I said it was okay. So, we are now legally um a meeting and I need to call a role and see who's here. So, um so Mary Joe Johnson present.
Thank you. Janette Stockton here. Okay. And Millinger here. Okay. So, we are officially um calling the meeting to order and I cannot see time. It says vital six, but I think
that's wrong. What time is it? It's 10. Sorry. I have 10:06. Okay. So, it is 5:50. Okay. and we will um try to buzz through
the meeting because Janette's that family here and really wants to be finished in and out. Um so the first item is the minutes of June 11th. Did anybody have I guess we should put a motion on the floor to
discuss the minute to approve the minutes of July of June 11th. Anybody willing to do that? So move. Thank you. Got a second. Second. Good. Thank you. Okay. Is there any discussion about the minutes? Is there anything that needs to
be changed? I didn't see anything. Look good to me. Okay. We ready to vote on the minutes? So, motion to accept the minutes. Okay. Second.
Okay. All in favor? Okay. Let's see. Um, Mary Joe I make an I. Stock an I. Okay. Millinger. I. Okay. We've done the minutes. Financial report desk. You're on.
Okay. You're going to lose my face though because I have to go I have to go into my um That's okay. Just as long as you come back. Oh yeah. I'm here. Um, so our financials
are um, if I can find them. So, we began with I don't have my glasses. $2,795 in the grant and in our revolving
account 740. Um there's question about what happened to the money um the 3942 that was in the fiscal year budget um 25. I don't know if she used that or if it got rolled back into back into the town. I have to
clarify that with her. Um we paid u May clinic was 3.85 and June clinic was 440. We donated uh library passes at $400 for for um
magic wings and mo mass mocha and we um donated 750 to village neighbors. Um the deposit to the June foot clinic was $417 and we received our fiscal year 26 budget from the town of $200.
Our ending balances are our grant is uh $1,560. Our revolving account is 417. And of course, the budget is still the 200 for the town. So, it's a total
expense of $2,000 $177 all together. Okay, thank you. Any questions? No. Thank you. Thanks a lot, Jessica, for doing this. You're welcome.
So, we have in the agenda a lef over from last time or maybe several times requesting an increase in the town budget line, but I would suggest we put that off to the fall. Absolutely. Okay. Okay. So, an update on the the community
lunch. Um, we had a really we probably had our biggest turnout ever. I think there were 16 there when you came. You were number 16, Janette. Yeah. Yep. Um, which was really great. And,
uh, Jon and Allan Hansen came and they have never come before. So, so that was nice. I'm not sure we had anybody from Sirius. We recently been having somebody one or two. Jim Jim has been coming. Yeah. And he wasn't there.
Yeah. Yeah. I might ask him. I might email him before the next one to just remind him that we're happy to have him there. Well, yeah, I could. He um I I could do that,
too. Um in fact, I often um I shouldn't say often, you know, we we I give him rides from time to time, and I'm in I'm I'm actually in touch with him. he comes to my yoga class. So we we talk and usually when he he's so interested in doing all these things. Um
so it but he also has a lot going on in his life. So I think um I think he enjoyed it uh when he came and will come when he can. Okay. Well, I don't want to sort of be pushing him about it. You know, he's also a foot care foot clinic care.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Patient client. Okay. So, I need to tell you about community lunch. I guess I probably need you to to approve this actually. Um, it's getting too much for me um
assisting Sally because um Sally's not really good at communicating and she often runs late and I don't when I can't reach her on the phone I don't know whether something's the matter with her or she's just running late and so it's
really frustrating to me. So, I wanted somebody else to take over as assisting to assisting Sally in sort of co-running the community lunch. Does that seem reasonable? Um, it seems reasonable. Um, I I know, not to make excuses for people, but I
know Sally had been away and then it looked like she had her granddaughter there, but there are people that come pretty regularly that maybe um we could ask other people for help. I asked I asked Susie Moer because she and Dave are always there
and always stay to clean up after. Right. So, you did or you're thinking about it? I did. And and Susie said yes. Great. So, then it's a moot point. It's it's a done deal. Yeah. But I just want I mean I probably
should Yeah, I probably should have asked you before, did I think it's great to ask for as much help as you can get when you need it. Okay. You don't need permission to ask for help as far as I'm concerned. Okay, good. Thank you. And it's always nice to involve other people
in our activities. Yeah, I I'm I'm sure they they were very happy to um sort of because they're they're helping anyway. So, this way um it's almost like they really feel like it's being acknowledged in a way by having asked them.
