Three, four, five, six, seven, eight. >> Count to 10. >> It's colder today than it was yesterday. >> You think? >> Yes. They don't know how to dress.
>> Seven. >> Sorry. 15 16 >> 17 18 >> 19 20 21 22 23 24
>> 26 27 28 29 30 want to do the pledge of allegiance. >> Oh yes. >> Oh to the republic for one nation indivisible with liberty and for all.
Turn it off. >> Okay. As far as announcements, pretty similar to what we've had. Uh, this meeting is being recorded by local scene. Anyone intending to make an audio or video recording of this meeting should notify the chair at this time.
There are several volunteer opportunities at the Council on Aging, including but not limited to meals on wheels, volunteers, volunteer help at the cafe, volunteers needed with computer skills and senior tax writeoff volunteer opportunities. If you are
interested in any of these or would just like to volunteer in general, please reach out to the director of the COA. For those who wish to contact the COA advisory board, please note our email coa-ab
kingston mass.gov. Is there anybody here for open forum? >> I guess not. Okay. Um, so have you all read the secretary report for October 14th? Mhm.
>> Any questions or anyone want to make a motion? >> I'll make a motion. It says the minutes for October 14th, 2025. >> Anybody second? >> Colleen. All in favor?
>> I >> Okay. Um, business one, new business, uh, agent dementia working group and livable Kingston action plan. Holly, you'll talk about that on your >> Yes, sir. >> And Kathy, is there anything you
>> Yeah, we're really moving along nicely with that. Um, we've decided not to have a meeting in December because everybody it's closed, you know, everybody's busy. Um we are going to choose the three domains that we will work on and we've
got a lot of good information about the first one which is housing that we have chosen. So that will all be able to be printed and hand handed out. I would imagine the uh percentages right of the surve survey how they voted and
everything. I I thought the survey results for January. >> Yeah. For January. What are the three? >> Um, well, we have >> we haven't yet. Okay. >> But everybody's talking about those three. So, I'm just giving a little heads up.
>> That's an awesome group and they work very hard >> and I am grateful to be part of it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh, next item, uh, new business to we have a guest speaker today, George
Samia. Uh so you're the interim town administrator. Tell us a little about your experience and how it is filling the role of this job. >> Well, I I actually started out um God I hate to say this about 40 years ago. Um
as a as I was still young. I just was out of college. I started out as the town accountant for the town of Lakeville. And since that point in time, I've worked for I'm gonna say if I include all the the intrams that I've done now, I've worked for about 11 different towns. I've done everything
from town accountant to finance director to town administrator slash finance director to straight town administrator to finance director in in in in a number of different towns which includes uh let me see Lakeville Abington
Sturbridge Fox Water Cava um um Fair Haven Kingston um and I just and I probably Wear ham. Uh I've left I've left off a few. There's a there's a few there. I'm beginning to get to that point where I've forgotten where I've
been anymore. But um so I've I've got about 40 years behind me or whatever in in this area. And um this happened to come in uh this particular uh opening came in. Um, I was in Fair Haven and as
as you folks probably know, um, Keith Hickeyi, your your your town administrator, um, ended up taking the job in Fair Haven. And, um, I think what ended up happening was, uh, he had a number of months still that on his
contract and he, you know, didn't want to just up and leave. And I think at some point my name got botted around that I was doing it over in Fair Haven and we kind of just uh switched seats or whatever and I came over here, he went over to Fair Haven and we're we're still
in touch as we as we speak. >> Yeah. >> Interesting. >> So, and how's Kingston to the rest? Well, the the the truth be told, I think everybody thinks that that that their
town has a lot of problems. And let me say this, there's a lot of problems everywhere right now. Um, an inordinate amount of of of problems everywhere. And so, I don't I would probably say even though sometimes you might look up and say, boy, you know, what are we doing
wrong? I think the the further I've traveled, the more I'm I'm coming to the realization that the the problems are the same in every town that we're that that I'm in. Uh primarily it starts off with the budget. You heavy budgetary
problems everywhere. And it's starting to come out now. You're starting to see articles in your newspapers about it. you start to see uh news things on the on the on the uh on the um actual TV. It it's be it's becoming something that
everybody's getting aware of. So I often say it's not uh necessarily if it was just the town of Kingston, >> I would say, you know, well, boy, you know, you guys really did something wrong. But when it's everybody, it's
you're you're being there are forces from a higher um higher um experience that are that are pushing down on you. And in this case, I'm going to say it would be the state and the federal government and and what have you that that's making this
take place. >> It's it's it's it's a hard it's a we're we're in a hard season, I believe. and and uh um the only uh uh solace is is that you know I don't think it's anybody in particular that's caused this you know
>> do you want to retire? >> I I actually am retired if you want if you want to call it that. I'm retired two years ago and and I >> Yeah, I actually dipped my toe in it. I
didn't really think it was going to be quite uh as intense as uh as it is right now. I mean, I I just It seems like it's just the phone keeps ringing. The phone keeps ringing and uh and every time I think, well, okay, I probably take the next couple of months.
