I can see that a quorum is present. So entertain a motion to open the meeting. So move. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? I then we'll start with a roll call. Chuck Chuck present.
Susan Ger Janine C. John Ferrar Damon Jesserson and Chris How will be joining us uh shortly and then of course our illustrious leader. So the first thing we have to do today
actually I want to move that lower in order so Chris can be present for it. Um so let's go down to we're going to skip to the chairs report and we'll come back to the election of officers once everyone is here.
So uh I have been working on the ad hoc report uh spoken with Eric Span and Bob Connors. I have not had a chance to incorporate their edits and suggestions. So, we are not going to be discussing
that today, but I should be able to get it out uh to you guys in two weeks. I have a big report that I have to do for work for next week. And so, the week after that, I should have the time to wrap it up and get it out to you guys. It'll come to you guys as a draft and
then we'll discuss it at the next meeting. And if you guys approve it, we will then submit it to the select board and town meeting. That's what I was going to ask you. about if we're in a draft position, should what is said be kept here?
Yes. It shouldn't be out to the neighbor neighborhood, I'm assuming, until you finally until you until us as a board approves it. I mean, we can it's a draft and so it should be understood that it's a draft. It's not like it's top secret.
No, I'm not talking. Yeah. I did. I did forget that. Yeah. So, sometimes even when things aren't on camera, they they're out here before. Yes. Certainly happens quickly, which is why
I said, you know, it's a draft document now. People have seen it. Um I forget who was here. One of your neighbors, your friends, I think was at the ad hoc committee ma. I don't know why I associate her with you, but I've seen you guys talking.
to you. Um, so yeah, we almost looked at it. You know, it's not like it, but it is still in draft form until we approve it and then it gets submitted and it is then fully public. You know, we don't publish our meeting minutes
until they're approved. The same way the reports. Okay. Uh beyond that, I've been through a couple times events and checked in, but I don't have a tongue to
uh report beyond the ad committee. So, I would say that we would go on to our friends of COA liaison. Um yeah, I am the liaison. And for personal reasons, I didn't go. And thank God Cindy graciously did it cuz I would
ended up crying and leaving. I was going to go, but that's okay. It wouldn't. And I think you're going to be You might be away for the next one. You guys are out of the country. Um, when's the next one? I'll double check it. But if you're away, we're away. Oh, you can do it.
You're away from the 18th to the 5th of September. I think it falls in there. So, I'll early September cuz I know that's an odd month, right? Are they back? All right, let me Okay, if Jerry can't make it, I can go. But so, the last meeting they discussed all of their
different fundraising efforts. They're working on their um boutique, which is in November. They're working on their calendar raffle, which is also the month of November. I think Helen has that calendar full. Um, two other members,
Chris and Cheryl, have been out and about going to different businesses in town to introduce themselves, tell them who they are, what they do. Um, for them to anticipate a letter. Um, so they're making a lot of connections in the community. Instead of
them just getting a cold letter, they're making some, you know, connection with them. So that's good. Um they they were really focused on what their what their next fundraising events were.
They have a lot of different ideas. They are thinking of doing a Cinco de Mayo event at um the Elks I believe in Newport. Oh really? So uh I'm I was working with them to connect them with who they could reach
out to to apply for that type of use of their space. What would that be for? It's a be like a big fundraiser. So Oh, okay. They had kicked around the idea of reinventing the fireman's ball. Um but as a friends event. Oh.
And so instead of doing something like that, they thought about and they didn't want to step on any of our events like a St. Patrick's Day event. Oh yeah. So they were thinking Cinco de Mayo. So Oh, I see. Yeah. So it would be food and I guess it's a somehow fundraiser. Oh,
another fundraiser they're working on is um a night at the grog where you would go, you can either do takeout or eat in, but you just need to let them know on part of the friends council on aging and I think 20% I think of the So, it's just a donate at night.
Yeah, friends and does that as well. So, they're working on that. I don't know as they have a date yet. Um but that would be good. So, they're pretty busy with a lot of balls. Yeah. Yeah.
They have a lot of I think there's 11 members from the board. I think that's right. Yeah. Yeah. So, they're excellent working too. Uh we appreciate all their effort. Yeah, for sure. So, we've jumped around on the agenda a
little bit. Chris, I'm sorry. Um, so we are not going to be discussing the ad hoc committee today because or the report because I haven't finished editing it, but we will do that next time. And now that you're here, we can
move to the election of officers. So, uh, the way that we are going to do that is nominations. And we can't everything has to be out. Yep. We cannot do the paper ballots. So,
uh we will move through the three officers which is the chair, the vice chair and the secretary. So, I would entertain
uh nominations and then we'll go from there. Can um I ask if either one of the three of you don't want to be or not [Music]
just also clarify the the [Music] year. Hello Joe. I'll say good afternoon. [Music] So, we had just gotten to the election of officers, so we're entertaining the
nominations. Uh, so I will nominate Susan to continue as the secretary. That's why I said I wanted to hear from you three. Um, yes, I'll continue as a secretary
for another year. Um, hopefully someone else do it after that. Is there a second for that nomination? Second. So enthusiastically. Well, yes. She was so sweet to say, I'll
do it another year. All right. Since the nominations are rolling hot and fast, I'm going to nominate Chris vice chair again. Are you willing? I am willing. Oh, great.