Yeah. That we need them. Yes. They're really helpful. Yeah. Okay. So, that's the story on community. Oh, that's the other thing I was thought we were chatting about what we might possibly put in the um in the uh newsletter before you came, Janette, and
there was something that I didn't couldn't remember and it's the dancing class because um Joan's going to start that up again in the fall. Okay. So, we could I'll just add that to the
list if possible. Now, did you talk a bit about the the newsletter with like uh our our approach to it or are we going to now discuss options? Well, I will just um when we get to the newsletter, I'll just read you all we
did is think about possibilities. We didn't really get beyond that. Uh for articles, what we might include content. Okay. Yeah. Content, not the actual process. No, exactly. I talked a little bit about what it was in the old days.
Okay, update on the foot clinic. Um, Simone is starting next Wednesday, which is really exciting. And as Janette knows, something else I did at the community lunch was ask around if anybody wanted to become the
coordinator of the foot clinic. And Donna Corvino said she would be interested. And we're going to talk about it after she gets back. um from what her current travels I think. Mhm. And um she and we might um split it or
if Rich is interested the two of them can split it because it's you know it's at least four hours sitting there and it's fun to people but it's four hours commitment and that's for volunteer activity. So I think the you know dividing it
would also would be a good thing. So I'd like to run some I'd like to ask you your in input about something which involves um Simone um and her work. Sim Simone is used to she has the
switch. She runs in um in the western hilltowns starts at 9 and runs till 5. So she's used to a big chunk of work at once. And I told her that that we would like to keep roughly to our current
schedule of one of nine to four to one part because I wouldn't want to be asking anybody as a coordinator to sit around for more than four hours. Um, but I and currently we've had slots for
eight people a month and we keep a waiting list if anybody wants to um another appointment. And we also in the past have said, okay, you only get an appointment once a month unless your
foot your feet really need help. if your foot feet really need help, we'll let you meet every month. That's the way we've done it in the past. And the the group from the people that I've met so far, everybody seems pretty happy with
um meeting once every once every two months and sometimes, you know, because of various personal stuff, they meet once every three or four months. And we've got a couple who come up from Florida and just meet in the summer.
There are regularly two people who are on the waiting list. Um, so that just so that you know that neither one of them has, as far as I know, has difficult feet. Okay? They just like the idea of having their their foot care once a month.
Both of these people pay much less than everybody else does. And I'm not sure, I probably should not even think about that. But if we were to expand the the amount of time we do and so from
maybe from 9 to two more maybe even later. um it would cost us more because some of the people who are being added are not people who are full pay and you know full pays there are people right now
that take close to full pay but most people who pay a lot pay 10 bucks as Jessica I think know so I'm hoping we could at least continue everybody at 10 bucks but we have people that pay 350
yeah there was one last month that paid Yeah. Yeah. I I had gotten the impression the impression that we were going to say it's $10. Um I don't know why I think that. I know I know that one of the
people that comes is is really very very very close to the bone. Um yeah, but and that's really no nobody's business, you know, that you're looking and judging. But sometimes it can make one kind of um angry when you see people
that do have the money to do lots of things, but they don't have the money to make a little donation to a cause and and and a great service. Um but but that's judgment and that's trying to act upon judgment. Yeah.
Yeah. What about I'm just trying to think about um you know in terms of breaks for Simone and like a lunch tie, a little lunch. I mean she she she just works. She sounds like me in my old job and I'm
worn so worn out still five years later. Um is there any time built in for her to like take a breather? Well, okay, that's the the other another piece which Simone says she ordinarily spends 20 minutes with a client, but if feet need more
attention, she'll sp spend 25. And since I have no idea how that's going to relate to our clients, I put in I schedule people for 25 minute um appointments and probably a big chunk of them won't take 25 minutes.
