HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979-02-13 Info PacketCity of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
DATE: February 9, 1979
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
RE: Informal Agendas and Meeting Schedule
February 12, 1979 14ondav
1:30 - 5:00 P.M.
1:30 P.M. - Review zoning applications
2:00 P.M. - Council agenda, Council time, and Council committee reports
2:30 P.M. - Bus service to University Heights - Public Works
3:00 P.M. - Alternative methods for Refuse Collection - Public Works
3:30 P.M. - Senior Citizens' Center update - Planning and Program
Development
4:00 P.M. - Quarterly report - Housing and Inspection Services
February 13, 1979 Tuesday
7:30 P.M. - Regular Council Meeting - Council Chambers
February 19, 1979 Monday
HOLIDAY
February 20, 1979 Tuesday
7:30 P.M. - Regular Council Meeting - Council Chambers
February 26, 1979 Mond.
1:30 - 5:00 P.M.
1:30 P.M. - Review zoning applications
2:00 P.M. - Council agenda, Council time, and Council committee reports
2:30 P.M. - Drainage problem, Hafor Drive/Hafor Circle - Public Works
4:00 P.M. - Consider appointments to Airport Commission, Governor Lucas
Square Commission, and Johnson County Regional Planning
Commission
PENDING LIST
EEOC Update
Northside Study
Board/Commission views to State and Federal agencies
Area Transportation Study - February
Demonstration of Thermography Instrument
Leaf Burning Policy
Non -Discrimination Ordinance
Economic Development Strategies
Appointments to Broadband Telecommunications Commission, Resources Conservation
Commission, and Committee on Community Needs - March 6, 1979
Appointment to Board of Adjustment - March 20, 1979
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DES MOINES
City of Iowa Citi
MEMORANDUM
Date: February 7, 1979
To: All Department Heads
From: City Manager l
Re: Financial Impact
Various proposals are presented to the City Council which have a finan-
cial impact. On many occasions these matters are not reviewed by the
Finance Director in advance.
In the future all proposals which are presented to the City Council,
which have a financial impact, will be approved by the Director of
Finance for availability of funding. Please ensure that such matters
are presented to the Finance Director sufficiently in advance of the
agenda deadline so that your business will not be delayed.
cc: City Council
jm3/19
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MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES IdOltlCs
City of Iowa Citi
MEMORANDUM
DATE: February 6, 1979
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
RE: University Heights
Enclosed is some information from the City's files concerning University
Heights. This background information developed during the period in which
University Heights and Iowa City were considering a merger. I think you
will find the arguments and proposals extremely interesting and relevant
for our discussion concerning transit services.
r
MICROFIL14ED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RARIDS•DES MOINES
The citizens of Iowa City and University Heights have lived together
side by aide for many years and have always had a friendly relationahfp.
This friendly rejationship has extended to the respective governments who
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i have worked together and cooperated on many governmental affairs.
Very shortly, however, the two political subdivisions will no longer
be side by side - rather, University Heights will be a political island
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completely surrounded by Iowa City. I believe that now is the time for the
respective Councils to plan the future relationship of the two communities.
Therefore, I would like to make the following recommendation concerning the
unification of our communities:
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I believe the time is right for us now to become onee,political unit.
We are united in all other things; socially - economically - and geographically.
How is the time for us to unite politically. The citizens of University
Heights have a stake in the future of Iowa City, and they can beet protect
jthie•.future by becoming a part of Iowa City.
I do not believe there is any question, but that the citizens of Iowa
i City would approve a merger of the two communities. The citizens of
University Heights, however, would be losing their identity As a separate
village and would want to study this merger more closely, There are two
main considerations that should be analyzed:
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1. Political
2. Financial
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MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 140I71ES
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Iowa City is in the midst of many far-reaching changes. We have an
Urban Renewal study underway; we are planning for more parks and play-
grounds; we are attempting to coordinate our health activities with the
County; in cooperation with the University, we will be drawing up a compre-
hensive traffic and transportation plan; we are beginning comprehensive
planning; and we have many other things under consideration. These changes
are going to affect the people of University Heights, and they should have
a voice in the planning and determination of them.
Reny of the people in University Heights are in some way connected
with the University. The University of Iowa and Ibwa City are working
closely together in the hope that the growth of the University and the City
will be planned, orderly and meaningful. The University and the City have
made Joint appointments of a City P1annbr and are cooperating together for
a Joint appointment of a Traffic Engineer. Both the University and the
City have retained the firm of Sasaki, Dawson, DeMay Associates, Incorporated.
The University, to aid in its overall planning, and the City, as a consultant
on the Urban Renewal project, Between the University and the City there is
a spirit of cooperation. The people of University Heights, by becoming
a part of Iowa City, can take part in this cooperative effort to build a
Yet greater University in a greater Iowa City,
Iowa City needs the people of University Heights on the City Council; on
our various boards and commissions; and on our citizens' committees. There
are many people in University Heights trained and experienced in the different
aspects of local government. We are willing and anxious to give the people
of University Heights a voice in running the government of Iowa City. To do
this, however, University Heights must become a part of Iowa City..
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES I4MIES
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.Financially, the people of University Heights will benefit if
they are a part of Iowa City.
At present University Heights enjoys a lower tax rate.than does Iowa City.
A comparison is as foll6wa:
City_ of. Iowa:!C1tvci'7.'Univeraity Heiehts
State Levies
.340
.340
County Levies
16.306
15.722
School General
54.921
54.921
Social Security
1.530
1.530
School I.P.E.R.S.
1.436
1.436
Taxes School Site
.767
.767
Bonds & Interest
5.814
5.814
Special Courses
.788
.788
Town General
.017
.838
Street
4.113
.775
Public Safety
8.194
7.747
Sanitation
6.686
1.937
Municipal Enterprises
3:354
-----
(library, cemetery, airport)
Recreation &Parke
3.256
-----
Utilities
1.977
1.859
Debt Service
4.595
-----
Trust & Agency
3.350
Total
117.444
94.474
The difference in -mill rates is due primarily to the fact that University
Heights takes only those -services it needs for itself and does -not have to
concern itself with functions that are needed by the entire•,urban area.
University Heights does not have to pay taxes for the airport, cemetery,
library, recreational:.facilities, parks, bridges across the river, costs -of
planning, landfill operation, public-health, etc. Iowa City, as a•central
city, must provide all these functions. University Heights -is in the fortunate
position of being able to use these facilities -or -not, as it -chooses.
Some attempt is made, however, to charge the people outside the City of
Iowa City for these services. This is•highly unsatisfactory. Tax'supported
functions are not organized to charge for their services, and this is probably
why they are tax supported. For example, the people.of University Heights,
with an assessed valuation of $1,500,000 and 280 homes, pay a total of $315.00
FIICROFILIIED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 1401NE5
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for the support of the public library. Fair Meadows, a part of Iowa City, with an
assessed valuation .of $725,000 and 180 homes, pays through taxes a a= of $2,500.00
for the support of the public library. The public library, however, is geographi-
cally more accessible, and is probably used more, by the people of University
Heights than by the people of Fair Meadows.
