Committee for Seniors & Citizens in Need

MINUTES Commitee on the Elderly and Needy Ci�zens March 27, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. The Commitee on the Elderly and Needy Ci�zens (ENCC) met on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. in the Bel Air Police Department Community Room, 39 N. Hickory Avenue, Bel Air, MD. IN ATTENDANCE: David Anderson, Public Informa�on Officer, Town of Bel Air Liaison Vickie Bands, Director, Upper Chesapeake Community Outreach; Vice-Chair of ENCC Chip Carter, LEED Coordinator, Bel Air Police Department Mary Chance, Town Commissioner, Town of Bel Air Debra Hanley, Brightview Assisted Living Bari Klein; Chair of ENCC Greg LaCour, Food Ministry, Bel Air United Methodist Church Marge McCreesh, EXP Realty, Bel Air Downtown Alliance Charles Moore, Chief of Police, Town of Bel Air Pam Moore, Recording Secretary, Town of Bel Air Kris�ne Reinhardt, Administra�ve Secretary, Town of Bel Air Jasmine Stock, Social Worker, Upper Chesapeake CTO Karen Winkowski, Administrator, Harford County Office on Aging Stephanie Zahn, Grants Coordinator, Town of Bel Air ABSENT: Marcy Aus�n, Health Officer, Harford County Health Department Kate Ledford, Captain, Harford County EMS Ronya Nassar, Popula�on Health, Harford County Health Department 1. Welcome and Introduc�ons Ms. Klein called the mee�ng to order at 8:34 a.m. 2. Review the Agenda Today’s agenda was distributed and discussed. 3. Vote and Approval of the Minutes – February 27, 2024 Ms. Hanley moved and Ms. Bands seconded the mo�on to approve the minutes of the February 27, 2024, mee�ng. The mo�on carried. 4. Old Business a. Discuss amending Town of Bel Air, MD Code: Chapter 10: Boards, Commissions and Commitees § 10- 20: Memberships; terms of office. 1  Ms. Klein noted they received some applica�ons from poten�al Commitee members. Ms. Winkowski knows of a resident at Park View Bel Air who is part of the popula�on they will serve; however, this resident has not been able to complete her online applica�on. Ms. Klein noted that two applica�ons were received, Mr. Greg LaCour who has been an ac�ve commitee member has submited an official applica�on, as well as Mr. Franklin Jones, a Bel Air resident. The discussion regarding poten�al new members will be tabled un�l the two an�cipated applica�ons are received. All present voted to approve an increase in membership from five (5) to nine (9) members. Terms will be staggered between two (2) and (3) years. Ms. Klein ques�oned when current members’ terms began and wanted to verify that members’ terms will not all end at the same �me, including poten�al members approved later this year. Ms. Reinhardt confirmed that there are currently four (4) members whose terms run through 2027 – Ms. Klein, Ms. Bands, Ms. Stock, and Ms. Winkowski. Ms. Hanley was unsure of her start date which was some�me before Covid. Ms. Reinhardt will provide a list of the current members’ terms so they can see when their expira�ons are and then stagger subsequent terms appropriately. Ms. Klein brought forth for discussion the verbiage Ms. Winkowski sent regarding atendance, as some had previously voiced it was too restric�ve, and others thought it was fine. Commissioner Chance offered that she feels that atendance is important, and offered that based on her experience with other commitees, proposed members be expected to atend at least three quarters of the scheduled mee�ngs. Considering that there are no scheduled mee�ngs in July and/or December, it was agreed that members must atend seven (7) out of ten (10) mee�ngs per annum. Ms. Winkowski pointed out the Office on Aging’s policy is that a member may not miss three (3) consecu�ve mee�ngs. Everyone agreed that if members atend fewer than seven (7) mee�ngs a year or they miss three (3) consecu�ve mee�ngs, they could face removal from the ENCC. Members agreed that sending a proxy able to speak on behalf of the organiza�on to mee�ngs was acceptable. 5. Name Change - Review of proposed changes to Town Code to reflect name change and updated language about Commitee’s mission and purpose Commissioner Chance took the proposed name change - Livability Commitee for Seniors or People in Need - before the Board of Town Commissioners last evening. Because the Town Code states that this Commitee must focus on elderly and needy citizens, the Commissioners suggested the following names for the ENCC: 1) Livability for Ci�zen’s Welfare 2) Ci�zen Livability 3) Senior Livability Commission 4) Commission on Senior Livability 5) Livability Commitee for Seniors and Ci�zens in Need 2  Ms. Zahn atended today’s ENCC mee�ng on behalf of Ms. Robertson, the Director of Economic Development, who felt the Commitee’s name should include “seniors” and “ci�zens in need.” ENCC members objected to the words “needy,” “Commission,” and “welfare,” so Op�on #1 was struck, and Op�on #3 was changed to “Commitee.” Ci�zen Livability Commitee (CLC) was suggested with the sub-tag of “serving