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The mission of the Council on Aging continues to be to serve and advocate for the health, social and financial needs of town seniors. This past year the Board of Directors worked to help meet those needs through their efforts to obtain a permanent senior center in town. In June Mrs. Elizabeth Falvey and Mrs. Libby Finnegan stepped down after many years of dedicated service on the board. Their seats were replaced by Anne Lougee, who comes with a wealth of experience from serving on other town committees, and Neil Hegarty, a long time active Belmontian and
professor of social work. The COA launched an educational campaign on the issues involved regarding the need for a new senior center in preparation for Town Meeting. In June, Town Meeting voted to appropriate funds for the design of a new senior center. The COA before and since has been available in an advisory capacity to the Board of Selectmen regarding the needs of seniors as planning for a center proceeds. Two COA board members are represented on the new Senior Center Building Committee established in July to oversee the project of developing the design for a center. The COA director is the Town liaison on that committee. Since the Town urges the senior center project to be heavily funded from private sources, the COA assisted in the formation and the operation of the Friends of the Belmont COA. The Friends is fully established; it is officially a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, and its first annual membership drive was launched in
April. There were 424 members by year’s end. The Friends donated over $1,500 for COA programs for this fiscal year. There are four functioning committees including a fund-raising committee. A comprehensive fund-raising campaign for a new senior center will begin once the design of a senior center is unveiled. The first of semi-annual newsletters was published at the end of the year and social activities for members are planned.
The Senior Center was very active in its fifth year of operation. Except for yoga, enrollment in all the previous year’s programs was the same or increased. Expansion for this past year can be measured by other indicators as well. Volunteers now number 122. A special, comprehensive initiative in early March to assess how many seniors come to the center showed that over 130 people, on average, come through the senior center each day. In addition to regular programs there were additional intergenerational programs such as a two part marbled paper workshop, a special performance by the Bristol (U.K.) choir and art/nature projects with Habitat. In addition, the COA was awarded a grant for the second time and at a higher level to implement the teen respite training program, a project that
trains teens to offer quality companionship to elders and are then employed by their families. In addition to our full assortment of exercise programs and health education series, a health fair featuring many local health providers took place in the fall. There were changes in some of the entertainment programs this year. The COA sponsored the large holiday party previously arranged through the Recreation Department. This came about because the Town transferred the Recreation Department budget for Senior Citizen programs over to the COA. Although the day and overnight trips for 2003 were planned by the Recreation Department, the COA began the planning for those trips for the coming year. Senior input and senior volunteers are sought to maximize satisfaction with planned trips.
Expansion of activities and programs took place this year despite the reduced town and state “formula” budgets. The increased rent for the building as well as increase in fuel and salary costs needed to be absorbed into the same amount allocated in the previous year’s budget. This resulted in the need to reduce staff hours. The COA regretted losing William Morris, the program manager and assistant director. Mr. Morris resigned and took the early retirement option now available to Town employees in certain departments. The COA and seniors appreciated his 11 years of dedicated service at the COA. Due to a reduction in the state formula grant, Karen Nichols, the senior center coordinator, once again needed to take two months of unpaid time off. Thanks to Michael Salvo’s superb
management of the transportation department, seniors received uninterrupted service despite the extended medical leaves of several of the drivers. Fortunately, Brad Cunio and Andre Guzeyer returned in good health, and we are delighted that Alex Yphantis has been rehired. Due to federal grant cuts anticipated next year the level of funding for the drivers may be reduced in FY06. The COA made efforts to be creative about the short staffing by recruiting additional volunteers and having a social work intern from Wheelock College join the staff this year. A federal grant funded senior aide joined the staff as a custodian in training in December. This position is temporary, and the need for a permanent custodian assigned to the senior center has been requested in the budget submitted for FY05. The COA is also requesting an administrative assistant who could handle the ever increasing need for data management generated by the expanded uses of the
center and increased needs of office administration. The COA is deeply indebted to our many dedicated volunteers without whom it would not be possible to~provide the programs and services now available.
There were no capital or technological improvements at the senior center this past year. However, the COA looks forward to improved communication with other Town departments as the plan to network the senior center computers with the Town’s computer system is scheduled to be implemented this coming year.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Miranda, Chairman
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