1989-11-17 CITY OF ENCINITAS
SENIOR CITIZEN COMMISSION
MINUTES
Meeting Date: November 17, 1989 ; 1: 00 p.m.
1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Chairperson William Quinn called the meeting to order at 1: 00
p.m.
Present: Chairperson Quinn, Commissioners Hartley, Searle,
Rudolph, Ash and Motley.
Absent: Vice Chairperson Wessel.
Also
Present: James Ellis, Recreation Superintendent and
Jacqueline Reynolds, Office Specialist.
2 . PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Oral Comments (maximum of three minutes) will be heard from
people who submit a speaker' s white slip to the Recreation
i Superintendent. No action may legally be taken on such non
agenda items.
4. CLOSING AND ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDARS
A. Approval of Minutes for October 20, 1989 .
COMMISSIONER HARTLEY MOVED, SEARLE SECONDED TO APPROVE
MINUTES OF OCTOBER 20, 1989. MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
5. PRESENTATION BY SARAH ROSENFIELD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMUNITY
RESOURCE CENTER
Sarah Rosenfield, the Executive Director of the Community
Resource Center, spoke to the Commission about the history of
the Community Resource Center in the Encinitas area. Ms.
Rosenfield told the Commission that the Resource Center was
° founded in 1979 and is a non-profit charitable corporation.
The Center offers a wide range of social services to North
Coastal communities. The services provided by -the Center are
entirely Community funded and assist approximately 1, 300
clients each month.
The Resource Center located at 656 Second Street in Encinitas
provides counseling, legal advice, information and referral,
a 24 hour crisis intervention hot-line in addition to various ,
other services from Del Mar to Leucadia.
Ms. Rosenfield outlined to the Commission services that the
Community Resource Center provides to seniors:
Commodities distribution are scheduled once a month.
This program provides USDA surplus food to the
Community in the form of butter, flour, rice, cheese
etc.
Christmas Basket Program is for the needy in the
Community. Last year the Center provided 300
Christmas Baskets, ' 64 of which were given to
seniors.
Information referral
- Low cost housing referral
Legal advice
Ms. Rosenfield stated there is a need for more low cost
housing for seniors in the Encinitas area. She advised the
Commission "that HUD is a source of assistance for information
on low- income housing.
Commissioner Rudolph asked Ms. Rosenfield how to find seniors
in the Community who need help.
Ms. Rosenfield suggested the Commission contact newspapers,
doctor' s offices, religious leaders, the Senior Center and
other agencies in the Community to find seniors in need of
services. She went on to say positiveiL�volvement of seniors —
in the Community is very important and helps prevent seniors
from becoming isolated.
The Commission thanked Ms. Rosenfield for taking time from her
busy schedule to address the Commission.
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
6A. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT ON AN "ALERT" PROGRAM IN ENCINITAS FOR
SENIOR CITIZENS.
Commissioner Quinn asked Superintendent Ellis to address the
Commission on the Alert Program.
Superintendent Ellis told the Commission the Subcommittee On
the Alert Program met November 3rd and has recommended to
defer endorsing this program until additional information is
received from AAA.
Commission Rudolph informed the Commission the Area Agency on
Aging founded the Alert Program. She explained in the past
the Alert Program was operated jointly with the Post Office.
AAA is going to expand the program to include SDG&E and the
telephone company.
It was decided the subcommittee studying the Alert Program
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will make their recommendation to the Commission after
receiving updated information and policy on the involvement
of utility companies with the program.
6B. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT ON SENIOR AIDE POSITION AVAILABLE THROUGH
ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES FUNDED UNDER TITLE V OF THE OLDER
AMERICANS ACT
Commissioner Hartley told the Commission the Subcommittee has
studied the Senior Aide Position and found it desirable for
the City. He explained this position could be well supervised
and used by the Community Services Department.
COMMISSIONER HARTLEY MOVED, MOTLEY SECONDED THAT THE CITY
COUNCIL ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES
IN SAN DIEGO TO PROVIDE A WORK SITE FOR A SENIOR AIDE
POSITION. MOTION CARRIED. 6-0.
7 . NEW BUSINESS
None.
8. COMMISSIONER' S CORNER
Chairperson Quinn asked the Commission if any of the
subcommittees were having a problem gathering information.
Commissioner Motley told the Commission knowing where to go
for information had been a. problem. She added the assignments
sometimes appear to be duplication of information already
available to the Community.
Superintendent Ellis reminded the Commission the charge is to
gather information strictly for Encinitas not for all of North
County.
Commissioner Rudolph commented the Directions publication has
been a wealth of information for her subcommittee.
Commissioner Ash gave the Commission a copy of a letter she
received from Assemblyman Friedman stating that the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services is threatening to
reduce the medically needy income level in California. The
letter went on to explain this cut would result in single
Social Security recipients and pensioners having to live on
$458 per month, rather than the current $600 per month, in
order to get Medi-Cal.
Chairperson Quinn told the Commission the Mayor has requested
all the data compiled by each subcommittee be made available
to City Council for work shop purposes. He reported on the
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monthly entertainment program at the Senior Center and asked
the Commissioners to donate their time -and talent to assist
in the continuation of this program. The month of December
will have a Christmas theme with a visit from Santa Claus who
will hand out gifts to the seniors.
Chairperson Quinn told the Commission the van has been well
accepted by the seniors and the Volunteer Driver Program is
being successfully scheduled and operated. He stated more
volunteer drivers are needed.
Commissioner Searle suggested the Senior Center might initiate
bus trips for seniors as well as afternoon dances which are
popular activities at the Lemon Grove Senior Center. He also
announced Target is planning a Holiday Senior Shopping Day in
December which will be a time for seniors to shop and
socialize.
Commissioner Hartley stated the need to focus on the
Commissions first goal of gathering information in order to
compile a list of resources available in the community. He
added that perhaps the Commission needs to request
professional help in establishing this list. He said that he
feels the Commission has not been aggressive enough in their
approach to producing accurate reports.
Commissioner Rudolph told the Commission establishing
deadlines on reports is necessary and would help subcommittees
focus on completing reports.
Commissioner Motley stated she has all the information
available on Housing for the Encinitas area in outline form.
She said her problem was translating this information and
typing the Commission's established report form.
Chairperson Quinn reminded the Commissioners each is
responsible for a subcommittee. He requested that each
• subcommittee have a report ready for the January 19th
Commission Meeting. He stated the subcommittees are moving
along in the right direction and there is enough "brain-power"
on the Commission to produce accurate reports for City
Council. He told the Commission the Alive and Well
Subcommittee will have a report ready for the January 19th
Commission Meeting.
Chairperson Quinn asked Superintendent Ellis if he would
comment on this subject.
Superintendent Ellis reminded the Commission of the need to:
1. List services available in the community
2 . Prioritize issues the Commission will study and make.
recommendations to City Council
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Superintendent Ellis explained each committee needs to
establish a priority system listing the issues they plan to
cover. As an example Transportation has established a Van
and Dial-A-Ride Program for seniors. He added, however, these
programs need to be maintained. As a Commission we need
direction to continue addressing issues that are effecting
seniors.
Chairperson Quinn requested this subject be added to the
January Agenda for further discussion. It needs to be
determined if professional help is needed or if the Commission
feels that it is within their scope to organize their
information so it can be studied.
Commissioner Hartley announced his writing class has put
together a book of Christmas stories which will sell for $6.
The proceeds of the, sales of this book will go to benefit the
Senior Center.
9. ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 3 : 45 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be Friday, January 19, 1990; at
1: 00 P.M.
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