If University Heights now elects to remain an independent town, I.suggest that
Iowa City immediately study the possibility of a change in our contractual service
with University Heights; in fairness to the Iowa City'residents who are paying
taxes for all the functions of the city, whether they•use them or not. This
charge could be the product of University Heights' assessed valuation times the
total mill rate levied by Iowa City, which would be.the same basis as Iowa City
residents are paying. If this were accomplished then University Heights would be
paying the same mill rate and enjoying the same services as the Iowa City residents.
It would, however, be better for everyone concerned for University Heights to
become an integral part .of Iowa City.
If University Heightq.joins Iowa. City, the citizens of University Heights
would not have to pay any part of Iowa,Dity's present 'bonded debt. The citizens
of University Heights would enjoy a lgwer mill rate until Iowa City's obligations
are paid. The citizens of University Heights would, also enjoy a reduction in
sewer service fees as•soon as they become a part. of'the City of Iowa City.
If University Heights becomes a part of Iowa City, the citizens of University
Heights will:
1. Have a voice in the government of the central city.
2. .Benefit financially.
I therefore urge the respective Councils to take the legal .steps necessary
to hold an election 'on'this matter. I also urge .than an election be
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MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DES MOINES
1.6._
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held as -soon as possible so that the citizens -of University Heightscan
participate in -the local Iowa City elections which will beheld thio fall.
I also -urge both Councils to give this .measure tbeir-fulleat support.
Richard W. Burger
Mayor
Iowa City, Iowa
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 14011JES
J4J /
Otl JXI 1(]b3e
Mne CITY OF IOWA CITY
July 7, 1965
Mayor Russell Rose and Members of the
University Heights Council
Gentlemen:
office of the mayor
RICHARD N. BURGER
I realize you are having a public hearing on the University Heights budget
and I am not a resident of your community. However, as the Mayor of Iowa
City, I believe that I have an obligation to convey to Mayor Ross this
letter to be read at your budget hearing for what you do on your budget
will profoundly affect the relationship between University Heights and
Iowa City. This, I am as vitally interested in as you are.
I recently sent you a proposal regarding municipal services. Under the last
item on the proposal, Iowa City agreed to supply all services to University
Heights at a cost of the same mill rate less one that Iowa City levies.
This last proposal is certainly fair and equitable and I urge you to accept
it.
I am certain that the people of University Heights want to pay their fair
cost of maintaining the public institutions. Through this proposal, the
people of University Heights could use all of Iowa City's facilities with a
clear conscience. Iowa City administrative people would not have to go to
the expense and unpleasantness of charging more to the people of University
Heights or excluding them from some of our facilities. If University Heights
would accept this last proposal, it would do much to cement relations that
have been maintained between the two communities.
It is my hope that we can soon have an election and merge the two communities.
A small difference in taxes should not be the main issue at this election.
This would not be fair to the citizens of both of our communities. Accepting
this proposal would eliminate this issue and the election could take place on
a much higher plain.
The main issues at this election should be:
1. Do the citizens of University Heights wish to involve themselves
in the politics of Iowa City.
2. Do the people of University Heights wish to help decide some of
the major issued now being considered.
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DE.S Mo1MES
Mayor Russell Ross and Members of the
University Heights Council
July 7, 1965
Page 2.
3. Do the people of University Heights wish to provide some of the
leadership that is going to be vitally needed.
Iowa City has been financially supporting University Heights for many.years.
You could repay this obligation many times over by taking your place in the
community and providing some of the political leadership that is going to be
needed in the years ahead.
Sincex5eiy,
Richard W. Burger
Mayor
RWB/jk
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MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOIRES
IUG;.w
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January 17, 1966
CITY OF IOWA CITY
Honorable Mayor Chan Coulter &
Members of the University Heights Council
Gentlemen:
office of the city manager
CAA9TEN D. LEIKVOLD
The University Heights Council has not responded to the Resolution passed
by the Iowa City Council and sent to you with a covering letter from me
on November 17, 1965. I did read in the Iowa City Press Citizen of some
action taken by the University Heights Council at your meeting of January
13th and if this article is correct, there must be some misunderstanding.
The municipal services of Iowa City are available to University Heights
citizens only under the terms set forth in the resolution. The services
of Iowa City are not available to the citizens of University Heights on
an individual basis. This was certainly the understanding of the respec-
tive Councils when this tentative agreement was reached. It was brought
out quite specifically when the two Councils were meeting that most
municipal services do not lend themselves to individual collection and
that the fair way for University Heights to pay their share of municipal
services would be through taxes. It was mentioned quite often that we
would not be able to build and maintain libraries, parks, and other munici-
pal services on a fee system.
If you want your citizens to enjoy the privileges of the Iowa City library
or recreation center, it must be done under the conditions set forth in the
Resolution. These services will not be made available to the citizens of
University Heights on an individual basis.
Although the newspaper article did not mention sanitation, I would like to
I point out that this service also includes the use of the sanitary landfill.
This will also be made available to you only under the conditions set forth
in the Resolution. This would mean that it would not be available to
individual citizens nor to contract haulers except under the provisions of
the Resolution. You will probably want to take this into consideration.
I was aware of the provision in the fire contract which called for a notice
of cancellation. At the time, I thought the two Councils had reached an
understanding and that a formal notice of cancellation would not be necessary
and might, in fact, be misunderstood. We will, of course, honor the contract
and will make fire services available for 1966.
MICROFILMED DY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES tI01REs
Honorable Mayor Chan Coulter &
Members of the University Heights Council
January 17, 1966
Page 2.
I will, at this time, officially inform you that fire services from Iowa
City to University Heights will be terminated on January 1, 1967. I will
also officially inform you at this time that you must make some provisions
for taking care of your own sewage by January 1, 1967. If more official
notices are necessary, I will have our City Attorney prepare them. This
is done, of course, only for official technical reasons and with the under.
standing that a new agreement can be entered into during the year 1966
under the terms set forth under the Resolution.
I would like to hear from you by February 1, 1966 on what services Univer-
I sir,, heights wishes to take from Iowa City during the year 1966. We have
started making preparations for our 1967 budget. We would also like to
know as soon as possible if University Heights wishes to take Iowa City
services for 1967 under the terms set forth in the Resolution.
The Iowa City Council has undertaken many projects that I know University
Heights citizens are interested in. We are growing rapidly and in a short
time University Heights will be in the geographical center of Iowa City.
We are going to be thrown in closer contact with each other. It is to the
interest of everyone that we establish a sound, healthy relationship. This
i can only be done though if University Heights pays their fair share of
municipal services. In the interests of the entire metropolitan area, from
a sense of what is fair, and in behalf of continued good relations between
the many good friends in our co=nities, I would urge the University
Heights Council to take all the services of Iowa City as set forth in the
I Resolution.
May I plea sehear fr you.
/Slne} n
Carsten D. LeikvoId
City Manager
CDI,/jk
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MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICRO!_AB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MbII1ES
I
City of Iowa Ci�?
DATE: February 9, 1979
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
RE: Elderly Housing - Senior Center Development
As a result of the discussions regarding the development of subsidized housing for
the elderly which occurred at the Council meeting on February 6, members of the
unciion. As we indicated to You
time,Cwe dol notvviewgthet"airdrights" issue lasttile sole obstacle; which upon at that
resolution would
s w
t that tme, we
believethatthe current l�difficulties e way orepresentnonly Atheefirsteofstatdanumerouslpotential
problems inherent in a development project of this magnitude and complexity.
