Senior Citizens Advisory Committee

Hampton Senior Citizens Advisory Committee Hampton Senior Center, 3501 Kecoughtan Road February 6, 2023 Call to Order and Welcome Chair Linda Kindred opened the meeting by welcoming all in attendance and reminded all that the attendance sheet at the back of the room was to be signed upon arrival. She added that if anyone needed to be absent from future meetings to contact her directly at 757-776-2286. She noted that if anyone had questions, to ask them at the end of the meeting. She also introduced the three newly Council-appointed board members. Opening prayer was then offered. Roll call & Approval of January Minutes Present: Linda H Kindred-Chair, Lewis Dawley III- Vice Chair, Cassandra Alston-Townsley, Lynda Burke, Martha L. Clark, Camilla Doctor, Tonya Grant, Martha C. Johnson, Phyllis Porter Absent: C’Faison (Cynthia) Harris, Gralynn Owens City/Lead Agency Reps: Mayor Donnie Tuck, David McCauley (HPRLS), Susan Elswick (HPRLS), Shantel Hudgins (HPRLS), Shaeron King (HPRLS), William Massey (PAA), Phyllis Palin (Social Services), Ethel Howell (Social Services), Sallie Taliaferro (HHN Community Services Board), Stephanie Taylor (Peninsula Foster Grandparent Program) Guests: Carolyn Heaps-Pecaro (CDD-Resilient Hampton), Camica Credle, Gloria Cross, Audrey Johnson, Sandra Luckey, Julie Savage, Georgia Scott Shantel Hudgins conducted the roll call; a quorum was present. The opportunity was given for the advisory board to review the January minutes. A motion to accept the January minutes as written was made, seconded, and unanimously approved. Opening Remarks Director McCauley gave some additional opening remarks and proceeded to discuss informative updates on special current and future events that are to occur in the city in the coming weeks/months. ❖ He shared that the Mosaic Festival will be held at Mill Point Park on April 22, 2023. It will be a combination of the Children’s International Festival, Heritage Festival, and Earth Day. 1  ❖ The Christmas Parade will be returning this year. However, the date of the parade will be published based upon approval. ❖ The Love Your City Grant deadline is February 14, 2023. The request for proposals could be awarded for up to $30,000 to enhance a program/event. Presentation – Resilient Hampton Director McCauley closed out his remarks and introduced Carolyn Heaps-Pecaro who is the Resiliency Officer for Resilient Hampton. She is also the convener for the Living with Water which is one of the strategic priorities in the city of Hampton community plan. Director McCauley also shared that the initiative Carolyn is leading for the city of Hampton is getting national recognition, winning awards, and has been benchmarked from across the region and nation. Carolyn proceeded the presentation by reintroducing herself and encouraging everyone to look at the website Resilient Hampton | Hampton, VA - Official Website to view the variety of visuals and information. Resilient Hampton is an initiative that has grown from the idea of Living with Water. It is a strategic priority that is focused on a lot of information relating to the challenges as well as all of the benefits of the coastal community that has been brought to our heritage. Living with Water does not only specifically speak on flooding, but also include all of the recreational benefits, industrial benefits, economic benefits, and cultural/environmental benefits. Overtime Resilient Hampton has seen substantial changes in the way that the flooding is occurring in the city which is in part due to global changes in our climate and patterns of development. The challenges have become more apparent due to climate changes such as sea levels rising and tides changing. Resilient Hampton was formed to help address these various issues of flooding and also continue to embrace our culture/identity as it is connected to water. The mission of the Resilient Hampton team is to envision, create, and empower Hampton to live and thrive with water and the impacts of climate change for approaches driven by data and value. Over the last seven years, they have gone through a series of planning and efforts such as the Dutch Dialogues. It occurred in 2015 where it was an inter-effort with nearby cities in Hampton Roads where they could collaborate with the collective challenges with sea levels rising. Resilient Hampton first pilot project was in the Newmarket Creek watershed. This specific water plan/project covered a large portion of the city and identified more than twenty different projects that would improve conditions and enhance the quality of life in this community. Three of these projects are pilots where they have started completing, designing, and reconstructing. They include Big Bethel Blueway, Lake Hampton, and North Armistead Avenue. Those are the three flagship resiliency projects that they are currently implementing. Big Bethel Blueway and Lake Hampton designs have just been completed and starting construction in the next several months. It may take a couple of years to complete. The Big Bethel Blueway project will help manage storm water by increasing and structuring small dams in the canal. It will also build new biking trails and walking trails. Lake Hampton project will extend the Water Walk Trail and 2 also help with the storm water flooding/tidal flooding by increasing the capacity of the lake and together with North Armistead Avenue actually raise that roadway. They’re also doing a