HomeMy WebLinkAboutWUSSB Minutes 5-9-2013West University Senior Services Board Meeting May 9, 2013 Present: Stan McCandless (Chair), John Neighbors, George Baker, Chuck Guffey, Selby Clark, Becky Arnold, Mary Ryerson, Joe Mitchell, Virginia Lootens, Janet Vrancken, Pieter Vrancken. Absent: Michel le Moore, Sarah Ballanfant. Staff: Toby Brooks. Guests: Councilman Dick Yehle. The Meeting was called to order at 2:05PM. The Minutes of the previous Meeting were approved as presented. Activities & Previews (Toby Brooks) Medicare Questions 101 will be hel d on Tuesdays at 5PM during June (Present er: Toni King) A new evening Hatha Yoga class will commence in the fall. Tai Chi for beginners will be held on Thursday evenings at 5PM for 6 weeks at a cost of $24. The advanced classes will continue on Mondays & W ednesdays. Line Dancing will be held at 1:15PM on Wednesdays. A dance with the Ziggy Band will be held from 5:30 to 7:30PM on May 30 th . APAC (Virginia Lootens) The Aging in Texas Conference is set for June 16 -19 in the Westin Galleria, Houston. Volunteers are needed for each day. Contact AAA if you wish to help. AAA has stopped sponsoring the meal congregate sites which have been taken over by YWCA/YMCA or the Harris County Health Department. There will be no more cuts in funding for 2013. The State has cov ered any shortfall in the programs so far. AAA is issuing a Request For Quote (RFQ) for its meals program on May 20. A decision on the outcome is expected in July. Valley Foods – the current provider – supplies approximately 6,200 meals per day (both home delivered and congregate) at an average cost of $2.50. AAA in conjunction with the City of Houston Health Department and the Methodist Hospital System will initiate the 1115 waiver project in July. The project aims at preventing the re -admissions to hospit al within the first 30 days following discharge. A special study is being conducted on patients hospitalized with congestive heart failure. Medicaid & Medicare patients may be enrolled in the program. AAA with CMS has sponsored a similar program in the Kat y area for about 8 months. The program has reduced re -admissions from 1 in 5 Medicare patients to 1 in 10. Guest speaker – Bob Jackson – AARP Texas Director encouraged all to contact the Speaker of the House to support the passage of the Payday Lending Bil l. Council Meeting Report (prepared by Joan Johnson, delivered by Dick Yehle) Aaron Taylor the current Assistant Fire Chief has been appointed Fire Chief upon the retirement of Chief Ralls. The latter will remain as Chief Emeritus until June 22 nd . Aaron T aylor has a total of 12 years Firefighter experience, 8 with WUP. After serving as Firefighter/Paramedic, Aaron was promoted to Fire Lieutenant in 2008 and to Assistant Fire Chief in 2010. WU which currently draws 40% of its water supply from its own wells and 60% from the City of Houston will increase its current water rate of $2.596 per 1,000 gallons by 3.6% - passing through the increase in the City of Houston’s rate. For a customer who uses 12,000 gallons per month the increase equates to 85 cents per m onth. Board Members were reminded that Election Day is Saturday May 11 and were encouraged to vote if they had not already done so. Good Neighbor Team (Toby Brooks for Michelle Moore) The April meeting took the form of a talk on “Avoiding Dehydration” by Candace Wilkinson. The May meeting will plan the June deliveries. PARD (Toby Brooks) The weekly work summaries have already been circulated to Board Members. A large shade has been installed at Weir Park to permit greater use of the children’s park facili ties as the weather gets hotter. Previous Business (George Baker) Exercise records are not yet on -line. For registering on -line the Rec Center is to consult the YMCA Weekley Family Center. New Business (Toby Brooks) A Board Meeting will be held as usual on the second Thursday in June at 2PM but no Meetings will be held in July & August. The Meeting was adjourned at 2:55PM