COMMISSION ON AGING MEETING                                     MARCH 13, 2008

 

Chairman Radtke called to order the regular meeting of the Commission on Aging Committee at 9:00 a.m., on March 13, 2008, at the Vilas County Courthouse, Conference Room 2, in Eagle River, Wisconsin 

 

Present:  The following persons were present:  Loyd Black, Betty Gussick, Betty Hansen, Ray Johnson, Dennis Nielsen, and Donna Rollmann. Staff present was Greg Schiek, as Interim Director and Susan Richmond. Members excused were Steve Favorite, Mary Peterson, Carolyn Kneip and Chris Wise.  Also present were Maynard Bedish, County Board Supervisor, Verdelle Mauthe, Elizabeth Conrad and Janell Keeter from the Northern Area Agency on Aging.

 

Approve Agenda: Nielsen moved and Rollmann seconded the motion to approve the Agenda as mailed, which order may be changed at the discretion of the Chair.  Carried. 

 

Approve Minutes:  Nielsen moved and Gussick seconded the motion to approve the Minutes of the regular Commission Meeting held on February 13, 2008 and the Minutes from the Nutrition Sub-Committee Meeting held on February 21, 2008. Carried.     

 

Agenda Item #4 Northern Area Agency on Aging:  The March report was discussed.  Radtke stated that the Commission on Aging has a new Director, Joe Fortmann, who will be starting on March 31, 2008.  Joe is from Midland, Michigan and will be relocating to Wisconsin.  Radtke asked Keeter if the Northern Area Agency on Aging would train the new Director.  Keeter stated she believed there would be some sort of training for him and that he may need to go to Madison also for some of that training.  Radtke stated he would get a hold of Joe to see if he could go to the Director’s PSA Meeting in Minocqua on his first day.

 

GUEST SPEAKER:  ELIZABETH CONRAD FROM CWAG

Elizabeth Conrad spoke to our Committee about ensuring Medicare Integrity.  Protect/Detect/Report was the theme of her talk.  She presented two videos for the group to watch.  She will also be doing a presentation this afternoon in the conference rooms from 1:00 – 3:30 p.m. on Senior Medicare Patrol.

 

Agenda Item 5 Program and Committee Reports

Directors Report:   Schiek discussed the following:

*The letters to the Joint Finance Committee were signed by Dennis Nielsen, Vice Chairman and sent out showing our support of additional funding for the Benefit Specialists program.

*We received a thank you card from Nicolet College for providing our green bags and hand sanitizers for their Caregiver Conference held in February.

*There was a report from Maren Rahn, who finished off her presentations from 2007.  She will be presenting her proposal for 2008 at the next meeting.

*We were asked if we wanted to do advertising on bags for Trig’s Pharmacy.  The cost is not too bad but discussion was held as to whether it would be cost effective and if people really read what is on their bags that they throw away.

*Discussion was held on the new Stimulus Payments.  Richmond stated that our Benefit Specialists are on top of this and have a volunteer, Bill Pabst, coming in to assist people with the forms.

 

Friendly Visitors/Family Caregiver Support:   Barron gave a report for January and February.  In January:  she had 4 reporting visitors, 5 persons visited with 4 nursing home visits.  14.75 hours with a total of 92 miles driven.  In February:  she had 4 reporting visitors, 5 persons visited with 4 nursing home visits. 17.25 hours with a total of 134 miles driven. 

Barron stated that her Powerful Tools Class will start on April 7, if she has enough participants.  The Chronic Disease Class has started as of March 6 and is going well.

 

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren:  No report was given.

 

Chore: Thirteen households received reimbursement for 95.5 hours of service at a cost of $726.14 for the month.  There were no Handyman expenses reimbursed, leaving a budget balance of $23,698.22.  There are two households on the waiting list.    

 

Alzheimer=s: Five households received reimbursement in the amount of $618.79 for the month.  The balance of the budget is $10,469.21.  There are no households on the waiting list. 

 

Escort: Twenty-seven clients were driven more than 5629 miles at a cost of $4,364.31 for the month.  Volunteers donated 267 hours of service.  The donations total $660.86 for the month.  Radtke made mention of the high number of miles this month.  Richmond explained it was due to a few clients that had several trips to Marshfield, Wisconsin and another client that has had to spend the day at Howard Young, so our driver drives client there, goes back home and then goes back to Minocqua to pick the client up.

 

Nutrition: There were 2604 meals served in February, at a cost of $22,302.55. Donations totaled $7,450.43.  Richmond asked the Committee to make a decision regarding the “free” meals that they had voted on back in December.  The Committee stated to hold off on the “free” meals this year since our numbers have increased substantially since 2007 already.