Oh, can you come over here and help us with this? Even now, I'm I'm working for Kingston, but I'm I I've got uh four other places that I'm I'm doing, not necessarily town. I I work for a uh a a regional dispatch up in Foxboro. Um I'm
the treasurer for them and then they're merging with another regional dispatch which I'm also going to be the treasurer for over there. I'm still helping uh financial with with with uh Fair Haven and I just was asked to help with with some budgetary things for uh a like a
proposal or whatever for uh for Rochester. So I'm kind of like all over like you know. >> Why not retire? Yeah. No, no. >> Well, the the the problem is my wife actually outflanks me in that area, too, because uh she retired, but she's she's
putting in about a 50 hour week every week, you know, working for uh doing consulting work for banks and and and what have you. So, um it's it's a it's a strange experience. I I I really didn't think it was going to be quite as
intense as it's been, but I I think it's it's also a symbol of the times where there's just nobody out there anymore that has either the experience or the willingness to um uh to to to jump in.
Uh I think we were just uh you know discussing the way even if you look at at at some things like just before we started the meeting I was saying when I started off as a as a young man um and I was only like 27 when I began in this
area I um uh I can recall like uh if you ever said anything like I when I was working as the town accountant like uh the outside details which is always a you know a big thing in every town with the police. If you ever came out and said something to
the effect of, you know, what do you need a a policeman to do traffic control for or whatever? Well, back when I was uh that age, they would have the police would have would have hung you. Okay. Uh you know, if you ever said something like that. Nowadays, uh all the towns
are having to go for a new a brand new thing that you you might actually be familiar with with a if you notice a lot of times when you see an outside detail, >> it's all older uh older gentlemen. >> And now that there's a new thing that
all the police are going for where they don't carry a gun >> and there's a certain legislation where you can work now until you're almost 70 or whatever >> because there's no the the younger group doesn't want it anymore. So,
>> and it's the same with and it's not just the police, it's everywhere. It's it's it's the the town administrators. there's just there's just nobody out there that wants the job anymore and and it you know >> that I don't want to interrupt but um with my experience with my husband
yes I people do not go in for municipal education at all there's nothing out there in the colleges that teach municipal it's all on the job you get your basic accounting and what have you but you've got to be able to redo it and apply it to municipal ways and nobody
realizes that exactly >> it's a very small pool of people that are able to move on into different areas. I I used to tell um you know when when I went to school I got an MBA. Um I got my masters in business and everybody said well how how come you didn't go get
the MPA which is the masters of public and I and I used to say I mean you just said it. I mean yeah I the business has all the other I said the public stuff you kind of learn it on the job. I mean there isn't a >> there isn't a lot of um uh you know like
books out there that you can you can do the dayto-day things that happen around in a municipality or they're unique >> even districts like water districts whatever >> he was a treasurer for a water district and again it's well you are into that so
you know what it's like it's crazy >> yes it's a it's a it's a >> nobody understands it >> nobody understands it and I I I also have noticed that as we move along, as you go from town hall to town hall,
the institutional memory is gone. And it's usually um now it just seems like, well, I've been here for a year and a half or I've been here for two years or something. And there might be peppered in amongst them somebody that might have, you know,
10 or 12 or 15 years, but they're getting ready to to to retire. Uh but you don't see the like when I first started out there were guys on or people on the the finance committee for example. I've been on here for the last 15 years. You can't you don't see that
anymore. It's all brand new people everywhere. Uh know it's a hard uh and it it makes it even harder because this is far more complicated than it than it looks. It used to be the sleepy little area that you'd come in to I'll go work
for the town. Now it's all about um you know dealing with uh legal and unions and um the state within their mandates and you know various accounting methodologies and uh I mean it it just goes on and on. There's so many
different areas and they're all regulated and and and it's just not that easy anymore and and if if you lose that institutional memory it it it's it's hard to keep up with it. My husband was 56 years old when he retired because he had years of service.
