park has been adopted. Seniors and the disabled will enjoy free admission and residents will enjoy a 50% discount. 3) The Tri Sports memo was approved. West U will provide $80,000 of support for the activities. The $260,000 needed to complete and light the playing fields will be split 50/50. Since the whole $260,000 had been included in the City's budget, $130,000 will now be available for Recreation center improvements. 4) The Council has approved a preliminary floor plan for the new police station and blueprints are to be drawn. Approval of the Bond issue is on the Council Agenda for February 22. (West U still enjoys AAA rating - one of only 13 in the state). 5) Rezoning of the Shipley's property was considered last Monday. The Zoning and Planning Commission will hear the arguments to-night and the issue will be returned to Council at a later date. A request has been made to rezone the property from Town House to Commercial because of the new owner's wish to redevelop the site. Had the new owners been willing simply to accept the property with no external changes, they could have continued to enjoy the waiver which has been in force since the 50s. 6) Modification of the garbage service fee to grant disabled residents the same discount as that enjoyed by seniors passed on the first reading. 7) The Council has appointed a Chairman (Bruce Frankel) and 6 members to a sub-committee of the Zoning and Planning Commission to consider modifications to zoning rules in the City center to promote redevelopment. The area under consideration is the stretch on Edloe from the JMH site on Rice Boulevard to the corner with University Boulevard. A setback is under consideration. 8) Restrictors are to be installed on drainage into Poor Farm Ditch pending resolution of the need for retention by the City consequent on drainage improvements. Good Neighbor Team (Mary Lee Gray) The next regular meeting will be held on Thursday Feb 25. The Handymen have been kept busy. Valentine cards were sent out last Monday. Activities (]o Lukens & Toby Brooks) A theme meal on the theme of Rodeo Roundup was attended by 40 people (BBQ, Peach Cobbler, Accordion). Excursions are planned to Port Arthur, for a slide show on Pompeii and to Old Town Spring for shopping. Margery Walpole will give a talk on balance. A Walmart shopping outing will be organized. The Lunch Bunch (8 people) went to the Houstonian. PARD (Tim O'Connor) Work at the Recreation Center is 97% complete. The keys will be handed over on March 15 and ownership transferred on April 12. The soft ball, baseball and soccer pitches plus their lighting and irrigation systems will be completed shortly. Work on the Colonial Park pool made great progress: 60 Trucks of concrete were poured for the base and 35 trucks of a special mix for the sides. Tellepsen overcame rain delays to adhere to the agreed schedule. Community Center facility maintenance: painting, flooring plus Kitchen & meeting rooms expansion will be supervised by the architect, the project manager and Toby Brooks. For our Board's March 11 meeting a bus will run from the Community Center to the new Rec Center where the meeting will be held. Board members are asked to encourage seniors to use the new Rec Center facilities. Fencing of Judson Park is complete and the park is now secure. It comprises a tennis court and two play areas for children (older & younger groups). More extensive redevelopment of the park proved a little too expensive. Adequate padding has been delayed. Nine new programs are planned for the summer season as a result of focus groups' feedback. The Houston Chronicle has published articles favorable to the whole redevelopment program. Announcements The Chairman noted that the Wells and Sweeney families had appreciated this Board's help in securing the exemption from fees for Seniors. Councilman Segal complimented all staff involved in the successful redevelopment program - the culmination of work by focus groups over 6 years. Adjournment: The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 3:00pm.