A review of the history of this project and the schedule of remaining tasks will
explain the staffs concerns. The First Christian Church submitted a proposal to
HUD in mid -summer, 1977. HUD announced the fund reservation for 100 units of
subsidized housing in September, 1977, 'Ihe preliminary proposal, showing the building
configuration and site plan was submitted to HUD on May 24, 1978. As explained in
the letter from the Ebenezer Center, attached to this memorandum, the air rights issue
was recognized as a problem as early as May, 1978. In a letter dated August 18,
1978, HUD granted approval of the preliminary proposal subject to nine conditions.
Most of the conditions related to architectural details, but three conditions related
to other matters: securing air rights, providing the managing agent's qualifications,
and providing the legal description and purchase price for the exact real property
to be purchased.
In subsequent telephone conversations with ELIC, the staff learned that the HUD Area
Counsel was unwilling to accept the land sale contract language drafted by the City
and accepted by EHC. However, the language modifications needed by HUD have not yet
been determined by EHC, nor have they been submitted to the City for consideration.
Accordingly, binding evidence of site control and the deficiencies relating to legal
description and purchase price identified by [IUD remain unresolved.
The letter from HUD, dated August 18, was not received by E[IC until September 16.
7'ltis is illustrative of one type of delay which has occurred, and, which could occur
again.
Since September, efforts to convince HUD that the air rights requirement should be
waived, and efforts to acquire the air rights have taken place. On this specific
issue, the City staff has been relatively well informed and has taken part in these
efforts by meeting with and providing technical information to both HUD and EHC. In
Spite of these efforts, the air rights issue remains unresolved.
If the air rights issue is resolved, the schedule which must be adhered to is
extremely restrictive. The normal eighteen month time period preceding construction
start expires in March. A six month extension is obtainable but the project must be
.order construction in September. No further extension is foreseeable. In order to
achieve this, the following schedule must be maintained.
307
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
City Council
February 9, 1979
Page 2
A. The 28 exhibits required for conditional committment need to be submitted by
February 28. This City has not been provided copies of any
the City lacks knowledge concerning the of the exhibits, so state of completion, however, we do
have direct knowledge regarding several of them. For example, Certif
Permissive Zoning has not yet been requested by EHC, nor provided by the City. ication of
More crucially, Evidence of site Control remains lacking. Until HUD's objections
to the contract language have been resolved with EHC's attorney, no formal consid-
oration of a contract by the City can occur. In fact, the questions regarding
legal description and purchase price raised in the HUD letter of August 18 have
i not yet been resolved to the point that the staff can make a recommendation to
the City Council.
B. Assuming that the exhibits required for Conditional Committment can be submitted
on schedule, HUD will require 30 days to review the documents. If any of the
documents are found to be unacceptable, it is hoped that corrections can be
made within the 30 day time period so that HUD approval can occur by April 1.
However, if there are any major objections, additional time may be required.
C. Following HUD approval of the Conditional Committment, EHC will have 90 days to
Prepare the additional information required for the Firm Committment. This
includes the complete preparation of architectural P and specifications for
the construction of the project. This is an extremelytight time frame in which
to prepare these documents. The exhibits required for firm committment should
be submitted to HUD by July 1.
D. Again, HUD will require 30 days to review the documents. Concurrently the City
staff will be reviewing the plans for conformance to the Building Code. This is
another area of considerable concern to the staff. It has been our experience,
almost without exception and regardless of the design firm involved, that on
I projects of this magnitude, design changes have been needed to comply with the
applicable codes. In this case, due to the schedule, HUD and the City will be
reviewing the plans simultaneously. Any changes required by HUD will affect our
code review and any changes required by the codes may affect their review.
Review and approval by HUD is not perfunctory. For example, a significant delay
in the Capitol House project being developed by Capitol states Associates on
Urban Renewal Parcel 103-3 occurred at this stage. 1110 heating and cooling
system specified was not approved by HHD. A redesign of the entire HVAC system
was required. This changed both construction and operating costs, causing the
financial projections to change. A re -review of project feasibility was required.
Following these steps the firm committment was approved. Nevertheless, this
resulted in time delays in excess of two months to ;1 project being developed
by a developer with substantial experience andsato
good track record in producing
HUD subsidized housing,
E, Assuming HUD approval of the firm committment, approximately 30 days will be
form• Among these documents a deed to tile
until project closing. At project closing, all documents must be in final
he property and a building permit will
be required. This allows 60 days from receipt of plans to issuance of the
building permit. This is adequate if changes aren't needed, but would pose j
problems if redesign is required,
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CCDAR RAPIDS -DES FIOIIIES
City Council
February 9, 1979
Page 3
Summarized below is
the optimal schedule.
February 28: EHC submits exhibits for Conditional Committment to HUD
April 1: HUD approves Conditional Committment
July 1: ELIC submits exhibits for Firm Committment to HUD and plans to
City for building permit.
August 1: HUD approves Firm Committment
September 1: EHC/IIUD closing
September 23: Construction start deadline
There is time to complete the steps required if all actions are carried out in the
minimum time. This will require, in our judgment, that the project be exceptionally
well managed, that all problems be resolved immediately upon detection, and that all
necessary decisions be made promptly. ELIC must, through whatever means necessary,
ensure the availability of maximum professional assistance in order to succeed on
this schedule. This has not been the situation to date.
An additional issue was raised at the Council meeting of February 6 which needs
clarification. As stated in the memo from the City Manager to the City Council, the
staff believes that locating the housing structure to the north of the alley creates
more problems than it solves, and is seriously damaging to the City's efforts to
develop the Senior Center.
The staff believes that if the air rights issue cannot be resolved, EIIC should rotate
the structure 90 degrees; reduce the number of dwelling units to eight per floor;
and reduce the total number of dwelling units to maintain approximately the same
number of stories. A representative of EHC responded to this recommendation by
stating that they did not believe that this was financially feasible. The
the staff recommendation is explained below. basis for
dwelling Certain elements of the project costs would increase by reducing the number of
untis
y, the csts o
stairways would pbe spread Over conly a81dwellingounitsfinsteadthe endofa11 orwlls,e1leators an
2vdwellingd
units per floor.
Using cost information supplied by the contractor and the architect these cost
increases are calculated:
End walls at $20 per square foot surface area
1044 sq. ft. per floor =
$20,880 per floor
With 12 d/u per floor =
With 8 d/u per floor = $ x,740 per d/u
Added costs = ,610 per d/u
T 870 per d/u
Stairways/Elevator Stops at $15,000 per floor
With 12 d/u per floor =
With 8 d/u per floor = $1,per d/u
Added costs = 1,87755
$ 625 per d/u
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAP IDS -DES ?101 RES
City Council
February 9, 1979
Page 4
End wall costs = $ 870 per d/u
Stairwell/Elevator Costs = 625 per d/u
Total Added Costs = 1,495 per d/u
These are real added costs per dwelling unit, but that fact alone does not address
project feasibility. The real question is whether or not these cost increases can
be offset by other design changes which reduce total costs per dwelling unit by an
equivalent amount. The staff believes that they can.
