HomeMy WebLinkAboutWUSSB 11-14-2013West University Senior Services Board Meeting November 14, 2013 Present: Stan McCandless (Chair), Pieter Vrancken, George Baker, Michelle Moore, Philip Bryant, Sarah Ballanfant, Selby Clark, Janet Vrancken, John Palmer, Candyce Beneke, Mary Ryerson, Joe Mitchell, Virginia Lootens. Absent: John Neighbors, Becky Arnold. Staff: Toby Brooks, Patricia Noren. Guest: Councilwoman Joan Johnson. The Meeting was called to order at 2:10PM. All Board members took their oaths of office. The minutes of the previous mee ting were approved as presented. Activities & Previews (Toby Brooks) Two separate trips were made to familiarize seniors with procedures for using the Metro bus & train system (21 people in total). An excursion to Nina Springer’s farm in Brazoria county at tracted 17 participants. A cooking demonstration organized with the help of Cathy Oliver drew an attendance of 14. A full bus load visited the waste water treatment plant on South Braeswood. Visits are planned to a bamboo plantation and to Prasek’s smokeho use in El Campo. A band performance will take place at 2PM on Sunday December 8 and a gourmet chocolate making demonstration is scheduled for December 18. Participation will cost $3. APAC (Virginia Lootens) AAA’s budget for next year was approved. Even wi th reduced funding all levels of service are to be provided. Texas Dept. of Health & Human Services is encouraging AAA to reach out to managed care organizations to discuss possible partnerships, in case funding cuts arise in the future. Medicare open enro llment is going strong despite the confusion with Marketplace Affordable Care Act programs. The 1115 Waiver program involving the City of Houston Health Department, AAA and Methodist Hospital was described in earlier reports. The re -admittance rate has dro pped 20% and there are now only 10% of persons requiring re -admittance within 30 days of release.AAA is supervising the paper application program for the Health Insurance Marketplace. There are to be new requirements for hiring Navigators which seem likel y to restrict and slow up the number of candidates hired. Applicants can phone 832 -393 -5423 or 855 -892 -8082. 650 volunteers are needed for the Thanksgiving Home project . Contact Beverly Brownlow at 832 -393 -4389. HealthSherpa.com provides lists of medical insurance plans in every area of the country. COUNCIL (Joan Johnson) This report covers Council Meetings from Sept 9 thru Nov 11. The recycling Center is to be closed since it is losing $200,000 PA. WU residents have an alternative with curbside recycling . A budget for calendar year 2014 of $39,230,312 was adopted. The budget will be funded with a tax rate of $.374 per $100 of assessed property value, a decrease of $ .00011 from the rate for 2013. West U residents who applied for positions on Boards & Comm issions (except Friends of West U Parks and Seniors Board) were interviewed and the appointed to the appropriate Board or Commission. The appointment or re -appointment of Senior Services Board Members were also approved. Houston Galveston Area Council, on which West U is already represented by our Mayor, nominated and approved Councilman Dick Yehle as the WU alternate to the 2014 General Assembly. The City Manager was authorized to support the 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon scheduled on January 19. Council d iscussed changing the City’s Schedule of Fees including Senior Fees for the Recreation Center and Colonial Park . Currently Seniors (over 65) do not pay operational fees to these facilities. After discussion (which included having seniors pay the same fees as other Residents) it was decided that starting in 2014 Seniors would pay 50% of the normal adult fee ($180 for the Recreation Center and $75 for Colonial Park Pool) so $90 for the Recreation Center and $37.50 for Colonial Park. Council approved a Memoran dum of Understanding with Tri -Sports for the year 2014 for the Youth Sports Program at West U Elementary, Recreation Center and South Campus and approved an additional contribution of $20,000 to this operation. Without Tri -Sports , West U would have to add staff and management to offer youth sports. Discussion of Fee Schedule as it Affects Seniors: Board Members present deplored the decision of Council without prior consultation of the Seniors Board and resolved to attend Council Meeting on Monday November 1 8 to present a Statement from the Seniors Board making its views known and seeking to maintain the current principle by which Seniors have free admission to the Recreation Center and Colonial Park. Alternatives considered were the adoption of the newly pro posed fees but only to Seniors between 65 and 75, or the acceptance by Council of waivers for Seniors with meager means. Good Neighbor Team (Michelle Moore) The next meeting (for addressing Thanksgiving Cards) will take place at 2PM on November 21. The pro vision of Medical ID cards to the 140 qualifying seniors served by the GNT was discussed, highlighting the need for security. Pick -up and delivery of Poinsettias will take place on December 11. PARD (Toby Brooks) Members have received the PARD weekly opera tions reports issued since the last Board Meeting. Appointment of Chairman (Stan McCandless) The Board unanimously selected Pieter Vrancken to serve as Chairman following the resignation of John Neighbors. The Meeting adjourned at 3:10PM Certain members remained behind to prepare a draft of the Statement to be presented to Council.