>> Yes. Yes. >> Years of service plus, you know, he he could retire. >> Yeah. >> At 56. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> He did. Oh, good. But then he did what what judge is doing. So, yeah. It's really, if you've been in it, it's
really interesting to see how it's evolved. The thing that always frightened me and I um I uh and I kind of experienced it when I went out was I was out for about 90 days and of course the first 30 it's fun because you know
it's a Sunday night and you know I don't have to go to bed to to get up in the morning but uh after about 90 days you start washing the car four times five times a week and uh and you're uh in there and I they asked me And um they
said to why are you into it again? You know, why why'd you get back in after you just retired? And I said, 'Well, I basically got to the last episode of Murder She Wrote and and he's found out I had nothing left to live for anymore. So, but what really frightened me to be
truthful was I I've seen a lot of people in this area, not not just here, but uh you you run into the the the person I've been doing this for 45 50 years. I'm gonna retire. And then >> they go out and suddenly three months later they're gone. Oh, because it's
almost like there was nothing left >> uh to do. And um and and I you started saying I can't I just can't sit around watching TV all day and got to have something to get up for. >> My my dad was a police officer. >> Okay.
>> He retired at the age 70. >> Okay. Wow. >> Yeah. He stayed on that job and there was no getting him. >> Yeah. >> Dad, retire, will you? >> No. >> Yeah. >> And then, but once he retired after
that, he didn't last that long at all. >> It's almost like I don't have any reason to get up in the morning anymore. You know, >> he passed away a couple of years later. >> Exactly. Exactly. So, >> anybody else any questions or >> George? I have a question. the um vote
that the town took on Saturday for the um was it the debt exclusion to fund the roof replacement for the school? So yes, >> how does that >> what did that yes vote mean for the town? >> Okay, there are two types
everybody's heard the word override. Okay, and then there is you probably have heard the word debt exclusion as well. Okay. When Proposition 2 and a half came in, there is a formula
that every town in the state of Massachusetts has to abide by that you can go up on your taxes up to 2 and a half%. Okay? Now, do not confuse that with um well, last year I was paying 100,000 on my house. my house was worth
a h 100,000 and now it should be only up to 102,000 if fit. It's the entire valuation of the town goes up and then there's a calculation that comes in and the the will come down to a bottom line and say this is how much more you can
get from your taxes right now. That is unless the people of the town come and vote an override. Okay. So if they vote a continuous override, okay, which is forever, you come back and say, "We
don't have enough money for our budget." Let's say for $2 million. We would like, right now, we've got an extra whatever I'm making it up. According to Proposition 2 and a half, I have $1 million more that I can raise
this year on our property taxes. Okay. I'd like to raise three million. do I have your permission to do that? And the people of the town will come out and say yes or no. And right now, predominantly, everybody's saying no. Okay? Because
it's going to permanently raise your tax. So, what's the difference between a override, which is forever, or a debt exclusion? A debt exclusion essentially takes
a situation. Now, in this case, it's a roof. Okay? The roof was $1.5 million in its totality. Okay. Uh I mean for this particular piece of the project, there's more to this roof than just where they're working.
The state is going to kick in for the sake of this we'll call it 750,000. Okay. So now you what was asked by the town would you override for 750,000
okay in or around okay for the cost of this roof. Now what they're going to do is they're going to go out and bond it just like you would do for or if it was a private person you'd go out and and take a loan for your house. Okay.