Yes. You have some extra coffee or something? Okay. Well, we have to then vote on it. Okay. I'm just Yeah. Yeah. Trust me. So,
You can nominate yourself and if no one else does a nomination, I will nominate myself. I will nominate Damon to continue as chair. Steph did a good job. Yeah, me too. Continue as chair. Are there any other
nominations? All right. This is a very exciting election. Uh all those in favor of the uh three people who have accepted their nominations,
please say I. I. All abstaining. I didn't see anyone abstaining, but okay. Then the next thing is to uh approve the chair and the vice chair to sign for uh
bi-weekly payroll and bill schedules. So if I could have a motion and that allows the chair, the vice chair to sign the documents that allow everyone to get paid and to submit reimbursement and bills. Second.
Any discussion? All those in favor? I You can sign and then we have the meeting minutes from 6:30 2025. I'm going to entertain a motion to
motion to approve is read. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I Did you catch the extension? The extension? She obained
last week. All right. And now I think that gets us uh caught up so that we can go to the director's report. Okay. Our newsletter went out about a week and a half ago now. Um, so in addition to our regularly scheduled
programs like yoga, stretch, tai chi, pickle ball, all that stuff, bingo, things that we normally have, we've got a few events coming up. So, we're doing a shell craft on this Wednesday, um, the 13th. So, we're taking these big
clamshells and we're doing decage on them. Um, so that should be fun. What time? That is at 1:00 p.m. And do you need to call in or you? You can just show up, but um if you want to call, it just gives us a better idea of who's we have plenty of supplies
though. Um constituent services for August for Senator Tar um is a little bit of a special event. She is bringing a representative from the Southern Essex Registry of Deeds Property Fraud Watch
notification program that they have. So, this gentleman named Tyler is going to come. He's going to give a brief overview of what's going on in terms of what this notification system is and then can help people sign up online and they'll show us how to do it as well. So, that if you um Thank you. If you
want to sign up for that. So that is on Thursday, August 21st at 12:15. So I guess what it provides is an instant email alert if a document is recorded against your property. So if someone's trying to
do something nefarious Yeah. without your knowledge. Yeah. That they can then you'll get alert. Um and you can register up to five properties should that be your um but in the five.
Yes. So there are it's a normally when Maryanne May from Senator Tara's office is here, she's here. She'll meet with people if they have questions or concerns, but this one she's bringing this gentleman with her to we'll be able to meet the public. Um, Representative Casmmer's office is not
doing office hours for the month of August. They'll be back in September. Um, we have on the calendar you'll see dinner at the COA and that is listed in here as well. We are having the Rusty Canned food truck come for dinner. It's just dinner. It's not a game night. It's
not anything else attached to it. It's just come and have dinner with us. That's on Tuesday, August 19th at 4:00. That's next Tuesday. We have a new watercolor class starting in September. There's information in here about it. It's uh there's limited spots available. I want to say we can
take a total of eight students. I think there's already six people signed up. Um but that's a new instructor. We are still waiting for our watercolor instructor, Bill Duke, to feel up to coming back. When he's ready, we'll take it any time. Um, but in the meantime, we have this watercolor class. One quick
question on Have you ever considered calling Kathy Mes? She's a remarkable instructor. Uh, we can talk to Kathy about that afterwards. I have not. I don't know her name. All right. Um, Traveling Chef for the month of
September is on Thursday, September 4th. thoughts at noon. Right after the traveling chef that month, we are having a presentation on the Sacko and Vanzetti case. If anyone is um aware of that, I did put some information about it in the newsletter.