Attached to this memorandum is a chart comparing the E11C preliminary proposal to
four other elderly housing projects.
The projects charted are as follows:
A. The current EHC preliminary proposal.
B. Autumn Park - designed by Foss, Englestad, Heil for Nidstates Development Corp.
C. Capitol House - designed by Foss, Englostad, Heil for Capitol States Associates
D. The proposal for 100 units east of Mercer Park, designed by IVehner, Nowysz, Patt-
schull, for the City of Iowa City in 1975
E. The proposal, designed by Miller, Hanson, IVesterbeck, Bell for the Knutson
Companies, submitted to the City for Urban Renewal Parcel 103-3 in 1977
Also charted are the averages for the four comparison projects.
An examination of the chart provides the basis for the staff's opinion that other
design changes can reduce per unit costs to offset the increases noted above. The
EIIC proposal calls for 606 square foot units, compared to the HUD standard of 525 sq.
ft., and the range of from 528 to 564 sq. ft. for the other projects. Dwelling unit
size, while desirable, could be reduced if necessary to ensure feasibility. More
importantly, the ENC proposal calls for construction of 974 square feet of structure
per dwelling unit, compared to the range of 703 to 822 square feet for the other
projects. This means that the rental revenues from each dwelling unit must support
the construction of 31% more building area than the average 743 sq. ft. for the other
four projects. At a construction cost of $32 per square foot (the current EHC
estimate) this represents nearly $7,400 more per dwelling unit. Because costs are
lumpy (some space costs more than other space), this entire savings probably could
not be realized by space reduction alone. Nevertheless, it is clear that cost
reductions to offset the $1500 increase caused by going to 8 d/u per floor can be
achieved by increasing space efficiency.
The staff is prepared to discuss this matter in greater detail should the Council
wish to do so.
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAN M -DES 11010ES
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ATTACIMENT A
ELDERLY HOUSING AREA TABULATION
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*1 manager unit @792
**1 manager unit @795
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DES MOINES
SQ. FT.
PROJECT
DWELLING
SQ.FT./DU
TOTAL LEASABLE-
GROSS BUILDING
GROSS BUILDING
% LEASABLE
UNITS
AREA SQ.FT.
AREA SQ.FT.
AREA PER D/U
j EHC Proposal
100
606
60,600
97,416
974
62%
1
Autumn Park
64
530
33,920
46,140
721
i
74�'
Capitol House
81
564
45,684
59,000
728
f
77%
City - 1975
101
52E*
53,592
71,000
703
75%
Knutson - 1977
91
540-548**
47,491
74,880
822
63%
Average of 4
8414
541
45,171
62,755
743
72%
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*1 manager unit @792
**1 manager unit @795
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DES MOINES
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REt-.\(i�_R I �y L 1919
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ebenezer center for aging 2626 park ovenue • minneopolis. mn. 55407 • 1612J 671-7112
January 22, 1979
Mr. Neil Berlin
City of Iowa City
410 Washington
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Dear Neil:
Enclosed is a copy of the letter which we sent to Rev.
Welsh and the Board of Directors of Ecumenical Housing
Corporation.
Sincerel ,
Richard E. Hanson
REH/.j 1
research
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOIMCS
consulting
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CID
ebenezer center, for aging • 2626 park avenue • minneapolie, mn. 55407
(6121871-7112
January 22, 1979
Board of Directors
Ecumenical Housing Corporation
217 Iowa Avenue
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Dear Members of the Board;
The Menezer Center and Society have worked very diligently since
September of 1977 to assist you in the development of a housing pro-
ject for elderly people in the city of Iowa City. In our original
presentation we made a commitment, that is our corporate commitment,
to do everything that we possibly can to assist development of pro-
grams and projects for the enhancement of living conditions and pro-
grams for elderly citizens in our country. This camlitment is stronger
than ever today and we reaffirm this commibnent to you at this time.
During the past few months, we have gone through a turbulent period
Of time. Many things have gone right, many things have gone wrong.
Right now we are sure that in your minds you cannot think of too many
things that are right, but you can think of many things that are wrong.
The air rights issue has been in front of the Ecumenical Housing Corpor-
ation Board of Directors as well as your President, Robert Welsh, since
the in
HUD hasblem was surfaced at been up and down withr egards to itsril 'of l978. final decision regardinthis g
the condition of air rights. It is our understanding that your Presi-
dent feels that the Ebenezer Society was totally accountable and respon-
sible for HUD not waiving the air rights issue. He perhaps has a right
to place blame, but at this point in time, placing blame is going to
do nothing in terns of proceeding with your project. On May 1st and
May 9th of 1978, we advised your President and you that action should
be started on the negotiations for the purchase of air rights from the
Knights of Columbus. This was just a preventative measure that could
and should have been done in the normal course of business to back up
every question that HUD may have regarding the final approvals of a
202 Section 8 project.
Since approximately October 15, 1978, we have been in a vacuum in terms
of what has ocurred on the negotiations of the air rights issue. In the
first meeting that occurred between the Knights of Columbus, your In the •
dent, and your attorney, we were not invited to attend. We subsequently
have not been invited to attend any meetings that have occurred regarding
the air rights issue. In addition to this, your President has assumed
full control, which is his authority, in all discussions and negotiations i
with the HUD insuring office in Des Moines. Our judgment said that we i
should not continue any discussions with the Des Moines office as long as
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educaWon/troining consulting T
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January 22, 1979
Ecumenical Housing Corporation
your President was negotiating. This was to show a common front to
HUD in terns of being positive and proceeding ahead. Airing this per-
iod he also had several meetings with the architect and the contractor
regarding modifications that could occur to the project to meet the various
requirements of the air rights issue. We have not been knowledgeable or
involved in any of these discussions.
I am sure that your President is upset with Ebenezer's performance, which
is his right; however, we still strongly feel that Ebenezer can provide
you with the necessary guidance and leadership to make your project a suc-
cessful and useful venture for the elderly citizens of Iowa City.
However, like.any other group who is involved in delivering a service, we
have expenses to meet to simply keep our doors open and activities occurring.
We have on many occasions alerted the officers and members of the Board
of EHC as to what we thought were several wasteful, time-consuming meetings,
not relating to the issues that were current, but to personal issues that.
had no direct effect on the final completion and operation of the housing
project. This has caused us a great expenditure of money as well as consider-
able frustration in relationships between your President and the Ebenezer
principals involved in the ENC housing project.
We feel that there is such a breakdown in connLnication, trust and under-
standing between your President and Ebenezer that it is impossible for us
to proceed in any manner that can be constructive to the project as a dir-
ect housing consultant. We do, however, feel that we can assist you to
help the project reach a final conclusion.
We will 'transmit to you all of the documents required for your conditional
processing upon request. These documents will be fu11y explained and can
be prepared by your President or a person he may designate. We are available
by phone or in writing to answer any questions that you may have with regard
to the content or the development of the forms. We also will be available
to you when the rime canes for the final processing, and for initial pro-
cessing to furnish you with the necessary forms, advise you of the method
of completing them and answer any questions relating to specific subjects.