>> Right. So that 750 is going to be paid off over the next 20 years or however long the bond is going to go for. I'm going to call it 20 because a lot of them are standard. Okay? So if you took $750,000
and divided it out by 20, you're going to have just like you have on your house a payment every year that you have to make to pay that 750 off and it'll also have interest on it. So, let's just call it something like $40 or $50,000
is what you're going to pay on that roof a year. And I'm rounding the numbers because I haven't got my calculator with me. But so, what's happens is you pay that and you have asked the town, can I override for the 50,000
that's on that um payment for the next 20 years until it's paid off? Once that payment is the final payment is made, that disappears off your taxes. The payment disappears
and everything stays, you know, go your taxes go down a little bit by $50,000. So, what you overrode for in this case was somewhere around a $50,000 payment that you'll pay for either 15,
20 years or whatever the bond is, but it's not forever. Okay. uh it's only for the length of it. So it's just like if you bought if you did this for your own home, it's for the length of the b of the of the loan that you took on your
house. So again, a bond is very much like a loan only it's what a municipality does. And so you're going out and bonding all this. they're giving you the money in this company and then the pay the payments you're making are actually going into someone's portfolio
that you'd see on Wall Street when you you see these these these large um uh well I'm into the the Baron's mutual fund or the um you know you know something to that effect if that makes sense. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Am I right in assuming that was only 11%
of the roof that they were talking about? They did say that at this point um >> because of the time the grant one of the grants was >> when you're >> Yeah. Well, it what happens is this. When you're in with the mass uh school
building authority, MSBA, okay, they have various um criteria that you have to follow to get the low. Okay. So certain parts of this roof had already been repaired, so they weren't
that old. And oh, I'm sorry. We can only >> they had to be >> give it to you if it was like 20 years. >> 25 years years old. >> So unfortunately at this point only a certain amount of the roof could be repaired. Now they have to wait and then the the
MSBA will say, "Well, we'll do it." Now, that that that doesn't preclude you, by the way, from going out and doing it all on your own. Okay? You could have done it. In this particular case, though, you had a million and a half. They're kicking in something like 750,000.
So, it does make it um advantageous to to use it because some of it, you know, they they're doing about 50% of whatever the cost. The downside somewhat to the MSBA that I hear in in
different for is like everything else that when you're in with a lot of times with the state of Massachusetts or any of its entities once you're in with them then then there are other caveats that get thrown in as to wow you know I can't do now one of
the things that came up at the town meeting and I think you you must have been there I don't know whether anybody was there or watched it >> but um one of the the the caveats. They said, "Well, wait a minute. When you first came out of the gate, it was 1.2
million and now it's 1.5 million. What happened?" Well, we were required to go put um struts or something on the the roof that will hold solar panels. Okay. >> Because that's one of the now on the
state level that was one of the um >> Yeah. of their thing. So again, there's the caveat now. Well, we'll give it to you, but you got to do this as well. So sometimes depending upon the size of the project,
you you you got that uh thought process of saying, should I do do this one on my on our own? When I say on my own, I mean the town on on your own or >> should we, you know, continue with it and then, you know, because there's going to be other things that might be
in. Now, for example, East Bridgewater just did one. I think it's I think the this they're trying to rebuild or build a brand new uh elementary school is for 140 million. Okay. And um now the state
will probably come in with 70 of that. So yeah, it's quite a bit of money, you know, been, you know, to to turn down. So it it is advantageous and a very large project. You know, some of the smaller ones, I guess you'd have to
think your way through and say, is this worth it to me do? >> I think the rest of the roof is at 24 years. It's close. >> They were very close to being a Yeah. to bringing it back again for the for the um you know two a year two years out and
then saying can we do the rest and and and I get and again assuming that the the that everything is is where it's supposed to be in you know again you would to go right through the same exact um >> process process >> because they want to make it
the one of the caveats would to make it um almost available to put solar on it even though we're not But they solar but not there was no plan or there are no current plans to to install solar
panels. It just being one of the caveats of the grant was that it had to be solar. >> That's why we're not >> it's one of the it becomes one of those uh fouian decisions you have to make that it's like you know so so many
things that you see on on different levels whether it be the state or the federal government. I mean uh they said this the school lunch was around when I was a little boy. Okay, that was that was there and they were pay you know the feds federal government was paying for
the school lunch. Nowadays when you go to do the school lunch there were all sorts of cav caveats on that too. Well you know well we won't give you the school lunch money unless you do this or whatever or we won't give you the school lunch money unless you do that. So yeah,
so it's they sort of um that there was an old uh saying in uh business. I don't know whether you ever heard of a captive company in what a captive company was is that like Walmart might come in and maybe I made uh I make window shades.