similar study of the Newmarket Creek watershed in Downtown Hampton, Buckroe, and Phoebus. The next water plan is expected to be completed in the next couple of months. Once the plan has been given to Council, it will then go to the community. That plan will help to identify specific projects that they hope to see implemented in those three specific areas in the city. Overall, the goal is to create these waterways for the entire city as they continue to think about their resilient challenges and opportunities. Carolyn opened the floor for discussion. Lewis Dawley asked how these projects were funded. Carolyn explained that the city collects storm water fees which helps to finance a lot of the storm water projects. In addition, they are seeking state and federal grant funding. They have been successful in receiving seven different grants from the state of Virginia in the amount of 9.5 million dollars. They are currently seeking federal funding for the North Armistead Avenue project that is fairly large. Resilient Hampton does provide recommendations to Council as well. Director McCauley asked how many more projects are expected in the future. Carolyn stated that there were twenty projects identified in the first plan and there will be an additional fourteen projects in the next water plan. Carolyn also shared that their values/approach are focused on the issue of equity and equitable outcomes. They want to engage voices from throughout the community. Hampton Resilient also received the Virginia Resilient Community of the Year Award and also been recognized for innovation and funding. Linda Kindred thanked Carolyn Heaps-Pecaro for the informative presentation. She began to briefly address the titles of the subcommittees. Subcommittee Reports Linda stated that there were recent changes amongst the subcommittees and she also invited the visitors to join the subcommittees to help our neighbors within the communities. She listed the subcommittees as: The Annual Awards, Mayor’s Town Hall, and Senior Residential Living, Speaker’s Bureau, Annual Report, and Hospitality. She proceeded to give the board members and visitors an opportunity to join the subcommittees. Senior Residential Living Committee: Tonya Grant spoke on the behalf of the Senior Residential Committee and shared that two new members were added to the committee. She also thanked Mayor Tuck for helping to change their objective on how to approach which will include contacting the facilities of their purpose and also ask the facilities if they have two representatives to serve on the subcommittee board. The goal is to have it completed by the next meeting. Linda also reminded each of the subcommittee Chair’s to set up their meetings and bring back a report for the SCAC meetings. City/Lead Agency Updates Peninsula Foster Grandparent Program: Stephanie Taylor introduced herself as the new Director of the Peninsula Foster Grandparent Program. She is thrilled to grow and expand the program to increase the 3 number of volunteers and make more of a footprint in the lives of their students. Students strongly need the presence of the Foster Grandparent Program. Health and Human Services: Phyllis Palin introduced Ethel Powel-Hayward as part of the Social Services Group. She will also attend the meetings on the behalf of Social Services. PAA: Bill Massey shared a reminder in reference to the Annual Forum on Aging that will held on March 1st at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. The registration fee is five dollars which also includes lunch. Registration ends on February 20th. The speaker is Colonel Greg Gadson who is a veteran and a double amputee. Bill also noted that there is a delegation of seniors and college students to the General Assembly on February 8th to remind that there are elders and caregivers that need their support. Seniors need to be a priority to the General Assembly. The delegation will be recognized in both houses. Therapeutics: Shaeron King shared that the Special Olympics has a regional basketball tournament at Boo Williams Sportsplex. It is a free event on February 12th from 9:30am-2:30pm. Four Hampton teams will be playing in the tournament. PACE: Julie Savage introduced herself and shared that she will attend the SCAC meetings on the behalf of PACE to get more information (connections and resources) on what is offered for seniors. Public Comment Linda allowed the visitors to have an opportunity to speak. Sandra Luckey spoke about her program, After the Rain, in reference to abused women, men, and children. She would like to bring awareness to the topic. Councilman Bowman expressed that he would like to help with the senior visits that the Senior Residential Living Subcommittee spoke about earlier in the meeting. Linda also shared that Little England Cultural Center will have a valentine’s social on February 14th at 10:30am for ages fifty and over. Registration is required. She also mentioned that the TRIAD meeting will be held on February 7th at the Hampton Senior Center. It was also shared that a Healthy Food Demo will be held at West Hampton Community Center on February 21st from 12pm-2pm. Adjournment Linda closed the meeting by asking all to remember to be a ray of sunshine in someone’s cloud, adding that you may be the only person someone sees, and your smile or act of kindness will brighten someone’s day. The meeting closed with prayer and adjourned at 11:15am. Minutes submitted by Shantel Hudgins, SCAC Recorder 4