seniors and ci�zens in need,”. Ms. Reinhardt noted that the acronym is important for whatever name is chosen. Ms. Klein suggested “Bel Air Livability Commitee (BLC),” and other members approved of this choice. Choice #1 was changed to Bel Air Livability Committee, with a sub-tag of Serving Seniors and Citizens in Need. All were in favor of this new name and sub-tag. The next Town Board mee�ng is Monday, April 1, 2024, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, and Commissioner Chance will introduce the new name of the Commitee - Bel Air Livability Commitee, Serving Seniors and Ci�zens in Need (BLC) – at that �me. She would like to have some ENCC members present at the Town Board mee�ng in support of this name change. Commissioner Chance envisions this Commitee as navigators, hearing about issues and knowing where to send people for help among all the different health groups and government agencies in Bel Air and Harford County. 6. New Business Chief Moore reported the town of Bel Air is applying for Opioid Relief Funding. There is an invita�on only mee�ng with Harford County on April 18, 2024. To receive money from the Opioid Relief Fund, an ac�on plan must be submited to the Governor’s Office of Crime Preven�on, Youth, and Vic�m Services (GOCAP) for approval. Chief Moore confirmed that the Town of Bel Air has already submited their ac�on plan for these funds; however, Harford County is s�ll in the process of working on their ac�on plan and intends to seek input at the April 18 mee�ng. A large amount of funding is available, but there are very stringent parameters regarding the use of these funds. Chief Moore stated there must be a nexus with opioid issues and believed intermitent progress reports are required. Some sugges�ons for spending Opioid Relief Funds: • Ms. Winkowski noted that the elderly community also struggles with addiction. Funds could be used to help this community, as many elderly are prescribed large amounts of opioids for pain from joint replacement, dental surgery, etc. and become addicted. Also, having large amounts of prescription pills around allows children and grandchildren access to opioids. • Safe needle-drop locations/facilities or needle exchanges. Chief Moore noted that while he supports harm reduction strategies, he is hesitant to get involved with needle exchanges. He noted, however, that Bel Air was one of the first communities to support community available Narcan. • Mr. Carter noted that citizens with suicidal ideation can be supported and connected to the Klein Family Center for help. Harford County is implementing a “Code Responder” program in which a mental health provider responds with a law enforcement officer to certain mental health and addiction situations. Funding could be used for such a program in Bel Air. 3  • Ms. Bands gets many calls asking where to drop off unused/unwanted narcotics and needles. Harford County is hosting a Drug Take Back Day on April 27. Sharps can be discarded in the trash (after being put in a coffee can, glass jar, etc.). Because it is an expense to operate and empty the drug drop off bin in the Bel Air Police Department lobby, and it always fills up so quickly, Funds could be used to support the drop off bin or provide Deterra bags, which render medication inert, for distribution in the community. • Funding can be used to support the Bel Air United Methodist Church (BAUMC) lunch kitchen which provides services for those in need. The United Way, through Amazon, donates items to the BAUMC food bank. • Vouchers to hotels for the homeless. Currently, funding from Opioid Relief Funds supports Mr. Carter’s salary. Chief Moore suggested that the ENCC can provide letters of support for the Town’s proposal at the County’s April 18th meeting. Ms. Klein asked that Committee members contact Chief Moore prior to April 11 with suggestions related to the opioid crisis. 7. Stakeholder Comments Ms. Winkowski mentioned that the April 15 Transitions Learning Collaborative (TLC) session (9 a.m. – noon) at the Emergency Operations Center will focus on transit. The TLC session on May 20 will focus on low-income support services such as SNAP, emergency funds, the energy assistance program, the Care Transformation Team, etc. This seminar series is targeted towards professionals. Chief Moore suggested putting a link to TLC on the ENCC page on the Town of Bel Air website, and Mr. Anderson agreed to implement. Commissioner Chance would like committee members to provide - home address, home phone numbers, personal cell phone should she need to reach them outside of business hours. 8. Adjournment The mee�ng was adjourned at 9:35 a.m. Next mee�ng: April 24, 2024, 8:30 a.m. in the Police Department Community Room. Ms. Klein noted that she will not be able to atend this mee�ng. APPROVED: May 22, 2024 Signature on file _______________________________________ Bari Klein, Chair Signature on file _______________________________________ David Anderson, Town Liaison 4