Okay. And Walmart basically would buy 75 to 80% of what I was doing. Okay. Well, pretty much I'm a subsidiary now of Walmart because if they pull their their um uh their their funding,
then I'm I'm dead. All right. And then the and the company goes down to 20%. It kind of is the way it works with the feds and the state a lot. They they they get in and they they uh say, "Okay, well, if you want to keep exactly get you where you want to, right?
because eventually I bet the school will have solar pan. >> Sure. >> Sure. It's possible. >> I mean, the upside is is you could maybe get some electricity out of it and one that might be helpful or whatever on it, but
>> um I guess then you have to you have to work out to to decide how much are the panels going to cost me over the next 20 years as opposed to what the electricity is costing me over the next. See, and that will be a savings, too, with the
solar panels. >> So, they're thinking ahead. >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah. >> Gotcha. >> Thank you. I didn't know if people knew about that quote of the weekend, so >> that was very interesting. Thank you.
>> Anybody else? >> That's interesting. >> Thank you, George, for helping us. >> Thank you. >> Is not boring for you. No, it's not not boring. I wish it actually kind of calmed down a little bit or whatever or something. You know, I could I could use a few days of just hanging around right
now and and and doing nothing. I mean, I I'm actually looking forward to washing the car now. >> And how many can we line up? >> The new adventures, huh? >> Yes. Yes.
>> And while you do that, do the inside. >> Yeah. That's the part I let my wife do because I can't get >> I'm too big to get in between the the the the seats and vacuum it. I mean, I just can't get in there and be comfortable while I'm doing it. >> Thank you, Jo. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. You're welcome to stay for the rest or you have other business to get >> Well, I'm gonna gonna run back because I'm still doing some some uh we're leading up to the budget and even though I'm probably not going to be here when the the real meat and potatoes comes
out, I'm trying to leave a a little bit to say that we worked our way up so that in the event that the the next person doesn't come as quickly as we thought it might, I I don't want to let four or five months go by and uh and then we have nothing. or whatever. Uh, so we try
to work with him. >> No, no, I'm I'm I'm You can You can have it back. Thank you. >> You gotta get back to the show. >> Yes. Yes. Or whatever. Next time I'll wear a coat because I am >> No, no. I I think it's nice out. I mean, lately I
Everything's getting to me when it comes to the the cold. I I I'm cold all the time now. Whatever. >> Seems colder today than yesterday. >> Do you have any questions for Russ? >> No. No. I think um you know I I know that you know you I' I've spoken with
you a few times here and there you come you come to the and I think you you pretty much know where you know the town is at the moment and what we're doing and uh and you know it's interesting times and I think that that um things emerge I I look at especially the budget
it emerges as time goes on and uh you'll get the feel of where you are. Uh I I try not to come out with uh bad news like you know and say you know we're in big big trouble right out of the gate but you know I think everybody's there
right now so I have a feeling it's going to be a tight year and it's going to be tough. >> Well this is a good group that um you know works hard to promote be stewards of the Council of Lawn Aging and the services that we provide to the town. So it's not necessarily that we're just here having
>> parties and we we love Holly. He's doing a wonderful job. >> Yes. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> But um you know there's a lot of lot of important stuff that happens here. A lot of services that are provided to the 5,000 seniors in Kingston. So >> flu shots and um and things like that
>> outreach services. >> Yeah. We have a group that just does needling and they donate everything they make to the community to the homeless. Nothing stays here. We give it all away to the schools. No, >> things same way. So, you know, there's a
lot of good projects coming at this. >> Well, I said this morning even that um when we were having our our department head meeting, I I look at in most of the towns fall in the same category. There are a few that have a lot of fringe uh
nicity things. everything. All the towns have what is needed and and you know and and these are the basic services that are needed and it's and it's you know it's just getting tough to uh to make it happen because of just all the outside
extraneous causes hitting you at the same time. But there will be and I'll and I'll end with the same thing that I I ended with this morning uh when we left. um long after I'm gone and long after I've passed on, there will be a
town of Kingston still here or whatever. And then, you know, and there will be the other towns will be I don't think that they're going out of business, but it's just, you know, you just got to weather the storm for these these these types of years. >> You should try and come on a Thursday
and see the bingo people. >> You play bingo. >> I I don't mind. Yeah. Yeah. So, >> right. Exactly. >> Love to have you more over more often. >> Well, I appreciate the invite and I
appreciate you having me come over today. It was a nice uh it was a little break from the uh I mean, after a while sometimes you stare into that computer long enough and I get up and my eyes are blurry and I I can't see what I'm doing. It's like what what am I doing? You know, question.
