Mansfield Commission on Aging Minutes

   2:30 PM – Senior Center            Monday, Dec 12, 2005

Present: K. Grunwald (Staff), S. Thomas (Chair), P. Hope (Staff), C. McMillan, K. Doeg, Melinda Perkins (guest), Rose Kurcinik (guest), E. Norris, C. Phillips, D. Mercier, J. Kenny (Staff), B. Acebo

Regrets: M. Thatcher

I. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 2:33 PM by Chair S. Thomas.

II. Appointment of Recording Secretary: K. Grunwald agreed to take minutes for the meeting.

III. Acceptance of Minutes: The minutes of the November 14, 2005 meeting were accepted, with the notation that K. Doeg was absent.

IV. Guest speaker:  Melinda Perkins, Transit Administrator,

                                 Windham Regional Transit District

                        “Dial-a-Ride and Other Transportation in the Region”

“Mindy” Perkins and Rose Kurcinik of the Windham Regional Transit District gave a presentation on the Dial-A-Ride program.  WRTD provides fixed-route, Dial-A-Ride and ADA para-transit services to this region.  Passes for the fixed route service are available at the Town Hall and the Senior Center.  As of 12/1 WRTD took over Dial-A-Ride services with no changes to the consumer from the previous service provider.  The total budget for Dial-A-Ride is over $500,000; budget for WRTD is over $1m.  The State of CT provides partial funding for these services.  The balance comes from AAA, State Dept. of Social Services, municipal contributions and fares.  In 1999 the State passed a bill to assist municipalities with elderly and disabled transportation, and the bill was funded this year in the amount of $10m. for two years.  The funds have not started to flow at this time. The funding for Mansfield is up to $32,071 per year, based on matching funds.  This requires a 50% local match to be able to access the funds, and DOT has developed a timeline to develop program guidelines and procedures.  Municipalities must apply for the funds through a regional planning agency or transit district.  All applications must be routed through the regional planning organizations to develop a plan to serve the municipality and surrounding region.  Applications will be due back to DOT by March 1.  The purpose of the funding is to address unmet needs in the region.  The transit district will look at coordination possibilities.  There was some group discussion about the various services and the differences between ADA and Dial-A-Ride services.  Mindy and Rose said that they will explore having the fixed route service extended to Juniper Hill and possibly MCNR.  WRTD anticipates that they will be asking for a similar funding request from the Town for next year as they have for this year.  K. Grunwald requested that at the next meeting we set aside time to brainstorm about how to look at spending the additional transportation funding.

V. Correspondence – Chair and Staff: S.Thomas mentioned an article in the AARP  newsletter on assistance provided to seniors in a neighborhood in Boston who want to stay in their own homes. 

VI. Optional Reports on Services/Needs of Town Aging Populations

A. Health Care Services

Wellness Center and Wellness Program – J. Kenny distributed copies of her monthly report.

        Mansfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation – J. Kenny: no report.

B. Social, Recreational and Educational

               Senior Center – P. Hope distributed copies of her monthly report.      

Senior Center Assoc. – J. Brubacher was not present.

C. Housing

                  Assisted Living Project: no report.

                  Juniper Hill, Jensen’s Park, Other: no report.

D. Related Town and Regional Organizations such as:

                   Com. on Physically and Sensorily Impaired, Town Community Center,  

Town Plan of Conservation and Development, Senior Resources of Eastern CT: no reports.

VII. Old Business

Preparation of The Long Range Plan  - K. Grunwald distributed copies of the revised survey.  The Commission provided input, which will be incorporated into a final draft to be reviewed by Waldo Klein.  K. Grunwald will distribute the final version at the January meeting.

Requests from Agencies for Town funds – up-date of process: K. Grunwald distributed copies of the evaluation criteria that are used for the applications and a list of agencies that have received funding applications this year.

VII. New Business: none.

IX. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 PM.  The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan.9, at 2:30 pm at the Senior Center.  In the absence of S. Thomas, Carol McMillan will chair the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Kevin Grunwald