COA 6-23-20Beverly Council on Aging
Board of Director's Meeting
Date: June 23, 2020
Place: Telephone Conference via Google Meet
Members Present: Claire -Marie Hart, Robert Hobbs, Jessica Wistran, Susan Feeney
Staff Present: MaryAnn Holak, Samatha Kossow
Meeting called to order: 2:36 pm
Secretary's Report: Motion to table the acceptance of the March 2020 minutes until the August
meeting was made by Robert Hobbs, seconded by Jessica Wistran. All in favor.
Director's Report:
Building Concerns and Usage
• The building has been closed since March 16`h. We do not have a hard date for reopening.
• We have prepared a draft plan for reopening, this plan will have to be approved by the Mayor
and Board of Health.
• There are 4 -5 COA staff working in the building, and the Board of Health have 6 staff members
working in the building. BOH staff have expanded their offices into the Arts & Crafts room and
the conference room in order to accommodate social distancing.
Administration and Finance
• There are only a few days left in the in the fiscal year. The City Budget has been frozen since
March of this year except for payroll, heat, and electricity.
• We have spent around 90% of the budget thus far, and will probably spend the rest of it down
this week.
• MaryAnn had budget meetings with the Mayor and City Council. The budget was approved with
only a few cuts in transportation as we are not sure when the buses will be back on the roads.
• The Enterprise budget is not currently receiving and revenue in so we are unable to spend out of
it at this time.
Programs and Events
The tax preparation program was cancelled. 59 people were impacted by this cancellation.
Remote raffles were held for Mother's Day and Father's Day for gift cards in lieu of the parties
that would have been regularly scheduled.
Other programming has moved online. Joanne's Exercise Class and Arthritis Exercise with Gail
are playing regularly on BevCam Channel 8. Yoga is available via Facebook Live and Zoom.
Our Facebook page has been very active as well.
Meetings /Activities /Clients of Concern
We submitted an application for a Merrimack College Community Engagement Fellow, but
ultimately decided to withdraw our application due to funding concerns.
A Salem State intern from the Masters of Social Work Program will be with us through May of
2021 and is currently working remotely. If the Breakfast Club program is able to resume this
Fall, she will be in charge of that program.
Personnel Updates
• There are still vacancies for Outreach Coordinator and Transportation Coordinator.
• We have a posting at City Hall for a seasonal assistant, but we may not be able to hire for that as
we are not open right now.
• We have offered an unpaid internship to a Montserrat College student. That is currently pending.
• Most staff have been working a combination of at home and office. The bus drivers have not
been able to work at all. Marjorie is working a bit at home starting this week calling people and
sending cards. Elaine has not been in the office either and is moving out of state shortly.
Claire -Marie Hart made a motion to accept the director's report as written, Robert Hobbs seconded. All
in favor.
Committee Reports
Grant Committee
• The Grant Committee has not met since the pandemic began. We have received a number of
requests for air conditioners this summer already. We were able to purchase 5 air conditioners.
Of those 5 purchased, we have received 3 requests for air conditioners that have been fulfilled.
• The expenditures for this year are $2,613.73. In previous years, the Grants Committee would
consider working to spend this line item down but this year due to changes in funding that will
most likely not be happening.
Committee report accepted.
Awards Committee
• Nominations for two candidates were sent via mail to committee members. They are marked
"Candidate A" and "Candidate B ".
All votes were cast in favor of Candidate A.
Committee report accepted.
Unfinished Business
• The Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal had a request to combine the two part time outreach
worker positions into one full time outreach position. That was not approved for this year.
• All union staff got a 2.5% raise this year, and that will continue through FY 2021.
• All staff who have been unable to work are still being paid — there have been no layoffs or
furloughing of employees.
• Beverly Main streets submitted an application to the AARP Challenge Grant to purchase 50
raised beds installed in the houses of seniors. We will hear if the application was accepted by
mid -July.
New Business
COVID -19 Response
• During the COVID -19 pandemic, the Senior Center staff have been working and providing
services and support.
• Amanda Kirk, LICSW has been taking on all of the high -risk clients and connecting them to
resources. We were able to hire our Salem State Social Work intern, Owen Kennedy, as a Social
Work Assistant.
• We have done large -scale robo - calls, sent cards, and are sending Birthday cards. We have been
receiving a number of phone calls, initially those calls were mostly focused on food access.
• Transportation is not currently operating — we are connecting people to other options.
Dishwasher replacement
• The dishwasher is 28 years old and needs to be replaced. It will cost approximately $10,000.
SemorCare is helping with the cost of the replacement.
Eastern Bank Donation
• Eastern Bank has made a $10,000 donation towards helping low and moderate income seniors
who have been impacted by the COVID -19 pandemic.
• This will also help to fund the Curbside Visits program.
Institution for Savings Donation
• Donated 30 insulated lunch bags with gifts inside. These will be used on the first curbside visits.
Senior Day in the Park
• Senior Day in the Park for 2020 has been cancelled for safety. We are working to still make the
Brad Gaige Ice Cream Social, but that is still in progress. The Senior of the Year ceremony will
still occur in some fashion.
Announcements
A slate of officers needs to be chosen at the August meeting. A vote will occur in September.
Meeting adjourned: 3:31 pm
Next Board Meeting: August 4, 2020
Respectfully Submitted, Samatha Kossow