>> Sure. >> Have you ever considered playing Santa Claus at Senior Center? I certainly got the wave on me for whenever, you know, but >> you don't have to have a costume, do we?
>> Oh, is that Yeah, trust me. I've tried I I've thought in the past that that's what I I don't I don't necessarily fit the Santa Claus bill. Oh, that good or whatever. know if it was Halloween, I might be in better shape for it or whatever. So, whatever.
Why not? >> But thank you. >> Well, thank you very much for having me. It was very nice meeting all of you and and we'll we'll be talking as usual, you know. So, >> we're a wealth of information. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Come again. >> Yes. Have a good day. Yeah.
>> Come again. It's just a matter of how it's just a matter of how long, you know, will will the uh the time last before they actually find >> your forever or or at least for a fiveyear uh person or whatever, you know. So, >> won't let you go.
>> Oh, yeah. >> Well, on a short leash, I can only do so much. Remember, I'm retired. I can only in a year, you know. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, George. Please. Have a good day. >> Yes, you too.
>> That was a great >> Yeah, >> that's great information. >> Santa has a deep voice. He be good. >> That was awesome. >> That was good. >> So, now new business three um discussion regarding the cancellation of our
regular scheduled December 9th COA advisory board meeting. Um, with the last November 18th meeting today so close behind and in the midst of all the holidays, I was asked by a few uh to
cancel the upcoming December 9th meeting and resume to the regular scheduled January 13th meeting. Any discussion? >> Have you ever done that before? >> We've done that. >> Not yet. Yeah, we have.
>> We have. Yeah, >> last year. >> Yeah. >> I know that it doesn't we haven't always done it for holiday purposes. We have canceled meetings if there's nothing on the agenda or there's a conflict with someone. >> I think it's a good idea. I really do.
>> And and we did it during CO, too. >> Yeah. During CO. Yep. during >> there's no business that would need to be dealt with prior to January 13th. >> Well, the this month is really white.
>> Yeah, we don't know need to be dealt with in December. Is there anything there anything that couldn't wait that anyone can think of? think >> then I make a motion unless you want to discuss further.
Anybody else? >> No. >> Okay. I make a motion that we dispense with our December 9th meeting of the advisory board and meet again on January 13th. >> I second.
>> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. And I'm sure if there's something made, we can fix that. >> Right >> now, next staff and committee report, what's a director's report?
>> Um, so you all have copies of the director's report. >> Um, the agent dementia liable Kingston update. As Kathy mentioned briefly, we met on uh November 10th. We were joined by Jason D. Roger of Old
Colony Planning Council who presented on housing. Uh the survey showed that 44% of respondents rated Kingston as poor when it came to housing options. So that was a clear number one priority. So as Kathy and I mentioned, we the committee uh the working group was presented with
the survey results by Joanne virtually. We do not have hard copies of all those numbers. They're still kind of compiling them and making them all make sense in layman's terms. Um, but the clear number one priority was housing. So, the meeting that we had this month, Jason
Kane, he's their housing specialist for Old Colony Planning Council, and he presented some facts and figures and uh topics and discussions for us to sort of chew on um about housing, not just spec
specifically in Kingston, but in the area and in statewide. Um so there will be no meeting in December but the working group will be reviewing the survey once that information is handed down to us that the survey results and
we as a working group will um participate in a poll that they set up to determine the top three areas of focus. So, as Kathy mentioned, we haven't decided on those yet. Number we did housing, that was the clear number one, but the other two or three that we
are going to be working on, um I think there was one that pretty much everyone would agree on and then it was that two uh three and four spot that there were close figures. So, um we're still an active engaged group and um as we move
forward um the the the hard copy of the plan will be developed over the next couple of months um culminating in summer or early fall to be presented to the port of uh we continue to have a full calendar
of events and programs at the senior center including a volunteer recognition event which we held yesterday and our annual Thanksgiving lunchon which is this Thursday. The center will be closed next Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. We will be adding new
exercise classes in the new year that offer more than just physical benefits and collaborating with other town departments to host some fun educational events. We recently received a new AED machine and an aloxxone box courtesy of the Plymouth County District Attorney's
Office, which will be installed in the grand room where our exercise programs are held. So, we have an AED machine at the in the front lobby right near the uh main entrance doors, the the new one that we received um from the district attorney's office is going to be put in
the grand room um on the right hand side when the walls closed where our exercise classes happen. So that will be installed and I think a lot of you went to the uh first aid of training that they offered. Um those boxes that the
Narcan and the AED machines were all part of that grant. So I appreciate everyone participating in that. Um you have an outreach uh report from Jenny attached on here. Uh those are the top 10 areas of
outreach assistance that were provided for the month of October. Jenny has been assisting our Shine counselor with Medicare open enrollment period to get seniors signed up for appointments and make changes to their Medicare plans. We saw a huge influx of calls and emails
and visits about that. A lot of Medicare changes. So our Shine very dedicated Shine counselor has added on days and times to try to meet the demand. Uh, so Jenny's helping to coordinate on with that, securing food resources amidst the
dynamic SNAP funding changes and offering training sessions to assist people in filling out fuel assistance applications. So you'll see all of those numbers on her report. >> I know I was here yesterday >> and I got into a program.
