2002-07-02City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Council on Aging
Subcommittee: n/a
Date: Tuesday, July 2, 2002
Place: Beverly Council on Aging/Senior Community Center
Board Members present: Susan Albiero-Gadbois, Joe Detorre, Mary Lou Mital,
Margaret Sullivan, Thomas Scully, and Cynthia Montalbano
Board Members absent: Kathy Burns, Joan Fairbanks, Robert Marshall
Others present: Leslee Breen, Executive Director, and BCOA
Peter Nuccio, an invited guest, spoke to the board members about the history of Beano at
the Senior Center. It was the only local smoke-free beano and was well attended by
beano enthusiasts. Volunteers number about 93, most of them have been active for more
than 5 years, but new volunteers are constantly being needed. Profits from Beano are
used to help the center meet unexpected financial expenses such as additional heating
cost and bus transportation cost.
Susan called the meeting to order at 2:50 p.m.
SECRETARY’S REPORT:
The reading of the minutes of the May meeting was dispensed and accepted as presented.
(Joe with motion, Margaret with second)
DIRECTOR’S REPORT:
Leslee reported on the use of the building for June--4 Beanos, 1 MBTA, 1 Board of
Health, 1 Recreation Dept. Leslee explained that through a State Grant, computers have
been purchased for use by seniors. and high-speed Internet Lines have been provided
which is being paid for through funds from the computer classes. The budget for next
year has been finalized and it includes $36,000 in cuts. Leslee is grateful that no staff
cuts were necessary, and she is investigating ways to help handle the items cut. Motion
to accept Director’s report was made by Cynthia and seconded by Mary Lou. Motion
accepted.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
At the June meeting of Friends, a financial advisor spoke on the benefits of investing
funds in CDs and Money Market Funds. The Friends voted to invest $20,000 in a CD
being offered at the Beverly Cooperative Bank. Future investment opportunities are
being investigated.
LEGISLATIVE REPORT:
Leslee spoke of a recent article written in a newsletter on Senior Care and the Legislature.
It was on a poll of future candidates for political office—and they gave their concerns
and thoughts on three biggest concerns of the elderly, which are: 1. Coverage of
prescription drugs, 2. Low-income housing, and 3. Long-term care.
OLD BUSINESS:
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Senior Day in the Park is coming along satisfactorily. It will be August 8, and 500 are
expected to attend.
NEW BUSINESS:
All nominations for Senior of the Year were reviewed, and a winner was chosen. The
Senior of the Year will be announced at the Senior Day in the Park. Selling bricks as a
fundraiser was tabled until the next meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: None
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Cynthia told the board of an incident relating to seniors that she
was involved with at the Red Cross office where she works. She received a phone call
from a family member of a senior resident of Beverly who is blind and whose roommate
is in a wheelchair. Their refrigerator was non-functioning and they did not have the
funds to replace it among other problems they were facing in their care. Cynthia called
Senior Care who were unable to help the couple due to budget cuts and programs that
they could no longer handle, and they referred Cynthia to Bootstraps who were able to
solve the problem. They immediate contacted Mass Electric 48-hour Emergency Line,
which replaced the refrigerator in a short period of time. Bootstraps will continue to
monitor to couple as to their needs. An interesting story on the workings of a local
community and its help for the elderly.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:55p.m.
NEXT MEETING: August 6, 2:30p.m. Senior Center.