And I would know that for another time. We said she doesn't need a break, but but I I think if we um you know, I think that's certainly something to consider and to ask her. It's just Okay. So, and I um I I asked her if she would take two extra people
this first time because one of them is a brand new client and both this month and next month are full. So, um she couldn't start out until September. And I felt kind of bad about that.
And I also the the um the chair of the COA of New Salem, they are thinking about hiring Simone. So they wanted to come and um and I let and I so I asked for a special time for Betsy. And so
when I was doing that, I asked for for if Simone minded two extra clients and she said no. Of course not. She makes more money that way. Right. Right. So, I guess what I need to know is I don't necessarily have to talk about
this with Simone at the next meeting, but it would makes it would make sense um to try to figure out whether we're going to stay and maybe you all want to think about it and talk about it at our next meeting. But we ought to think about whether we want to stay with our
regularly eight clients, eight spaces a month plus a waiting list for anybody who wants to be on the waiting list to to fill in gaps if there are gaps or we want to extend it so we don't have
a waiting list necessarily. Um, do we normally have a waiting list? Yes, we do. Uh but what what it would mean is that like let's you and Donna were speaking about splitting it. So if uh she you did
9 to 11 and then she does 11 to one all of a sudden it's now going to two. Yeah. Um so maybe do that do it that one time and see how it goes. Especially since Betsy is coming and Simone has already acquiesced.
Um um so we will our next meeting will be before the August foot clinic. So we could make the we could make it then the decision then or talk about the decision then.
I mean it's really not something that we have to make up our mind about right away. I mean the the greatest impact is somebody's time. Um yes, the volunteers time. So we could just do it this time and
then see if that person minds it being a little longer. Yeah. And you randomly asked her because she was literally the person I I was thinking would be it. It's just so funny. Yeah. No, she volunteered.
Yeah. I asked who would be interested and Donna, she might be. Yeah. And she seemed tickled with it with the whole thing. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, she's such a social butterfly. She is more and more all the time.
Talking to people do you know Don of Corino? I don't think so. Okay. Yeah. She's um uh she has definitely um we we have this group of women that meet
that I don't go as often as I'd like, but um you know a small group of women that has just gotten bigger and bigger and she started coming to that and a lot of women have sort of come out of their shell with it. It's it's kind of amazing. You're talking about ladies who laugh.
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I keep wanting to go, but um I really want to go. Um but I it's I don't like going out at night and and Thursday is often a busy league day. They tend to do meetings in the
evenings, but still I really should try, you know. Yeah, I'm often lately I've been having supper around nine o'clock. That's when I Oh my goodness. Yeah, I had lunch today at 4 when I got home.
Anyway, but it's it's it's fun. So, I'm not complaining or whining. Yeah. Anyway, I'm I'm I'm so glad. And and she seemed like she was, you know, uh interested and so so hopefully that will happen. That's really nice.
And is that going to start this next week? Yep. 16th. It's the third Wednesday. Okay. And you can do the 9 to 11. Yeah. But Donna's Donna is out. Just Donna's not starting in July. Donna would Okay.
We'd be talking about it and she'd be starting in August. Okay. Okay. All right. Okay. What else is on our agenda? Are we do do we We have We have a little update on
activities of neighborhood dementia support. And guess who I ask you to do it? Uh me. Yeah. Um All right. So it it it continues this wonderful thing. Still everyone is meeting once a week. Some of the names
that you hear coming up uh are are are uh are are coming to it as well. Uh there's been representation constantly from the four COAs the in the four towns that encompass village neighbors. We ran
our first two events um that we wanted to start with sort of a positive spin because I guess we had sort of felt like people were being kind of reserved and confidential and they don't want you know if they're having memory loss a lot of people are like this is private we don't even want anyone to know. So we
started with two uh events for brain health. Um they were the same uh same event run twice. Uh the first one happened at the Lever Library. There were 30 people there. And then a week
later we had another one uh in New Salem and there were 40 people there. Um and it was amazing. Including Mary Joe, right? So true. Right. Yes. Yes. Yes. And and Melly. That's right. Um and we are uh we have
our next one scheduled. I think it's July 31st at the Wendell Library and it's in the afternoon. We're doing from I think 2 to three and that one is the many faces of dementia so people can start to you know
find out a bit more about um about this disease. Um yeah, and then there'll also be a Zoom one um at night to allow for maybe a different population to be able to come. Um and
then there's we're preparing a Zoom that will be um available I think on our website that kind of gives the that le I want to say that lecture because in a in a way when it's not interactive that's that's rather what it is.
