Council on Aging Board

The City of Lowell • Council on Aging 276 Broadway Street • Lowell, MA 01854 P: 978.674.4131 • F: 978.970.4134 www.LowellMA.gov _ Council on Aging (COA) Advisory Board Meeting Minutes Monday, May 10, 2021 at 9:00am via Phone Conference I. Roll Call: Attending: Joyce Dastou, Mary Donnelly, Beverly Gonsalves, Lillian Hartman (Director), Andrew Hostetler (Chair), John Lawlor Absent: Vincenzo Milinazzo, Anne-Marie Porter II. Pledge of Allegiance: III: Approval of Minutes: March 8 Meeting: Motion made by John Lawlor and seconded by Mary Donnelly. Approved unanimously. April 12 Meeting: Motion made by John Lawlor and seconded by Beverly Gonsalves. Approved unanimously. IV. Chairperson’s Report: Andy provided follow-up information related to the March focus group at the D’Youville Saab Residence, which focused on empowerment. There will be an Older Adult Action Group meeting on May 24, with Spanish and Khmer translators available. We discussed the recent collaborative project with the UMass Lowell Music Department and the possibilities for future collaborations. There are currently two open Board seats and we will check in with the City Manager’s office for an update. V. Director’s Report: Lillian went over the Director’s Report for May. One of the important issues she mentioned is that we will all have to attend Ethics Training. Lillian has said that the Senior Center needs new flooring. She is waiting to find out if Senator Kennedy will sponsor an amendment for $75,000 for the Senior Center. If not, the Friends plan to apply for a $100,000 Cummings Foundation grant. Andy will help Lillian with grants, especially Title 3 (2 Year Funding). Lillian also stated that she hopes to be fully opened by August. Our next meeting will be an in-person meeting. VI. Committee Reports: a. Outreach: The committee has not met, so there was no Report, and there are currently no meetings scheduled. b. HAC: Representatives from the HAC attended a meeting for a collaborative food assessment project being spearheaded by Mill City Grows. The availability of healthy foods and transportation issues were among the biggest concerns identified for seniors thus far. We also to need make sure that Meals on Wheels is included in the survey portion of the study. VII. Items for Discussion:  The City of Lowell • Council on Aging 276 Broadway Street • Lowell, MA 01854 P: 978.674.4131 • F: 978.970.4134 www.LowellMA.gov a. Old Business: None b. New Business: Lillian discussed a Library survey on user satisfaction. This included questions on both the main Branch and the Senior Center branch. Eligible Meals on Wheels volunteers can get 100-hours credits on their property taxes. Visitors are currently unable to bringing food into the Senior Center. In addition to restaurant COVID restrictions, our dining room is closed because it is a vaccine site. VII. Other: Next month will be an in-person meeting. Adjournment: Motion by John Lawlor, seconded by Joyce Dastou. Approved unanimously. Next meeting Monday, June 14, at 9 am.