You also have available to you the full resources and knowledge of the
Ebenezer organization. If you wish to see copies of our management programs or
our social service phrogl.ams, they will be provided to you through the mail
for review and you may use them as you wish.
We feel strongly that this is a good project to provide housing for some
very nice elderly citizens, and ue have met many in the past eighteen months;
we are sincerely discouraged to have reached the point where we feel it
is no longer possible for us to perform our duties as we know we can and
have done and have demonstrated in the past in a business -like manner.
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Page 31
January 22, 1979
Ectmenical Housing Corporation
We would like to personally carmend all of the mombers of the EHC
Board for the time they have donated to the planning process and for
the camritment they have made to the elderly citizens of Iowa City.
Without groups such as the EHC Board, our mission could be very dif-
ficult. Thank you, and we also hope that some day the elderly citi-
zens of Iowa City Will also say "thank you".
Sincerely yours,
R. E. Hanson
EBE�NEZER SCCIEIY
Larry D. Conrad
Director of Consulting Services
Glen H. Gronlund
Director of Ebenezer Center for Aging
RH/ph
cc. A. Luther Molberg
Ray Johnson
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City of Iowa Ci'`
MEMORANDUM
DATE: February 9, 1979
TO: City Council
- FROM:p+�
Dennis R. Kraft, Director of Planning and Program Development
RE: Senior Center
In the past few weeks joint meetings of the Recreation Department and Department of
Planning and Program Development have been held to discuss job descriptions, staff
organization and responsibilities, and bylaws for the Senior Center Commission.
Copies will also be submitted to the Council of Elders for their suggestions. Before
we can approach the County for their reaction to these proposals, we need feedback from
the City Council.
The job description for the Senior Center Coordinator is the result of research by
y this department into the skills and qualities considered necessary, by experts in the
field, for this position. Input was requested from the Council of Elders as to
their opinions on the subject. The Council of Elders found the description basically
satisfactory. Glenn Bowles, Executive Director of the Commission on the Aging;
the Council of Elders, submitted written suggestions which concurred with our final
job description.
An organization chart for the Senior Center,
t of
and Program Development, was revised to reflect ethe ephilosophy d by the eofrthe nDirector nofng
Parks and Recreation because the Senior Center would be a division within that
department.
The bylaws for the Senior Center Commission were compiled through the joint effort
of the Recreation Department and Department of Planning and Program Development.
They are consistent with the bylaws of other City boards and commissions. An effort
was also made to insure that they reflect the provisions of the new open meetings law.
In an effort to assess County -wide interest in the Senior Center, we have developed
a proposal for rural outreach. We have a student available to work on this project.
If it is agreeable to the City Council, we would meet with the County to discuss
the financing necessary.
The job description, draft bylaws, organizational chart, and additional information
is included with this memorandum.
DRK/ j me
Attachments
308,
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i
Senior cc, -.--?-,r orgunIZOTI" ll- CHG1rT
Iowa CITY
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FACILITY managemen7
InDIVIDUOL Program rnanagemenT
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Date: January 15, 1979
To: Julie Vann
From: Bette Meisel
Re: Job Description
SENIOR CENTER COORDINATOR
Division head under administrative direction of Director of Parks and
Recreation, manages the operation of the Senior Center, supervises its
staff, and coordinates budget and funding and performs other related
duties. Develops a broad diversified program of activities and services
for the elderly; recommends programs to meet the needs of the elderly,
and carries out approved programs; meets with interested groups and
individuals to promote Senior Center programs; hires and supervises the
work of employees; arranges for the proper maintenance and operation of
the Senior Center; interprets Senior Center activities to other departments
and to the community; prepares an annual budget, obtains funds and
control expenditures; maintains records and prepares reports; evaluates
Senior Center programs and operation; establishes and maintains relation-
ships with area funding bodies; establishes and maintains relationships
with service providing agencies; coordinates their services into the
total Center program.
Education and Experience: Any combination equivalent to graduation from
college in a related field and five years of increasingly responsible
professional experience, including two years of administrative experience.
Knowledges and Abilities: Knowledge of the philosophy, principles, and
techniques of planning and supervising a Senior Center; knowledge of the
facilities, equipment, and services needed in a broad Senior Center
program; knowledge of community organizations and resources; knowledge
of the latest developments and concepts related to operation of a Senior
Center; ability to analyze needs and to adapt a program to its particular
requirements; skill in selecting, training, and supervising personnel;
ability to write letters and prepare reports; ability to establish and
maintain good working relationships with boards and commissions; individ-
uals, and particularly with the elderly.
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City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: January 29, 1979
To: City Council
From: Bette Meisel, Program Development Specialist
Re: The How and Why of Senior Centers
With nearly a year of reading about senior centers behind me, I can
wholeheartedly recommend this issue of "Aging Magazine" as the best
overview of senior centers I have come across.
If you have time to read it from cover to cover, you will find it a good
survey of the different types of centers, problems, philosophies, and
programs to be found nationwide.
If you don't have time to read it all, I would like to recommend two
articles specifically. The first, "The How and Why of Senior Centers"
(pages 2-6) will provide you with a lot of information quickly and
succinctly. The second, "One Little House Grown Into a Multi-purpose
Center" (pages 37-40) I found fascinating because the two communities,
Menlo Park and Iowa City, seemed so similar. Our planning for the old
post office senior center is very much in keeping with what they have
found to be successful.
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Y
February 8, 1979
DRAFT PROPOSED BY-LAWS
IOWA CITY SENIOR CENTER COMMISSION
ARTICLE I.
MEETINGS.
Section 1. Regular Meetings.
Regular meetings of this Commission shall be held on the
fourth Wednesday of
each month and informal meetings shall
be held as necessary.
Section 2.. Special Meetings.
Special meetings of the members may be called by the Chair
and shall be called by the Chair
or by the Vice -Chair at
the request of three or more members of the Commission.
Section 3. Place of Meetings.
Regular meetings shall be held in the Senior Center
meeting room.
Section 4. Notice of Meetings.
t
I
t
Notice of regular and special meetings shall be required.
Included in
d
this notice shall be: time, date, place of
meeting and tentative agenda. Notice shall be
posted in a
permanent place in the building of the government agency.
Meetings may be
a
called upon notice by telephone not less
than 24 hours before the meetings three
and days if a
written notice of a special meeting is given, unless for
good cause such notice is impossible or impractical. In
such
cases such notice as is reasonable shall be provided.
News agencies who have filed
requests for such notices
shall be informed by the staff in a similar fashion.
Section S. uorum.
of members
constitute majority Commission shall
tutea
quo um
at any meeting. A majority(but not
less than four) of votes
cast at any meeting at which a
quorum is present shall be decisive of any motion or
election.
M
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Section 6. Proxies.
There shall be no vote by proxy.
Section 7. Public Discussion.
Time shall be made available during all regular formal
meetings for open public discussion.
AnTTM r TT
MEMBERSHIP.
Section 1. Oualifications.
The Senior Center Commission shall consist of seven
members. These members shall be appointed as follows:
A. The City Council of Iowa City shall seek
recommendations for membership on the Commission.
