6.7.22 Minutes COA Board (1) Beverly Council on Aging Director's Meeting
Date: June 7, 2022
Place: BCOA
Members Present: Blair Smith, Claire-Marie Hart, Emeritus, Bob Hobbs, Cynthia Montalbano,
Jessica Wistran Esquire, Susan Feeney, Rich Tabbut, Barrence Whitfield, Stephanie Tallo
Staff Present: MaryAnn Holak, new Assistant Director Victoria Guskiewicz
Meeting called to order: 2:30 pm
Secretary's Report: Minutes were accepted, with one update. Stephanie Tallo was in
attendance at the May meeting.
Director's Report
Building Concerns and Usage
Carpeting for lobby and upstairs hallway to be installed by June 30, 2022
Dining Room A/C not repaired; Suite A in need of repairs, concerns about summer programming
Administration and Finance
This is the last month of the Fiscal Year, staff will be completing orders
MaryAnn provided her FY'23 Budget packet which she distributed to the City Council
FY "23 Budget; Budget Request of$762,727.12 was approved.
Outreach and Activities Assistant- 19 1/z hour position was also approved.
Program and Events
Walk in the Woods-last day of spring session on June 151h at Lynch Park.
Lemonade and Lawn games June 7 10:30 am and June 8 1-2 pm, with the new Assistant
Director, Victoria Guskiewicz.
Join our Social Work & Outreach team for a Ted Talk in honor of LGBTQ &Pride month. Free
coffee, a suggested one-dollar donation for pastries.
Senior Day in the Park Sponsor letters will be sent out soon. We are behind on the work plan
due to staff shortages. Maryann discussed our former Board Chair, Brad Gage. She spoke on
how important he was to the center and his commitment to the senior population. Also, while he
served as chair for the center he also served as chair for the Beverly Rotary Club. In Brad's
honor at the Senior Day in the Park, the Beverly Rotary donate and serve ice cream Sundaes at
Senior Day in the Park. Rotary Club is also one of the sponsors for this event.
Our Farm Share programs started. 60 participants divided into Group A and B and will get a
farm share every other week for 20 weeks of the program.
75 bags of food are distributed from Bootstraps for seniors twice a month.
Farm stand is up and running—free produce from our community garden—every Thursday.
Father's Day Lunch will be held on June 18.
Traveling Chef Burger Bar will be held on June 28
Music of Denise Doucette-June 23 2:00 to 3:00 pm - her performance is being funded by a
generous grant from the Beverly Cultural Council. Light refreshments will be served. We will
accept one dollar donation to defray the cost of refreshments.
Meetings/Clients of Concern
Case Review Meetings- housing and homelessness is still a concern.
Personnel Updates
Victoria G. started her job on June 2
We are interviewing Activities Coordinator applicants now
Marjorie O'Brien is retiring on July 27, 2022
Summer Activities Assistant started in May
Unfinished Business:
COVID update—masks are encouraged in all city buildings
Application for a Merrimack Fellow for August 2022-May 2023 still pending; Merrimack Fellow
interviews will be taking place soon.
Information update on the Oceanview/Monarch Assisted Living at 3 Essex Street
New Business
Summer programming will be affected due to the lack of air conditioning. The dining room as
well as in Suite A. The mayor has been alerted to our situation; we are waiting to hear back.
Programs like the Traveling Chef are in jeopardy; the dining room is just too warm.
Transportation Dept. short staffed due to vacations of long time drivers
Elder Abuse Awareness event will be held on June 15.
Jessica presented information on the Board Member emeritus. This program will allow Board
members in good standing to remain on the Board after they have retired their position. They
would continue to attend meetings but not be a voting member. Jessica's submission has been
approved for this to go forward by the Board. The Board voted that the first Board Member to
have this distinction will be Claire-Marie Hart.
Slate of officers for FY22 will be voted on at the next Board Meeting.
The Slate:
Blair Smith- Chair
Stefanie Tallo-Vice Chair
Richard Tabbut-Secretary (or Cynthia Montalbano)
This week we have three scheduled interviews with applicants for the Activities Director
position.
Board Members also signed up for Committee assignments as follows:
Members of Grant Committee
Blair Smith
Jessica Wistran, Esq.
Susan Feeney
Cynthia Montalbano
Members of the Awards Committee
Cynthia Montalbano
Barrence Whitfield
Bob Hobbs
Susan Feeney
Rich Tabbut
Awards Committee
The Awards Committee will hold a meeting to look over the candidates that have been
nominated for Senior of the Year on June 15, at 9:30 am. The full Board will select the
recipient/recipients at our next meeting the end of June. Nominations are due June I Oh.
Grant Committee
The Committee agreed to purchase 4 air conditioners for requests that come in during the
summer for this item.
Announcements
The next scheduled Board Meeting will be held on June 281h at 2:30 pm. The Board will not meet
in July.
Adjourned: 3: 40 pm
Respectfully Submitted:
Cynthia A. Montalbano, Secretary