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Aging & Disability Commission - Minutes

Meeting date: 
Tuesday, March 16, 2021

AGING AND DISABILITY COMMISSION

Via Google Meet to Facebook Live

Regular Meeting March 16, 2021 – 7:00 pm

AGING AND DISABILITY COMMISSION – REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

MARCH 16, 2021

SUBJECT TO APPROVAL

A regular meeting of the Aging and Disability Commission was held at 7:00 pm on March 16, 2021 via Google Meet.

PRESENT

Robin Batchelder, Jan Beatty, Victor Bible, Joanne Cohen, Cheryl Cook, Anne Erickson, Sandee Fleet, Terry Henault, Shannon Knall, Kate Robbins, Diana Yeisley, Susan Ray (Library), Kathleen Marschall (Senior Center Coordinator)

EXCUSED

Mike Jennings, Erin Leavitt-Smith, and Wendy Mackstutis (Board of Selectmen Liaison)

CALL TO ORDER: Ms. Yeisley, Chairperson, called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited.

PUBLIC AUDIENCE/PUBLIC COMMENTS

No public comments received.

Chris Canna, Vice President, Real Estate Development, CIL – Housing for IDD Community in CT and MA, spoke about housing for the disability community. Mr. Canna provided a brief history of CIL (Corporation for Independent Living), which was founded in Connecticut in 1979 to develop housing for people coming out of the state training institutions.CIL has developed almost 900 group homes between Connecticut and Massachusetts. CIL recently did a factory conversion in Hartford that created 72 apartments, 10% of which were set aside for those with disabilities. CIL is more recently interested in seeing development of a greater mix of housing alternatives for people with disabilities. Ms. Cook asked how CIL identifies spaces conducive to group homes.Mr. Canna said over the past 7 or 8 years CIL has typically looked for single family ranches; CIL is not looking for zone changes. Ms. Batchelder noted that income qualifications are challenging re access to group homes. Ms. Cook noted that the cross-section of aging with disabilities is of particular concern for our residents.

ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES – Regular Meeting of February 16, 2021

Mr. Bible noted that the Spring Seminar will be 6:30-7:30, not 6:30-8, on April 14. Mr. Bible made a motion to accept the amended minutes and Ms. Cook seconded; minutes were unanimously accepted with the one correction.

BOARD OF SELECTMEN (BOS) LIAISON REPORT

Ms. Mackstutis reported via Ms. Yeisley that the Community Center/Senior Center has been taken off the town’s 6-year capital improvement plan along with many other items given the needs of the Board of Education and the Latimer Lane renovation. Other requests from the BOE for future school expansions (Henry James 6th grade) were also taken off the plan. Ms. Mackstutis asked at the March 10 BOS meeting if there was any way to include the Community Center/Senior Center and was told it was not possible looking at the current CIP. She also noted that the renovations to the parking lot of the PAC, and the ADA access was included on the budget for this coming year. The town will be bonding for the balance of the non-grant portion, which is about 600K bond, 100K grant.

SENIOR CENTER REPORT

Ms. Marschall noted that it was a year ago when all programs were cancelled because of the pandemic.  The Senior Center is still doing virtual programming, weekly Grab n Go meals, and monthly cheese days, the most recent of which had participants of 114 households, 48 of which were senior households, and 29 deliveries were made. She reported that phone calls for vaccines have slowed down, but the center is still taking names of people needing vaccines and passing those on to Farmington Valley Health District for help in finding appointments.  Ms. Cook noted that Ms. Marschall was doing a great job with virtual programming.

OLD BUSINESS

  • COVID Vaccination Schedule and Distribution: Ms. Yeisley noted that the focus has shifted to educators/day care providers, but Hartford Health Care has a mobile unit and announced a new preregistration system.Ms. Ray added that, starting April 6, vaccines will be given by appointment through the Farmington Valley Health District at the Simsbury Library.
  • Spring Seminar: Mr. Bible noted the date is April 14, 6:30-7:30 pm, for the AARP presentation “Road to Livability” via the library’s Zoom account. In order to promote the event, Ms. Marschall said the Senior Center can do an email blast, Ms. Ray will put on the Simsbury Neighbors listserv and library newsletter, and Ms. Cook will put on the town page and Simsbury CT FB page.
  • Age Friendly Community Update: Ms. Yeisley noted that she attended a monthly webinar of the AARP Age Friendly Community group that focused on biking and walking in your community.She wondered if there might be Interest in town in becoming a walk-friendly community.Ms. Cook suggested the Simsbury Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee might be interested and would bring it to their attention. Ms. Yeisley received a grant proposal form from AARP which will be relayed to the town.
  • Disability Friendly Community Update: No report.
  • COVID Survey and Outreach: Ms. Robbins noted that the listing has transformed and become important Social Service and phone numbers that could be sent out.Ms. Marschall said it could be included in the 1300 they mail newsletter to. Ms. Robbins will get additional quotes for printing and mailing.
  • Affordable Housing Update: Ms. Yeisley noted that there is a bill before the state and again stated the commission’s concern about the importance of this issue.
  • Facebook Page Update: Ms. Yeisley noted we are waiting for official town approval for a Facebook page.
  • Spring Fling Event: Ms. Yeisley noted she will prepare a flyer for the gardening event to be held April 24, 10:00 AM.St. Mary’s has agreed to provide seed and treats.Ms. Marschall noted they have about 100 egg cartons that can be used; both the Senior Center and library can be pick-up locations for the items.
  • Policies and Procedures: Ms. Yeisley will report in future.

NEW BUSINESS

  • Multi-Town Commission on Aging representative: Ms. Yeisley attended a meeting on March 9 with representatives from Granby and E. Granby Aging Commissions (Suffield commission representative was absent). She noted that they propose establishing a Simsbury representative to meet bi-monthly with them to discuss how resources could be shared. The next meeting will be in May. To be addressed further at April commission meeting.
  • FAVARH Book Club: Ms. Yeisley noted that the librarian at Canton Public Library would like to start a book club for developmentally disabled adults.
  • Senior Center Proposal for FY 26/27: Ms. Yeisley reiterated what Ms. Mackstutis reported about it being taken off the town plan.
  • John Hampton – Legislative Update for A&D related items at April Meeting: Ms. Yeisley noted that Mr. Hampton will attend the April commission meeting.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, a request to adjourn the meeting was made by Mr. Bible and seconded by Ms. Knall. The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 pm.

Next meeting:  April 20, 2021 at 7 pm via Google Meet.

Submitted by,

Jan Beatty

Secretary