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Janette. Anybody questions about what we've been doing? Mary Joe, any comments from you? Oh, just I I think it's great. I thought that the initial
um two offerings were really helpful. Um I'm looking forward to additional opportunities to come to these things and you know I think gradually get a little bit more in-depth a little bit more information a little bit more
sharing a little bit more consistency as like same people keep coming begin to trust each other I think it's great I think it's good yeah oh good yeah I think they have support groups in mind and they also have memory cafes in
mind for people to come to um you know once again this grant was sort of applied for with the idea that um let's build it and hopefully people will come and I think we're getting the sense that that's happening and then we'll have to see where it goes because we're not sure
what people you know necessarily want we want it to be fairly responsive ready. Yeah, it's really Yeah, it's a great program. I And like Mary Joe, I really enjoyed the first um the first
presentation. I'm looking forward to Linda's such a good presenter. She is, isn't she? Yes, she is. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, if that's enough on that, we have our last,
well, we have the unanticipated, but we the last item on regular item on the agenda is an update on is plans for the September issue of the Gazette. And what we talked about um including
was to advertise for community lunch um to to talk about the foot clinic and perhaps and introduce Simone uh to talk about the neighborhood dementia support and whatever is appropriate to be talked about in terms
of what's coming up to remind people about the call FA's call in response. the transportation wise remember we now have the ability to get fura up here to take people places and I don't
know how many we had two people who had questions about it I have no idea if anybody's using it and it would be interesting to try to find out from fura if they are keeping I'm sure they're keeping records and it might be helpful for you on the
transportation group you know that and we thought we would have a reminder of sand for seniors and and comment on the fact we want people to know what we're doing because I think a lot of people have no idea what we're doing.
So, we'll talk a little fact that we donated money to help keep the program going and we will talk about the fact that we support library exercise classes of various kinds and that we support those and that people ought to if they
haven't thought about joining them, they ought to think about joining them. Mhm. And going to say something about the dancing that Joan Green's going to start in try again to start in September if
or maybe in October if the se September one goes because that would be early in the month. And we talk about if you have anything to report about the trans transportation group that is going to come into existence. This is me. Yeah, Janette. Sorry.
Okay. Um, all right. Yeah, I guess I'm going to try to get to that. Um, so I I have given myself the um the month the month project, I think, or summer project. I have a two couple big things and one of
them is um the newsletter for Village Neighbors has been done by someone right in the neighborhood um right by you, Mary Joe, and she's kind of just she's kind of done with it. Um, so I I've been doing the email and it's it's very
closely linked. So I said I'll just take it over certainly for now and I'm going to be hopefully sitting with her and learning a, you know, a little bit more because she gets a little fancier with boxes and things than I do. I tend to have it more like a run-on uh, email.
Um, so as I learn that, I'm thinking that might ready me for if if articles can come in from maybe these sources right here or or people we ask. Sally Fairfield is always happy to write.
