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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 q - � 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 y � - 3 f 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 z114 - N r 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. I