Among the groups consulted should be those
particularly concerned with the elderly community
such as: The Council of Elders, the organization of
agencies which provides services in the Senior
Center, the University of Iowa Gerontology Center.
B. Final appointment to the Commission shall be subject
to approval by majority vote of the City Council of
Iowa City.
All members of the Commission shall be qualified electors
of Iowa City, Iowa.
Section 2. Term of Office.
Initial appointments shall be made for terms of one to
three years duration in the following manner:
Three members to be appointed for three years.
Two members to be appointed for two years.
Two members to be appointed for one year.
Thereafter all appointments shall be for a period of three
years.
Section 3. Compensation.
Commissioners shall serve without compensation but may be
reimbursed for expenses incurred for travel outside of
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Iowa City on designated Commission business. Such
expenses must have prior approval by the City Manager of
Iowa City upon the
request of the Director of Parks and
Recreation. Receipts for
all such expenses must be
submitted to the City Manager of Iowa City through the
Director of Parks and Recreation prior to reimbursement
for such
expenses.
Section 4. Orientation for New Commissioners.
Prior to the first regular meeting following their
appointment, new Commissioners shall be
provided with
copies of the By -Laws, and other documenation that would
be useful to Commission members in carrying out their
duties. They may
also be given an orientation briefing by
members of the staff, the Commission and others
as may be
deemed appropriate.
n_
Section 5.* Absences.
d,
Three consecutive unexplained absences of a Commission
4`
member from regular meetings may result in a
x'.
recommendation to the appropriate body from the Commission
to discharge
said member and appoint a new Commissioner.
r
Section 6. Vacancies.
Any vacancy on the Commission because of death,
resignation, long-term illness, disqualification or
removal shall be filled by the appropriate governmental
body or agency
after at least thirty days notice has been
by
given announcement of said vacancy to the news media and
by -recording the minutes the
j
of appropriate governing body
agency.,
Section 7. Resignations.
Resignations should be submitted in writing to the City of
i
Iowa City at least sixty days prior to the date of intended
departure. The
resignation should be submitted in writing
to the Mayor with
acopy to the City Manager and Director
of Parks and Recreation.
ARTICLE III.
OFFICERS.
Section 1. Number.
The officers of this Commission shall be a Chairperson,
Vice -Chairperson, and Secretary, each of whom shall be
;I
elected by the members of the Commission.
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Section 2. Election and Term of Office.
Officers of the Commission shall be elected annually at
the first regular meeting each year; if the election of
officers shall not be held at such meeting, such election
shall be held as soon thereafter as is convenient.
Section 3. Vacancies.
A vacancy in any office
removal, disqualification
by the Commissioners for
term.
Section 4. Chair.
because of death, resignation,
or other cause shall be filled
the unexpired portion of the
The Chair shall, when present, preside at all meetings,
appoint committees, call special meetings and in general
perform all duties incident to the office of the Chair, and
such other duties as may be prescribed by the members from
time to time.
Section 5. Vice -Chair.
In the absence of the Chair, or in the event of death,
inability or refusal to act, the Vice -Chair shall perform
the duties of the Chair and when so acting shall have all
the powers of and be subject to all restrictions upon the
Chair.
Section 6. Secretary.
The Secretary shall have the responsibility of insuring
that the Commissions minutes are accurate and circulated
as prescribed.
ARTICLE IV.
DUTIES.
Section 1.
The Commission shall have the following responsibilities:
A. Serve primarily as an advisory body to the City
Council of Iowa City.
B. Ensure that Senior Center objectives are carried out
through a review of program statistics and reports
supplied by staff, as well as general questioning
concerning Center activities.
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C. Consider and act on recommendations from the Council
of Elders and other relevant committees and
volunteers as to establishing or changing Senior
Center policies and programs.
D. Ensure that the Senior Center is effectively
integrated into the community and with other related
j organizations by assisting in public relations
functions.
! E. Cooperate closely with the staff and other relevant
I persons in supporting attempts to secure adequate
financial resources for the operation of the Senior
Center.
}
F. Provide to the Senior Center the full support,
prestige, and community leadership of the Commission
itself and of its individual members.
G. To serve in an advocacy role or meeting the needs of
all elderly in Iowa City.
j Section 2. Powers.
i The Commission shall have the following powers:
A. Review and recommend action on regular and permanent
use of space in the Senior Center by various agencies
and organizations.
' B. Review and recommend policy regarding occasional use
of space by agencies and organizations. (Such policy
once established shall be administered by staff
without Commission review).
C. Recommend and review acquisition and disposition of
gifts and donations.
D. Recommend and review policies, rules, regulations,
ordinances and budgets relating to the Senior Center
services and programs.
s
i E. Prepare an annual report of Senior Center activities
and accomplishments.
Section 3. Coordination and Coo .ration with Other
oveHUM111121al Entities
The Commission shall coordinate and cooperate, where
applicable, with other City and County advisory bodies and
governmental entities on matters of mutual concern.
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Section 4. Grant Review.
All applicable grant applications which would affect the
operation of the Senior Center shall be submitted to the
Commission for its recommendations.
ARTICLE V.
ORGANIZATION OF COMMISSION BUSINESS.
Y
Section 1. Committees.
Establish the committees of this Commission including
composition, duties, and terms.
z
Section 2. Secretary.
A. A Secretary will be a Commission member and shall be
sin attendance for all regular and special meetings.
Section 3. A enda.
The Chair, or a designated representative, together with
5 staff assistance shall prepare an agenda for all regular
Commission meetings. Agendas are to be sent to Commission
members and the media where appropriate at least three
days prior to regular meetings.
Section 4. Minutes.
r
Minutes of all regular meetings are to be prepared and
distributed to all Commission members, the City Council of
Iowa City and the Director of Parks and Recreation
Department within two weeks after the meeting. Minutes
shall include: date, time, place of meeting, members
present, and action taken. They shall also include
results of votes taken and the vote of each member present.
Specific recommendations requiring Council action are to
be set off from the main body of the minutes and
appropriately identified.
Section 5. Attendance at Commission Meetings.
The Commission Chair or designated representatives may be
requested to be in attendance at any City Council meeting
including informal sessions at which matters pertaining to
the Commissions responsibilities are to be discussed or
action taken. The Commission Chair is to receive Council
agendas prior to each Council meeting and is to be
otherwise notified of meetings involving Commission
business.
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ARTICLE VI.
AMENDMENTS.
Section 1.
These By -Laws may be altered, amended or repealed by
affirmative vote of at least five Commission members and
the new By -Laws adopted by the Commission at any regular
meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose.
The proposed changes in the By -Laws shall be submitted to
the members of the Commission the City Council at least 14
days prior to consideration by the Commission. Such
changes shall require an affirmative vote by at least five
members of the Commission. Amendments shall be approved
by the Council to become effective.
C - -
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tl1E ECUMOWICAL HOUSING CORPORATION
Februaril 9, 1979
City Council
Civic Center
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Members of The City Council:
I am writing on behalf of the Ecumenical Housing Corporation
to request a one week extension in completing negotiations
with the Knights of Columbus.
We would reaffirm our conuni,tment to the elderly of this com-
munity and to the joint Senior Center/Housing project.
