Montpelier Senior Activity Center Advisory Council

Minutes of MSAC Advisory Board Meeting March 19, 2014 City Hall Called to order at 1:40 pm Present: MSAC Director, Janna Clar; Board Members: Peter Harris, Tina Muncy, Janet Ressler, Sylvia Kingsbury, Fran Krushenick, and Sue Stukey. Members absent: Jane Osgatharp, Frank Wood and Liz Dodge. Minutes of the January 22 meeting were approved with one change: The MSAC Annual Meeting will be on June 26, 2014. Old Business: 1. Comments from Members: a. First in Fitness: Some problem with others using the two MSAC lanes during week. Other folks need to be reminded. Also, the door to entrance needs a “handicap push” bar and we should also ask management to not clean the hot tub during MSAC times on Tuesday and Thursday, so that members can use it then. b. Member/Registration Fees: Some feel it is not a good idea to promote a reduced fee, (late joiners, city employees, etc.) but all should be asked to pay the same. Other ideas to promote joining: send free newsletter with “we miss you” stickers; also, get a telephone list of non-renewers and Board Members will call to get feedback and let them know we miss them. c. Question about $8.50 fee for Annual Meeting Luncheon: $ is important for Just Basics; Moved: to: “Use a sliding scale from $5.00 to $8.50 as the cost of the meal at the 2014 Annual Meeting”. (The cost to Just Basics would be subsidized by MSAC). (Passed) d. Still hearing requests for “more activities for older elders”, but hear no specifics. Some complaints that activities like the NM trip are “too much walking”. We do already try to plan trips for all level of abilities. New Business: 1. Response to Director’s News and Updates, (sent out earlier): a. Annual Meeting: Thursday, June 26 at 1:00 pm. (Sue and Janet cannot attend.) 10 am: Old Board meets, 12:00 noon, lunch and meeting, 2:00 pm: new Board meets. Question about $8.50 fee for lunch connected with the meeting. (See motion above). b. Registration has been strong for this semester. Janna clarified fee structure. New workshops are priced to not be subsidized at all, or very little. c. Discussion re: offering a half-price membership for those who have not renewed yet. (See above) d. Personnel Updates: Dan Groberg doing great job with Program and Development. James is now onsite three evenings a week and making good progress in promoting MSAC on Front Porch Forum, Facebook and local media. Lise is working well in her expanded role and hours. e. MySeniorCenter progressing, but slowly. Tina suggests staff take a day-long “education day” to work on it. The system has not worked as well as it should and a paper trail is essential. Our class and payment structure is complex. We will need lots of volunteer training as well, for registering on-line, using credit cards, etc. Our goal: for everyone be able to use a touch screen, to log-in, register, etc. on line. f. Registration going well. Board would like easy way to explain to others increased fees and dues. This is on the new Budget Committee’s Agenda. Suggestions: Let people know actual cost of programs (including overhead) and allow folks to pay more if they want to; One time a year say, “this is the cost of each class, pay what you feel is right and you can afford”. Guidelines are: no subsidies for new programs. d. Town Meeting results were successful in the current five participating towns, and hopeful for the future in Plainfield. Question: Is there (or should there be) any financial penalty for towns who didn’t support us…not class by class, but overall. e. Facility: Janna reported on progress re: partitions from “Portable Partitions.com”. They would make a significant difference in sound quality. A few folks agreed to go with Janna to see the partitions being used at Peoples’ Health and Wellness Clinic to check them out. We hope to purchase them soon. ($6000) The new wall-mounted screen for upstairs will be ready soon. Other small improvements continue. f. Rentals: We have been approached by a private service organization about renting space for a weekly luncheon on Mondays. The Board discussed this at length, concerned about restricting our own members from using this space on a regular basis and setting a difficult precedent. Decided to get the partitions in place first, then re-discuss it. g. Fundraising: Firebox Fundraiser coming up April 12. Planned tickets at $40/each. Rummage Sale May 17 (Janna and Dan organizing); Vintage Fashion Show Fundraiser: June 7, 2014. We continue to apply for grants and exploring the option of starting a new “Friends of the MSAC” at 501c-3 to manage long-term funds, or an endowment with the VT Community Foundation. h. FEAST: It is time to renegotiate a new contract and Memorandum of Understanding with Just Basics. March 19, 2014 : Board meeting Minutes continue: 2. Elections: Run April 1 through June. Candidates still being solicited. 3. ByLaws: Possible Changes: Moved, Seconded and Approved: a. Name: Change from current: “Montpelier Senior Citizen Activity Center” to the actual name: “Montpelier Senior Activity Center” b. “To increase the # of MSAC Board Members to 10 and encourage that person to come from a supporting town.” 4. Membership: Member Benefits: Talk about list Janna provided and make suggestions to Janna, if any. Computer lab? Coffee? We need to be clear. Re: coffee expense: Moved and Voted to “put up a sign saying, “coffee, $1.00” 5. Next Meeting, May 28, 1:30 PM: Topics to include: 1. Use of building by non-members 2. Fundraising priorities 6. Meeting adjourned at 4:12 PM Respectfully submitted, Sue Stukey, Secretary