>> Good. >> You know, >> yeah. So we had so many people um fill the this the slots that we had available and then we had a waiting list. So what our shine counselor is going to be offering is a group session >> um to sort of go walk through it. You
know, not much individual attention can be given in a in a large group, but she will sort of try to address >> and go through the Medicare website to help people at least maybe do a little bit of the research on their own. So
in October, Jenny and I attended the Massachusetts Councils on Aging annual conference in Felmouth, uh which offered an opportunity to attend a variety of educational seminars and networking events. So that was uh fun and it was a great uh time for us to meet up with
some other local directors and uh program coordinators and outreach coordinators. So that was that was a great opportunity that we try to take advantage of every year. In the month of October, we provided 319 rides through our transportation
program. We do have a new van driver being appointed at the board of selectman's meeting uh this evening. It's yesterday. Uh, and with an anticipated start date of December 1st. >> And in October, Cafe Evergreen served
459 meals, which I think was uh the highest number I had seen. >> Oh, over a year. >> Uh, that included our October Fest event on October 17th. Um, and as you mentioned, we'll be doing
the Thanksgiving lunch this Thursday and we'll be closed next Thursday, but the cafe seems to be uh just week over week continuing to have great numbers. So, um, all good things. >> Yes.
>> Take a breath. >> Take a breath. I would like to thank Collie and the staff for the volunte. It was excellent. >> It was very >> the food and everything.
>> Well, we certainly, as I said yesterday, we, you know, that's we rely so heavily on volunteers and the the knowledge and the generosity and the time that volunteers give us. So, it's, you know, just a small token of our appreciation and and all of our board members,
friends. Um, >> it's nice to be appreciated. >> It is nice to be appreciated. That's important. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> That's it, Holly. >> I have just a little something to say
for the chair report. Um, I attended the essential first aid training on November 3rd sponsored by the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office. And the group reviewed CPR automated
external defibrillator, the AED, and administering NON uh, which is was it nlloxxone for overdoses. In addition, they discussed using an EpiPen for allergic reactions, using a tourniquet to stop bleeding, and the procedure for doing an abd abdominal
thrust for choking. We were given some sample CPR devices, nan tourniquet. This was an excellent informative event. All attendees even received a gift card, a target. I have given you all a packet of what they passed out to us that day. You
should all have from the DA's office. And also last week uh last Friday I attended the public safety lunchon seniors sponsored by the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office. Uh it was
held at the 1620. Uh topics included examples of recent scams and issues pertaining to the opioid crisis. Um, and I also have handouts uh for those of you that didn't, you know, weren't able to
attend. Um, including contact and other information, tips on safety and identity theft and a file of life packet, which is this right here. So, um, everybody that went already got it there and those
that, you know, weren't didn't go, you should have a packet. >> Thank you. Um, under old business, not much to discuss, but we still need a secretary. As far as remembering any this month, uh, let's take a moment to acknowledge
the passing of our dear friend Margaret Speli. Say a prayer for her and her family. Any comments? Um, anybody else to remember? >> So, uh, okay. As per our vote, all in
favor, uh, our next regular meeting will be held on January 13th, uh, 2026 >> at 11:30 a.m. here at Kingston Council on Aging, plus Zoom. The time is now 12:14. Does anyone wish
to make a motion to adjurnn? I make a motion that we adjourn. Anybody got a second? Green. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Well, thank you for being here today. Uh have a great day and happy holidays to
all. >> Yeah.