Yeah, maybe maybe Donna once she starts helping with the the foot clinic, maybe she could do a little piece on that. So, I'm just thinking if we can get those articles, then the newsletter maybe won't be so terribly ownorous with, you know, so the feeling of just one person
having to do this. Um, especially being that person is no longer here. Um, so that's that's an idea I'm I'm I'm kind of throwing out there. Okay. Well, that's that's great. So, um, just before we get past this, so does
the list of topics that we that I read for it sound okay? Yeah. Is is that typed out? Um, no, it's not typed out right now because it was just us talking about it. Okay. No, I'm just I'm I'm really
visual, so I'm like, what were they all again? Okay. So, how about if I offer to do um which ones would make sense for me? the NDS the the that's that's the acronym uh the NDS grant and then you know I don't know
what's going to be if the transportation will be actually happening at that um point um I it dep yeah yeah it said in the paper I guess it was today's paper that the governor is going to wait on earmarks
until September and decide whether there's the money in the budget to to do them. But but that she said that was true of some of the earmarks, not all of the earmarks. And then Saunders earmark is related to transportation and
transportation is something the governor's emphasizing. Maybe she will ear approve it earlier. So can an article go in just as we're hoping all of this will happen? Oh, sure. Um, and I I think it always
helps, especially since we're starting this sort of again after a while. It's amazing how, you know, specifically like the Village Neighbors, we send out information. We have information out all the time. I was just at lunch with a friend and she bumped into a neighbor
who lived on her block and he had no idea what it was. So, I think it wouldn't hurt to just do a little synopsis of hey, we're the Council on Aging and we're sending out this this newsletter and you know what are again what are a few of the other
sources maybe Allah that pamphlet you know some of that information what is you know we could lift right from that the the trifold pamphlet you know what's what are the three sources that are available to help you um and then um the
lunch Did someone grab maybe grab the lunch? Uh because maybe Sally could do that one. Uhhuh. Uh and then what's left? I don't want to offer anybody up. If no one wants to do writing, that's absolutely fine. Um
because information can be pulled from somewhere else. Yeah. I mean, all of this these are going to be paragraphs, short paragraphs at most. So it's not heavy duty writing. And I'm certainly happy to write some of it.
Mhm. Because some of it will just be a few sentences and repetition is good. So in terms of getting Sarah Fisk to maybe do a little piece, she would be I was thinking that on some she always
has these little um I can put in her little post post things, you know, like uh sun safety and things like that that can that can go in there as well. Okay. Basically, we have to figure out how long
a publication we're producing and then we we figure out about we have to balance how much we could talk about and how much how long we can afford to make it. Right. Well, I think we had talked about this first one maybe being that four
pager where we lose half a page probably for the the posting. Uhhuh. So, we're talking about one, two, three, four, five, seven, seven chunks of space and then the mast head, of course. Um, which do we have access to
any of this or will it all be being recreated? I doubt it. I mean, know whether Patrick has access to Okay, I can ask him. Okay. I don't know if if that seems
uncomfortable. Um, there are copies around that we can copy. Yeah. No, I have I can I keep everything with that paperwork. I have the the hour town a few of those and I also have I'm pretty sure I'd be at least the
last couple gizettes. So, I guess a really longwinded way of saying I would probably be willing to take this on because I'm learning how to do it anyway. Okay, that's great. So, does the how do the rest of you feel about a four pager?
I think good everything. Go ahead, Mary Joe. I I think that's good if we can fit everything in. I think we can make that work. Yeah. Yeah. And do the most important stuff. And then if there's runoff stuff, you know,
we can wait for next time, you know. Exactly. And there's some stuff that could be a couple of sentences but and in a later issue expanded. You know, would be ideal if we could afford to have more than two issues a year,
which is what we have been in the past doing because it's just such a long time between communicating. It'd be nice if we if we got all those emails though and we could just put a little email out instead of a whole, you
know. Yeah, we do we do both. Um, you know, a lot of people on those neighbors are like, "Please don't send me the real, you know, the newsletter. I'm happy with the the electronic." And with the electronic often it's there's
much more um that does didn't make it to the four pages or however many it is. Um I'd like to right now just talk about two times a year because you don't want to scare me away. I'm like whoa Nelly. Oh okay.
Um because I even you know we're we're hoping for September you know September or if you would say September October that would be really nice. Yeah, I think September October is sounds good. Okay. Um, so you know what? I'm going to
suggest that we, you know, you when you have a chance to type out a list maybe separate from the minutes. Yes. And then I can think about, oh, who could I um, you know, kind of say, would you mind writing a little article? Because sometimes people like doing it. I mean, it would be nice to have
something about this. Um, you know, just things that have happened around like the art walk, the open studio. I mean, Oh, yeah. And I could get somebody to do that, I'm sure. Yeah. We have to prioritize what we're going to what's most important to fit
in. Right. But again, I remember the gazette. I mean, we had like three pages on the new foot person or the new nurse at one point. that doesn't or the you know it doesn't have to be a super long article an eight page or more
right and I don't I I don't think it needs to be I think let's just go with the four pages and just be a little more brief yeah four pages concise concise is a better word get all the information in without it being uh on and on and on and on okay so then if
you get that list we can kind of take a look at it and see if anyone else would be interested so the reason I was running a little late is I thought the meeting with all the the changing I thought it was from 6:00 to 7. Um so that was my bad yet again.