 

Benefit Specialists

Gengle reported that she assisted 30 clients this month and had 47 issues addressed.  Total impact for the month was $153,915.06.  The year to date impact total is $451,795.07.  Schiek stated that the economy will have a huge impact on all of our programs due to fuel and food prices increasing. 

 

CWAG Report:   Radtke stated that the District 7 Meeting will be held in Antigo on Monday, March 31, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m..  The cost is the nutrition site donation for the meal.  Radtke would like to see a good turnout for this meeting since it is so close to our County.  If there is enough people going, he will try to get the van.   

 

Agenda Item #6 Old Business

Monthly Expense Report:  $44,345.46 as the total monthly expenditure, with a year to date total of $70,709.82, which is approximately 12% of the total budget.

 

Agenda Item #7 New Business

Travel Requests:     There was a motion by Rollmann with a second by Bedish to approve the following travel requests:

 

March 19, 2008,  Mole Lake Casino for a Transportation Meeting Richmond, Radtke & Nielsen to attend.

 

April 10-11, 2008 to CWAG Meeting in Madison, Wisconsin for Radtke

 

May 2, 2008 to Rhinelander for Information & Assistance Training for Barron and Richmond to attend.

 

Motion was carried.  Schiek suggested that we put the travel requests on the back of the Agendas.

 

Request for Office Equipment:

The Benefit Specialists have requested a Portable Scanner for them to use when they are doing homesteads out of the office.  The cost is $139.85.

Richmond requested a Privacy Screen for her computer.  The cost is $84.11.

A new printer is needed for the new Director since his printer is broken.  The cost is $113.10.

 

There was a motion by Bedish with a second by Radtke to approve the above mentioned requests.  Carried.

 

Request for DOT Funds:

The Northwoods Seniors have requested funds in an amount not to exceed $800.00 for brakes and bearings for their van.  There was a motion by Nielsen with a second by Rollmann to take the funds out of trust account.  Carried.

 

Request for Donation to Experience Works:

Richmond explained that Experience Works provides us with a worker in the kitchen at the Kalmar Senior Center.  She is very much needed and has been a tremendous help to our site manager.  We have never been asked before to make a donation like this and whether or not we provide a donation will not affect if we continue to have our worker.  There was a motion by Rollmann with a second by Hansen to table the matter until May at which time the new Director can make that decision.  Carried.

 

United Way:

Richmond explained that we had received an email from Northwoods United Way stating that in order to receive our application (as we have in the past) for 2009, there was a list of items that we had to produce just to get the application.  Schiek and Richmond discussed the possibility of using these funds for possibly the ensure that we are no longer able to provide with our nutrition funds.  There was a motion made by Rollmann with a second by Gussick that we should apply for the funds for whatever we feel would be helpful to use the funds for.  Carried.

 

SHIP Grant:

Schiek stated that the information came in too late to get on the Agenda but we need it to go to the County Board for signature.  It is $5000.00 that the Benefit Specialists can use for equipment.  There was a motion by Gussick with a second by Black to apply for the grant.  Discussion was held on what the funds would be used for.  Schiek stated that Gengle has put together a list that came out to exactly $5,000.00.  Nielsen stated that he didn’t believe we needed the extra equipment.  He stated that when they say “free money”, it is not free, the County would still end up paying for the maintenance of the equipment.  Ayes were Rollmann, Black, Gussick, Radtke and Hansen.  Nays were Bedish, Nielsen and Johnson.  Motion Carried.

 

Pharmacy Ad Bags:

Further discussion was held on whether or not we should advertise on the Trig’s Pharmacy bags.  The Committee decided to not do the advertising at this time.

 

Agenda Item #8 Business of Members/Letters and Correspondence:   Schiek stated that he, Nielsen and Richmond had attended the new site in Boulder Junction and met with the owner.  A five page letter was given to the owner stating our concerns and what needed to be changed to comply with the Policy and Procedures the State expects of the Aging Unit.  Schiek felt it was going well after our meeting.  It was discussed that coffee would be charged extra since it is not part of our price for the meals. 

 

Agenda Item #9:  There was a motion by Bedish with a second by Nielsen to approve the payment of the February bills.  Carried.

 

Future Meeting Dates:(NOTE DAY AND TIME CHANGE)

Radtke requested that we change our April meeting as follows:

APRIL 9, 2008, AT THE VILAS COUNTY COURTHOUSE, CONFERENCE ROOM #2, AT 1:00 P.M. FOR THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING.

 

Adjournment:  There was a motion by Gussick with a second by Rollmann to adjourn at 11:25 a.m.  Carried.     

 

Minutes reflect the recorders notations and are subject to approval by the appropriate board or committee.

 

Submitted by:                                                   Approved by:

 

 

Susan Richmond                                               Greg Schiek

Administrative Secretary                                   Interim Director