So, they are a couple were a couple Italian immigrants. I believe they were anarchists. There was a um robbery and a murder of payroll clerk or something like that. These two people were
convicted. Yeah. They were kind of railroaded. So they were it's the whole sort of sto their story. Um they were executed. Um and there was sort of a worldwide uh outcry. So there is historical
information but the gentleman who was doing this had come and done a presentation on the Lincoln assassination for us. He is a retired history teacher. He's excellent. He's engaging. Yes. Excellent. He's really great. So, the catch is the last time he
came, he was here in person. He has since moved to Florida, but he's doing these things via Zoom. So, we're going to have it up on the screen. We're going to see how it goes. If people like this presentation, even though it's not in person, he has a couple of others that
we're really interested in. Um, so we're hoping it goes well. Um, we're very sad that he moved away cuz we do really like him. So, I'm hoping this works out, but we'll see how it goes. Um, next we're collaborating with the library on a social security and
Medicare, optimizing your social security and Medicare program. So, it's really geared towards people aged, say, 50 to 65, those people that are not yet retired. It's sort of preparing you and telling you here's
what you should be looking at, here's what you should be doing, but they are happy to have anyone come and listen to the information. Um, maybe you'll learn something that you want to change with your Medicare during open enrollment. Um, or you know, even people who I know
there was a new law about people who have uh pensions can now receive their social security as well. So, well, yeah, that touch on that. Yeah, that that actually came or I didn't buy him. So there um when I was a recipient. So I'm glad to
say were you you a recipient? No. No. You Joseph Joseph did the recipient of getting a pension and being able to collect your social security that you have both. Yeah. Yeah. We both I mean what I'm saying
about that is it's very lucrative if you were a teacher and I hate to say that to other people. It was very lucrative for me as a matter of fact if you work in to to put money in the social security my uh
student who's now the head master of baseball high school is retiring. That's really funny. Yeah. Um, so that's going to be on a Tuesday evening, Tuesday, September 9th. That's at 6:00 p.m. It's a little bit later for us, but the library has found
when they do programs in the evening, 6 p.m. is sort of their sweet spot. Um, we will be having, we asked the Buy Cocoa coffee truck to be there about 5:30. We'll get some little sweets. So, come have a cup of coffee or tea, have a
little sweet, listen to the information. Um, but it will be over at the library. Um on Wednesday, September 10th, we're having time to clay. Come back. That's our pottery class that we do. We usually paint some kind of piece of pottery. Um that definitely will be a Halloween
themed. Last year we did autumn themed. This year we're we're going all in on Halloween. Um on Tuesday, September 16th at 4:30 p.m. the Newbury firefighters will be coming to us and grilling. They'll be setting up a couple of grills out here
doing a barbecue. So, it'll be dinner with the firefighters and instead of over there, they'll be coming here. What day is that again? That is Tuesday, September 16th at 4:30. On Tuesday, September 23rd at 4:00, we'll have game night. So, that's dinner
and then games. On Wednesday, September 24th at 1:00, we're doing a whole needle felting class and those will be pumpkins. So, if anyone's interested in that, that is fun. Not little ducks. Not little ducks. Little blue random looking birds. Um, Medic Petty is canled
for the month of August. Those people who had registered see to reschedu. Um, unfortunately, our clinician had something come up that she had to cancel. Um, but we had, I think, 14 people scheduled. So, it's a
pretty popular program. Um, so we're going to work on getting them rescheduled. Um, we did add a section of save the date in the newsletter. It's on page 14. It gives you some upcoming dates of events. We're not taking registrations for these events, but we wanted people
to know, for example, when the Thanksgiving lunchon is, when, you know, our um we're doing a Halloween game night. We're doing a community fair. I wanted people to know dates um so you don't schedule doctor's appointments or hair
appointments or, you know, whatever. So that you'll know when we're doing things. Um so that's here. I'm going to try and do that going forward to have, you know, whatever's coming up so people know. It's a great idea. Um, we do have a couple of uh, actually
all of us will have some vacation time coming up this month. There will always be two staff members here. Um, upcoming holidays, the office is closed. There's only one September 1st, which is Labor Day. That's a Monday. The van went in for service last week. I took it to a
Dodge dealer in Lel. I had taken it back to where we got the van from. Our coolant, our I think it was the coolant light was coming on and then we also had an issue with um one of the windows leaking on the inside. So, they repaired the window,
but they said that the coolant light issue had to be done at a Dodge dealer. It was under warranty. So, what they did was they removed and replaced the engine radiator, replaced the radiator fan assembly, and now it's working just fine. We haven't had an issue so far,
but auto will be in today doing a medical ride. So, everybody calls for weeks, doesn't it? Tomorrow. Yeah. So, I have a bill that says it's under warranty. It says zero. So, yeah. So, we're just trying to make sure that
we're keeping up with everything with the vehicle. It's a an expensive piece of equipment. I want to maintain its vehicle. No, nothing. Yeah, they do check that when we take it to the dogs dealer. Um,
okay. I did use the elder emergency fund again once in July. I had a senior who uh lives in one of the housings who really needed a new pair of shoes. Um, so we Janine had worked with this individual to make sure she got the right size and orthopedic style shoes.