No, I thought that. Sorry. That was just um a possibility if we couldn't Oh, okay. Yeah. Okay. That's that's And it got stuck in my head, which is a bad place to get stuck these days.
The heat. Yeah. I think I think that was if we want if people want only comfortable meeting on the third Wednesday rather than the fourth or fifth. I think there are five ones. Um the third Wednesday of cemetery commission which starts
actually it starts at 6:00 and runs till 7. So I was asking whether we could go before that but we that sort of but but this worked out because this worked out. So not to worry about any of those things. Right. Right.
All right. Anything else or Well, you should probably say a few things about the the upcoming transportation group that you may that you're willing to participate in from village neighbors and also from us.
Okay. Honestly, I I agreed to I figured I'm going to get roped into it anyway, but I haven't really I've been not paying too much attention. I I was going to ignore it, honestly. Um, and then when you threw it out there as possibly
I I I I was like, "Oh, chances are I'll somehow get involved with it anyway." So, I have been kind of ignoring it. So, you probably know more than I do. Well, know that we've got this $20,000 and that um Elizabeth Hernandez or Brian is putting together a meeting to get
information. Right. Would that be our representative Aaron Saunders has an an Yes. an earmark for $20,000 for village neighbors. Is that correct? Yeah. I don't know what we're going to do with it.
Yeah. I don't either. And especially we need to if we're going to do anything, we would need to build on what Ferda's call in response and we need to find out whether that's used. Yeah. And and I I thought it was very interesting that that one Tina somebody
immediately like kind of answered it and was like we offer a lot of this stuff. So it almost seemed like are they put out and I don't I don't know that for a fact. But um well yeah I mean they they've sort of bent over backwards to to create the
call and response was the impression that I got. And this looks kind of odd when you first hear about it. It sounds like it's slapping in the face verda in the face for what it's done and and have people Yeah, Susan, I could
I could actually now that we've said this, I could probably go on for about an hour, but I would not want to be come out about it in public. It's just some feelings I have like what, you know, why because is stuff that would is already
in place even being utilized. Yeah. And I think you would need to play a role in the committee and bring those issues up. Um, one of my strongest feelings about Aaron Saunders is that he will not support
Medicare for all. And that to me is extremely important. And And so that you always have sort of a little bit of a taint towards him. And you're not Yeah. I mean, I I don't really there's certain things I'm very
very very interested in and there's other things I have to be honest that I kind of procrastinate and ignore and and that's wrong of me. But um I would say this is one of them. Yeah. I would hear the word transportation and I would just be like, "Oh,
oh well that's too bad." But but I think you know I know Elizabeth is passionately you know interested in it and thinks it's very important. Um so I certainly need to be supportive. Um and the fact
that this has come through but some of the ideas that come around they just seem like how will that possibly happen? So, one of the things when um when the village neighbors when life path got
interested in the aging and dementia friendly becoming an aging and dementia friendly community community and we end up with the big survey y towns that were interested at one point when I was reading up about
stuff I realized that's one thing that's out there is a possibility is owning our own van and having the money for a driver to take people with our own transportation to to the things they
need to go to, but also on trips. And you know, if that could be afforded, that would be and the four towns would certainly share it. Um, that would be great, I think. But I don't know if it's realistic. Okay. I I mean I I had a conversation
with Sally about this just the other day and I was just like how would that work? They can't even find drivers at Life Path to drive, you know, and they're paying them, you know, where's this van going to live? How are they going to buy this van? Who's going to drive it? Yeah. Well, what about bad weather, which we
have a third of the year? I I don't know. I just kind of felt like like um it just seems difficult to see how it would be and what if three people need to use it at the same time
and who decides well okay three people are signing up for it one of those person people like you know really needs it suddenly you know what what is the the ramifications of that going to be but then you know I am a little black cloud I've been called a little black cloud in