Sincerely,
Robert L. Welsh
P,LW: rew President
L F
FE(B 91379
ADBIE- S)TGLI*L:i
CiiY CLERK
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IN
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: February 9, 1979
To: Neal Berlin
City Council
From: Dick Plastino, Director of Public Works
Re: Council Decisions
At the City Council meeting of January 31, staff believes Council
made several decisions that change existing City policy.
Since all of this was done in great haste we wanted to clear up some
of the decisions.
There are seven items. Each item will be broken down into 1) a
situation, 2) Council's tentative decision, 3) other facts from
Public Works, 4) Public Works recommendation and intent to proceed
unless advised otherwise by Council.
A. MAINTENANCE OF ALLEYS
1. Situation -- $54,000 was budgeted to gravel all City alleys out
of the Road Use Tax fund. This was to solve the problem of
people paying for gravel in their alley and then resisting when
the motor grader came through and spread their gravel onto the
alley behind abutting property owners. There were also many
complaints about City garbage trucks tearing up the alleys.
2. Council Tentative Decision -- To cease all City maintenance of
alleys and turn it completely over to the private property
owner.
3. Additional Facts -- State law says that a City is responsible
for the care of public grounds including alleys. It is not
possible to give up maintenance of alleys without vacation of
the alleys. This would be difficult to do because all public
access to the alley would be eliminated. Also if the purpose of
government is to do for folks things they can't do for
themselves, maintenance of alleys would seem to be a government
function. Residents along an alley can't even get together now
to help pay for rock. They will have even more difficulty
agreeing to hire a maintainer to come in and grade the alley.
Some of the residents' complaints about City garbage trucks
tearing up the alleys are justified.
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4. Public Works Recommendation --
--That the City designate $10,000 of its normal maintenance
fund for purchasing gravel in alleys. This will be spent at
locations chosen by the Street Superintendent.
--That property owners still be given the opportunity to
! purchase rock if they so desire.
I
--That all City garbage trucks terminate travel through all -
alleys and that all refuse collection be at the curb side.
B. GARBAGE PICKUP AT HOUSE
I. Situation -- The City currently picks up garbage at the house
for several properties in town where the house is located
several hundred feet back from the street. This also occurs in
rural areas where the City has annexed land. At the present
time we do send a pickup up to each of these properties and pick
it up at the house.
2. Council Tentative Decision -- That all residents should be
required to place their garbage out at the public road rather
than have a City truck go all the way up the lane to the house.
3. Additional Facts -- None.
4. Public Works Recommendation -- That all residents be required
to put garbage out at the public right-of-way.
C. PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED
1. Situation -- At the present time the Iowa City Solid Waste
Division sends a person to the house to pick up the garbage of
those who are physically handicapped by either age or some other
infirmity.
2. Council Tentative Decision -- The Council did not address this
issue.
3. Additional Facts -- None.
4. Public Works Recommendation -- That we continue this policy
subject to a doctor's certification and approval of the
Street/Solid Waste Superintendent. The Superintendent's CK
must be gained since we believe a doctor's certification is much
too easy to obtain on any pretext.
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1
2.
3
0. ALLEY VERSUS CURB GARBAGE PICK UP
Situation -- In some of the old areas of town the City picks up
garbage from the alley. In all other areas of town residents
must place it at the curb.
Council Tentative Decision -- That all refuse be placed at the
curb and alley pick ups be discontinued.
3. Additional Facts -- This decision was made to get garbage trucks
out of the alleys and stop tearing them up. In addition alley
pick up is unsanitary in some cases since the residents of many
apartment houses picked up by the City are not careful about
storage of trash in alleys.
4. Public Works Recommendation -- That all garbage pick up be
switched to the curb. —
E. SIZE OF APARTMENT HOUSE PICKED UP BY THE CITY
I. Situation -- The City picks up apartment houses larger than 4
units in some cases. Should this be continued?
2. Council Tentative Decision -- Not addressed.
3. Additional Facts -- In 1975 when a new solid waste ordinance was
beineverything considered
it single sfund out tefamily ho sesh upClto 15 wasand�c20nunit
apartments. The ordinance was written so that solid waste would
be picked up from every place except housing facilities with
more than four units. We found out that this would eliminate
IWto 200 apartment houses so we "grandfathered in" a section
in the ordinance which allows the City to pick up places larger
than 4 apartment units provided they do not have over 15
containers. This was done so that we would not lose the whole
ordinance due to opposition. The logic for cutting off at four
units is based mostly on efficiency and public health. An
apartment complex above four units generates enough garbage so
that it should be stored in a dumpster so that it can be quickly
emptied without emptying 10 to 15 separategarbage cans. In
addition storage of this much garbage is more sanitary in n
single container with a single lid rather than a multitude of
cans without lids, torn plastic bags, etc. etc.
4. Public Works Recommendation -- That we provide service to all
existing customers including those with more than four dwelling
units but that the maximum number of containers be reduced from
15 to 10. Those customers dropped will be advised to switch to
commercial pick up.
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F. MANDATORY SERVICE FOR CITY GARBAGE PICK UP
I. Situation -- With the garbage charge at 394 a month everyone
would choose to have service from the City rather than a private
contractor. With the charge going up there may be a tendency to
drop service or switch to private service. This will not be a
concern in the next fiscal year since thecharge of $2.00 per
month will still be well below what private enterprise can
charge.
2. Council Tentative Decision -- None.
3. Additional Facts -- With the transient population in the
community it is important that payment of residential solid
waste service be mandatory. If it is discretionary there are
igoing to be severe problems with garbage piling up and no one
picking it up.
4. Public Works Recommendation -- That service by the City of Iowa
Cit<. sewerbbill. Failure tory dtohat pa the will aesult in termination e Placed n�wof water
service as is now the case.
G. PICK UP OF WHITE GOODS (STOVE, REFRIGERATORS, ETC.)
1• Situation -- At the present time the City picks up white goods
uponrequest. We provide this service only to customers
normally picked up by the City.
2. Council Tentative Decision -- Perhaps
pick up. to terminate white goods
3. Additional Facts -- In a transient community such as ours a real
blight problem can exist from white goods. They get pushed in
gullies, creeks, and other undesirable places.
jj 4. Public Works Recommendation -- Definitely keep the white goods
J year ick Lit ishwellthis worthritce does cost f from a public $15,000
must community do notin dcaretwhatyof thingselooknlike and Identthissseof We
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should be kept in effect so that residents desiring to get rid
of this stuff can get rid of it.
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SUMMARY
Public Works Recommendations --
A. MAINTENANCE OF ALLEYS
--That the City designate $10,000 of its normal maintenance
fund for purchasing gravel in alleys. This will be spent at
locations chosen by the Street Superintendent.
--That property owners still be given the opportunity to
purchase rock if they so desire.
--That all City garbage trucks terminate travel through all
alleys and that all refuse collection be at the curb side.
B. GARBAGE PICKUP AT HOUSE
--That all residents be required to place garbage at the public
right-of-way.
C. PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED
--That we continue this policy subject to a doctor's
certification and approval of the Street Solid Waste
Superintendent.
D. ALLEY VERSUS CURB GARBAGE PICKUP
--That all garbage pick up be switched to the curb.
