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Home My WebLink AboutWUSSB 02-12-2015West University Senior Services Board Meeting February 12, 2015 Present: Pieter Vrancken (Chair), Stan McCandless, Michelle Moore, Sarah Ballanfant, Selby Clark, Janet Vrancken, Candyce Beneke, Joe Mitchell, Virginia Lootens, Judy Faulkner. Absent but represented: John Palmer. Absent: George Baker, Philip Bryant, Becky Arnold, Mary Ryerson. Staff: Tim O’Connor, Toby Brooks. Guest: Councilwoman Joan Johnson. Residents in Attendance: Ms. George Smith , Mrs. Drew e s. The Meeting was called to order at 2:03PM. The Minutes of the meeting on January 8, 2015 were accepted as pre sented. Activities (Toby Brooks): The Healthy Heart lecture on February 3 rd was attended by 27 people and drew rave reviews. 1 8 people attended the Haak Winery visit. Lynn Smith’s jewelry making class was well attended . The excursion to Hunter’s Creek drew a full bus and a number of private cars. The lecture on the Katy Prairie flood control and how it affects West University was enthusiastically received. 60 residents have signed up for the Theme Meal on February. 30 residents attended the Valentine’s Day tea party organized by the Girl Scouts. An excursion for the Men’s Club to the Port of Houston is planned for Friday March 30 th . A Baylor/St. Luke’s lecture on “Stroke – the leading cause of death” is being repeated. Stan McCandless commended staff for the inventive and colorful edition of “Hi Neighbor” (new format). In thanking Stan, Toby Brooks informed the meeting that the summer edition is with the editor. APAC (Virginia Lootens) At the Feb 5 th meeting The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) representative repor ted 1) Home delivered meals continue to be supplied by Valley Foods with no problems reported; 2) Health maintenance continues with eyesight and hearing assistance and incontinence supplies. These items are funded as a bridge to help seniors develop their own long term resources; 3) Senior Guidance Directories are still available – contact Paula Johnson (AAA) on 877 393 1090; 4)Residential repair and Home Modification for fall risk has reduced the wait list for these funds. Each applicant must have 3 bids on their project. Janice Sparks Ph.D. of the Care Connection Aging and Disability Resource Center presented a program on classes to be offered that will benefit persons with disabilities, or older citizens and their families. Classes include: 1) A Matter o f Balance – to help manage falls and increase activity levels . Each class meets for two hours once a week for 8 weeks; 2) Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program; 3) Chronic Disease Self -Management Program to enhance regular treatment and disease specific ed ucation; 4) Diabetes Self - Management; 5) Home Meds program to address medication safety; 6) Hospital Care Transition improves care for people who transfer from a hospital to a nursing facility or home; 7) Operation Family Caregiver focuses on supporting r eturning Veterans and their families; 8) Stress -busting program for Family Caregivers provides caregivers with strategies to care for themselves … to prevent burnout. Information on all of the preceding programs can be obtained from the Care Connection Agi ng and Disability Resource Center at 877 -393 -1090. Approval of LGBT resolution of Marriage Equality for Same Sex Couples to be sent to Silver Haired Legislators meetings in conjunction with the State Legislature. Announcement of Bridges Conference May7 -8 i n Houston Texas sponsored by AAA. Conference aims to support long -term services and support initiatives for older adults and people with disabilities. The next meeting will be held on March 3 rd . at the Multiservice Center on West Gray. Council (Joan Johnso n): This report covers three separate Council Meetings held on January 12 th , January 26 th and February 9 th . First meeting discussed the Long Range Facilities Master Plan in particular 1) a legal opinion on the West University Baptist Church’s rights to develop property they own and 2) a Resident Survey designed by Dr. Richard Murray . A brochure explaining the essentials of the Master plan will be sent to all residents and the opinion survey will be sent to a representative sample of 1,300 homes. Approved an ordinance calling for a Joint Public Hearing on the first & final reading of the WUP Commercial Zoning. At the second Council Meeting the first of two readings on an Ordinance regarding requirements for Masonry Fence Foundation passed. A motion was mad e and approved modifying the Code of Ordinances regarding illuminating & moving signs. An Ordinance was amended regarding the prohibition of fences in the front yard. Council approved the appointment of Judy Faulkner to the Senior Services Board. Council a uthorized the City Manager to execute a contract relating to the Milton Street Ground Storage Tank Rehabilitation project. At the third Council Meeting the Insurance Services Office and the Texas State Fire Marshall’s Office presented an award to the city and our Fire Department in recognition of the new ISO Class 1 rating achieved. This can positively impact Home Owners Insurance for our residents. Council approved additional funding of $4,000 to cover costs of attorney fees for services relating to the W est University Baptist Church and Youth Center. Joint Public Hearing with Zoning and Planning Commission to solicit public comment regarding changes to zoning regulations for Non -Single Family District Areas on the perimeter and in the Town Center areas. S everal residents made their views known. Good Neighbor Team (Michelle Moore): On February 5 th all Valentine’s Day cards (136) were addressed and s ent . Team members made visits to the group. On March 19 th the spring package will be prepared comprising a bac k scrubber, a grabber, a puzzle book and stamps. PARD (Tim O’Connor): The Park Lovers’ Ball raised $437,000 towards future park projects. $24,000 will go to upgrading the playground at West U Elementary school (total project cost $250,000 – the balance bei ng provided by the PTO). The Friends of West U Parks now have reserves of $900,000. The Parks Task Force will submit the first draft of its completed report to Council on February 23 rd and the final report for approval on March 9 th . Operational Snapshot (a n account of the work of the Parks & Recreation Department) was distributed to Board members seeking their comments. The Department’s total budget is $3.148M ($217/resident). Revenue from programs is expected to increase from $1.3 M to $1.5M . Lisa Cearfoss started work on March 9 th as aquatic specialist with responsibilities which include pool maintenance. Lisa has 12 years prior experience. Joan Johnson reminded Board members that city taxes are currently $0.347/100 dollars appraised value , about half the r ate of the City of Houston. Announcement (Stan McCandless) Reminded Board members that the husband of their colleague – Candyce Beneke – had just been laid off . Advice & help had been provided by Toby Brooks and Steven Segal. Previous Business (various): T he sub -committee formed under the chairmanship of George Baker (John Palmer, Virginia Lootens, Selby Clark, Stan McCandless, Pieter Vrancken) submitted its preferred text for the census of all households. This was approved and a discussion ensued regarding the most effective ways of transmitting the text to households and eliciting a response. Toby Brooks undertook to obtain from City specialists the costs of inserting in water bills either a sheet which could be folded over and returned (with or without a stamp) or a postcard. To provide for the possibility of residents preferring to respond by e -mail Tim O’Connor undertook to set up a Senior Services e -mail address (wussb@westutx.gov ) The possibility of inserting th e text (appropriately modified) in the newsletter City Currents which is distributed to all households was also raised. Citizen’s Comments (M s. George Smith , Mrs. Drewes) M s. George Smith asked whether the Parks Task Force was recommending the acquisition of any land and was told that this remains an open question depending on whether any sites become available in a suitable location. Mrs. Drewes spoke of conditions for excursions: she fel t that all passengers should wear seat belts rather than relying on arm rests; she objected to an extra fee of $5 being added to the cost of meals on excursions; she complained that her daughter (age 41) was “bumped” from a recent excursion in favor of a s enior who was not a resident. The Meeting was adjourned at 3:17PM.