my Do you okay I shouldn't keep us going and and Jessica and Mary Joe are not communic you're not get involved in this discussion. Yeah. I don't know anything about it. I was trying to follow the email thread and I got completely lost. I went back. I
started all over again. I'm like what are we talking about? Like I couldn't Yeah. What are we talking about? for a couple of years now. One of the probably main things that Village Neighbors um provides, it's probably our number one
service is um giving people rides, right? And it it happens uh pretty much all the time. Um and then there used to be the med rides. Yeah. Um, and then um,
uh, gosh, I I was blanking on that the lovely woman, her name that moved to Montigue. Oh, she was so nice. She was on the COA. Huh? Huh? Joanne Burn. Joanne. Oh my god. At lunch today, I was like trying to bring her up and I just
could not remember her name. And I was I usually I'm very very good at things. I was really bothered by that. Um anyway, um you know, she got very involved in it too. Elizabeth got very involved with it, you know, and it it became part of the as you said, the life path survey,
like we're going to need more people uh you know, more access to transportation. We live up here in the boonies. How does anybody get anywhere? But then they get like levered is a prime example. They get they get a route and it's not being
used very much. Um, and and our call-in response is it being used all the time? I would say, "Let's rent a van." What I was saying to Sally, I was like, "Let's let's rent a van. We have money to rent a van and see if we get 20 people to like go to the clerk or something, you
know, or go wherever." Yeah. And just see if it's I think that's a good idea. Yeah. And, you know, can because there are certainly things going on now. I mean you're providing village neighbors providing rides for so many
people that's a major service and the fert's call and response and the lever I mean there there are the beginnings of things right now. So I'm just I mean Saunders has to have had some kind of
written proposal that he presented to the legislature for him to get his I would hope for him to get his earmark. I would be curious to contact him. Yeah. Or or we could ask Elizabeth to do a a guest spot for us. I feel like she
did that a long time ago. Is that right? Um and just talk about this. Um so Jessica, it's just about, you know, when you when you later on in life when you can't drive anymore, how are you going to get any place? Right. So it's like trying to build
but but it just seems a little unrealistic sometimes. I have a question that may or may not be related, but I've been wondering about. I have friends, a couple who moved to the area from Boston.
Mhm. And chose the community that they're they were going to live in based on the fact that they could get rides for him. He's his has a disability, can't drive. um pretty much at the drop of a hat
whenever he needed it, which apparently is the case in Ammerst where they moved. And I thought to myself, what's the difference between Ammerst and Shootsberry? A lot of why does Ammerst have this going on? Who
pays for it? How much does it cost? How is it set up? And why wouldn't they share? Well, why wouldn't they share they I mean it cost obviously it would cost Ammeris money and so they would probably
they would want a financial um offering from Shitzbury I would say or from any town involved. So, I'm wondering whether the service comes out of the senior center or whether it's their village neighbors, their neighbors,
or whether it's Uber or if he's working in a community. If he's living in an actual community, there might be a van right there with a driver. All a special community and this information was available to him as someone living in Boston looking to move to a community
that has this service. I will ask him more about it. Do that. I thought it was something that might be common knowledge. Apparently, not so much. And I guess my feeling is if we had $20,000
um or you know, it would be much more economical given that we don't have a lot of usage to make that available like for a bigger number of towns to cooperate in that. I don't know what kind of and I
don't even know they may have state funding for it for all I know. They may. Well, there's bit of a problem is in that Ammerst is in another county and another electoral district. So that Aaron Saunders is not the rep for
Ammerst. Mindy Dom is. So I I know there are a number of towns, not just Ammerst, that has this. I mean what I that's what I mean like there's ferta there's the other one
something cog um and there um so it could have something to do with that evta I don't know he got he called one time he got a ride just out of the blue all the way to Springfield and back person drove him there waited for him and drove