Um, and that's working really well. It was $43.60, so I obviously didn't need to bring it to you guys. Um, but that's the type of things that we're, you know, if we have someone who has a need for that's all it was.
Yeah. Uh, so they're working for now. I mean, we'll see if the $43 shoes last. We'll see. But if I have to step it up, we'll do that. But, um, but that's what I've spent that on. Again, our shine counselor is available year round. If anyone wants to talk about Medicare
options, just call us here at the Council on Aging. We'll connect you with him. Uh we're always in need of neat volunteers, like I say, every month. Um we did want to think ahead about planning for winter weather. So, I know
we're still at the tail end of summer here, but if people need fuel assistance, I want them to start reaching out to our outreach coordinator. Now, you don't want to be applying for fuel assistance in October when they say, "Sorry, we can't help you." Start planning for things like that. Now,
you have a lot of applicants for that. Not a huge amount, but some of them will wait till it's hard, right? You want to ask, right? Yeah. So, these these programs are out there. Call us. We'll help
connect you to them. Um, I have not heard from Triton for the Snow Angels yet. Obviously, they're not in school yet. there. They have to get back into the swing of things and figure out if they have students who are available to volunteer for a program like that. But even still, it's a volunteer program.
There's no guarantee of a match. So, I suggest that people if they're in need of snow removal, they start thinking of a plan. Now, I do I can tell you we um we're on the Next Door app and I will be on that periodically just to see and
during snow season a lot of there's usually three or four local students who advertise on there and say, "Hey, I can shovel." Uh some may charge you um some might it might be volunteer work for them, but it's certainly we can always connect
people with that option as well. Um, okay. It was brought to my attention that several of the ad hoc committee meeting minutes had spelling errors. So, I'm going through those minutes. I have
gone through those minutes and I've identified a few um spelling errors, typos, typos. So, I am correcting those and will be reposting the corrected minutes. Um, but I would just advise when you guys are looking at these minutes that
you read them so that the person who's the secretary doesn't get caught later on having to if that's the only complaint. That's a good thing. True. True enough. But I I do want to make sure that the
record is accurate. So I will correct those. And that's all I have. All right. Is there any new business or things that people would like to discuss at our next meeting? The car show and
no day. Car shows Friday night. No day is Saturday. Uh where is the car show happening? Right at the soccer field. It's at the recreation field. Excuse me. Okay. I wasn't Sometimes you used to do it down on by the post office. I wasn't
sure. Yes, it is. But the insurance got so crazy. They had to change that. Yeah. Yeah. It was like four grand for 4 hours show. Yeah. It is. Wow. Yeah. Crazy. But people took the cast.
Yeah. Just in the shop. Yeah. Crazy. Can't imagine what the downtown park is. Have you ever uh considered asking a snow angel like the middle school? So Triton handles that and that's middle and high school. They've even had some
elementary school families do it. So it's really drag is more willing to make money and I can speak to the secretary. Well the the Triton Snow Angels is a volunteer program. So it's not money,
but it's also, you know, we get a lot of people on the island who need help, right? And not a lot of kids. So, you know, if they're over here in Bfield or in Oldtown or whatever, it's a little bit easier for them to connect
with a neighbor or someone down the street to help. It's harder for them to go. Yeah. And I also think that like if our winters can, you know, continue the way they have been, it's been more ice than snow. So I don't know if the snow angels help to like salt or anything.
So I mean they're they're restricted to walkways and stairs. They're not going to do someone's driveway, but uh if you have I mean people should have a bucket of salt. They shouldn't expect the snow angel to be released, you know. So And is that still available in the
town? deep. I believe it is. Uh I don't know why it wouldn't be but yeah, but that's also your responsibility. Yeah, there does have to be some just from
that's correct. your way. Sometimes they do well at the discharge. That's closer for me. So that's where I got the steak mostly all salt though, right? Uh no, it's got some sand. Is it? Yeah. They got a little of both, but
it's kind of they keep it off to a side so you're not in their way kind of thing. Yeah. So on the high road. Yes. You know, I've been here for 51 years and I've never I've never
had gone to Kelly's for my salt. Yes. Oh, you did not. Yeah, we usually like I said years ago they had to solve even people last year. Even the state had problem
just show up with a 5 gallon empty jug. You have the car on road mast. It's Yeah, it's it's in fence. You'd see it. Oh, yeah. I didn't even think of me. Yeah.
All right. And then if we could establish our next meeting, uh I think should be the 15th of September. That's the third Monday.
Uh if there's no strenuous objection to that, no. I'm going to entertain a motion for the to establish the the next meeting is September 15th at 9 a.m. Is there a second? Second.
Second. All those in favor. And then I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. So all those in favor? I thank you guys. No.