him back home you know village neighbors that can happen I and they encouraged people to please let us know two or three if you know you have a doctor's appointment in a month why would you take the chance but we get rides very often for people at the last
minute who really who really need them um life path has a I believe life path has a program which takes people is this the one that goes out of county there's one that goes out of county only
I don't Well, as Janette said, Joanne was our expert, and you know, it might be interesting to ask Joanne to come and talk to us. Yeah, we would love to see Joanne again. Yeah. Um, and maybe, you know, maybe why don't we
make that for August that we see if Joanne is available to come and talk to us and and then Mary Joe find out this information because they do have a village there. Um, but like Northampton uh is doing less and less of actual
direct services and they're moving almost to like an online platform where it's these new special interest groups that we're starting up. Susan, I don't know if you had gotten information about that. I did. Yeah. Yeah. that they're they're largely that
um and and and not like giving rides and screwing in light bulbs and uh taking good public transportation in Northampton. I think pretty good. I mean, for an older person who, you
know, is going to your eye doctor to get your shots in your eyes, that's public transportation stuff. But they do have a van that does special trips like does or Northampton wants. I think
Florida does. Yeah. Is my understanding. Yes. For some of it, I think it's just the setup. I remember helping my dad with it down in New York City. Um what what was his uh accessoride? H it was
just murderous trying to get that thing set up. And then the day he moved into assisted living and he goes, "Guess what I just got in the mail today, Janette? My card from Access Accessoride," figuring he would never ever ever use it. And but you know what? He did use it
a few times when I couldn't go down there and take him somewhere. Oh, that's good. Okay, before we get uh too involved involved in this, which we are quite quite a bit, we need to remember that do we as a group want to
get involved in whatever transportation um suggestions come out of the group that's meeting or do we want to sort of sit on the sidelines and wait to find out from Janette what's being developed? Because what we're talk doing now in terms of
things like talking about bringing Joanne in to talk about transportation that sounds like it's the should be the business of the group of that transportation group. Yeah. I I think it's simply getting better
information um for all of us including myself. Okay. Well, it would benefit you in the group, right? I mean, you know, I I hear fur cog or ferda and I'm just like I glaze over. It's it's bad. There's certain things I'm either like, you
know, so interested in something or I'm just like, oh, do we really have to talk about this? Okay, so I'll ask Joanne if she is free for the August meeting. Yeah, I think it would be super to to see her. give us some information about
the whole transportation history of the OA and the town of Shitzbury in terms of its cons its thinking and okay and if not I mean I'm sure Elizabeth would maybe be happy to do it as well
um Joanne actually knows what happened in Shootsbury and in the COA and I don't think Elizabeth does so that I think Yeah, but I hear you about asking Elizabeth.
Does that sound okay to everybody else? Fine with me. Jess, is that Yes. Um, do we have any So, well, thank you all for this discussion. Um, do we have
anything that else to bring up to any unanticipated business? I don't think so. Okay. So we are going to meet our next meeting would be on um the third
Wednesday of August which is 13. Okay. Is it the 13th? I think so. The second Wednesday of August, not the third. Oh, sorry. I'm thinking
that would be the second. No, we are the second. Yeah. But it still would be the 13. Yep. Okay. At 5:30. All righty. Okay. So,
I've been apologizing for my my just not quite understanding when these meetings start. Um, well, not to worry. There was just there was confusing communication and I should have sent out another clearer note to everybody or I could just pay better attention.
So, I apologize. Don't Thanks, Janette. Don't need to I need to to Okay. So, is there a motion to adjourn the meeting? There is motion to meeting. Okay. And is it seconded? Yes.
Okay. Is there any discussion about adjourning the meeting? No. So, let's have a roll call vote. And Cat doesn't get to vote. I make peace. I do an I. Millinger. I Okay. And the time is
somebody who's got up on 9:40 6:42. 6:42. Well, we almost made it to an hour. Okay. Okay. All right. Thanks much later. Cool everybody. Bye bye. Yeah. Bye bye.
See you Wednesday, Susan. See you Wednesday. Yep. Good luck with that. Oh, thanks a lot. Thanks a lot.