E. SIZE OF APARTMENT HOUSE PICKED UP BY THE CITY
--That we provide service to all existing customers including
those with more than four dwelling units but that the maximum
number of containers be reduced from 15 to 10. These customers
will be advised to switch to commercial pick up. There is no
point in completely eliminating all service to places with more
than four units since we are running the streets anyway and
there is a no problem if there are not too many containers. It
would be highly inefficient from society's standpoint to have
public garbage and private garbage collection leap -frogging
each other all over town.
F. MANDATORY SERVICE FOR CITY GARBAGE PICKUP
--That service by the City of Iowa City be mandatory and that
the charge be placed on the water and sewer bill. Failure to
Pay will result in termination of water service as is now the
case.
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G. PICKUP OF WHITE GOODS
--Keep the white goods pick up.
Unless Council advises otherwise each of these recommendations under
Summary will be put into effect. In particular, conversion from
alley pick up to curb pick up will be made immediately so that the
existing policy of curb side pick up due to the snow emergency will
be continued.
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City o9 Iowa C( J
Date: February 6, 1979
To: Neal Berlin and City Council %1
From: Dick Plastino, Director of Public
Works?\` ,
Re: Pilot Recycling Project (aluminum and steel cans)
On November 28, 1978, the City Council received information about the
material collected and the revenues and expenditures for the recycling
program.
Council referred this to the Resource Conservation Commission. The
Commission has recommended that the program be terminated.
Public Works plans on terminating the program Monday, February 19,
unless Council advises otherwise. Information will be given to resi-
dents in the area summarizing the findings of the program and why it is
being discontinued.
cc: Craig Minter
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City of IOWA! Clity
(`A MEMORANDUM
Date: February 9, 1979
To: City Manager and City Council
From: Hugh A. Mose, Transit Manager
Re: Transit Route and Schedule Changes
In response to the overwhelming demands being placed on'the transit
system, we are proposing the following route and schedule changes.
These alterations will inevitably inconvenience transit riders in
certain areas, but the net effect on the overall system will be a
Positive one.
Several small changes have been made prior to seeking City Council
approval. These are as follows:
1. Lakeside Route -- The downtown bus stop has been moved to a loca-
tion west of Clinton Street. This change will shorten the time
involved in leaving the downtown area by as much as five minutes.
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f.r 2. N. Dubuque Route -- The route has been changed to take the bus off
t✓ of Davenport Street. This narrow, brick -surfaced street has
always been difficult to negotiate with a bus, and driving con-
ditions this winter have made it even more so.
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3. W. Benton Route -- This route has been changed during the afternoon
rush-hour. Trips leaving downtown at 5:00, S+30, and 6:00 will
operate to Mark IV via Melrose Avenue, returning by the regular
route. This arrangement will slightly inconvenience riders destined
for Oakcrest Street and the Seville Apartments area, but no portion
of the present route will be deleted.
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( In addition to these minor adjustments, several more substantial changes
6 ✓ are proposed. These alterations will shorten the time required to
operate the various routes. Unless directed otherwise, the transit
system will institute these temporary changes as soon as possible.
1. Towncrest Route -- This route was lengthened slightly almost two
years ago when the Muscatine -Court bridge was closed. The narrow
streets the bus has been using ever since (Court, Oakland and
Sheridan) have greatly slowed operations this winter. Because the
bridge has only been reopened temporarily, we had intended to wait
until Spring to return to our old route. Present operating condi-
tions have made it imperative that we go back to the original route
as soon as possible. A rush-hour "tripper" bus would continue some
service along the present route.
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2. Towncrest Route -- If the Towncrest Route returns to its old align-
ment, this "tripper" bus should provide rush-hour service to the
Court and Oakland Street area. This route is also proposed to take
the place of the East Side Shuttle, which would be transformed into
the East College extra bus.
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3. N. Dodge Route -- The No. Dodge schedule includes two trips to ACT
and Westinghouse each morning and afternoon. The Westinghouse
trips consistently carry 15-18 people, but only 2-3 people ride
to ACT. Conversation with officials at ACT has revealed that the
ACT -bound riders could possibly schedule their work so that they
could utilize the earlier Westinghouse bus. Therefore it is proposed
that only one morning trip and one afternoon trip be made north on
Route 1 for the remainder of the winter; these trips will corres-
pond to the work schedule at Westinghouse.
4. Manville Heights Route -- The bus through Manville Heights cur-
rently operates around a large loop. The east end of the loop
includes Grove Street, a very narrow roadway. During the summer a
number of people are carried to City Park, but during the winter
ridership to and from the east end of the route is generally
light. It is proposed that the loop be shortened to Ferson Street
for the remainder of the winter.
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5. East College Route -- This route cannot be effectively shortened,
but some scheduling relief can be achieved by rerouting a "tripper"
bus to operate along the route both inbound and outbound. The
tripper would serve the East College route as far east as City
High. The regular bus would become an express to City High,
stopping only at designated intersections (Gilbert, Governor,
Muscatine, and Seventh). Once beyond City High it would resume
every -corner stops. It is proposed that this tripper route replace
the East Side Shuttle currently in operation.
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6. Mall Route -- The Mall -Rochester route -pair is simply too long to
be operated on schedule during the rush-hour. To alleviate the
situation, it is proposed that the Mall route be shortened during
the rush hour. Instead of operating via Keokuk Street and Highland
Avenue, the bus will go directly to the Mall on Lower Muscatine
Road. An extra tripper bus would cover Highland Avenue and Keokuk
Street during the times the Mall bus operates on Lower Muscatine,
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6
7. Lakeside Route -- The extra "tripper" bus serving Highland Avenue
j and Keokuk Street would also cover the inner portions of the
Lakeside Route. The present Lakeside Express bus would be dis-
continued, but patrons along Keokuk Street, Kirkwood Avenue and
Clinton Street would be able to utilize the new tripper route were
the regular Lakeside bus overcrowded.
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The various changes proposed herein would be put into effect as soon as
schedules can be written and the public sufficiently notified. They
would remain in effect until the end of the Spring semester at the
University.
jm5/2
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... .. .........
From the Editor
Senior Centers—these
words conjure up almost as
many images as there are
centers—for, in truth, we
found in exploring the sub-
ject that there are a myriad
of places providing it variety
of services. Some are located
in converted churches and
schools, others are multi-
million dollar projects de-
signed especially for the
elderly. They raise their
money through municipal
bond issues, Federal fund-
ing, and, yes bake sales.
They serve everyone from
upper-class chic to "baggie
ladies." They are found in
inner-city ghettos, back
country roads, and subur-
ban neighborhoods.
Some have thirty
members, others many thou-
sands. Senior Centers serve
a variety of needs and tastes.
They range from the small
rural drop-in center, which
is open three days a week, to
the comprehensive multi-
purpose center which offers
daily lunch programs, trans-
portation, health screening,
lectures, college courses,
information and referral,
counseling, and, of course,
companionship.
In fact, we found that
companionship can be the
most important ingredient
of all. It often results in an
informal help network in
which new-found friends
take a real interest in each
other not only at the center
but outside it. It can give the
newly widowed the courage
and know-how to do those
things he or she never did
before like learning to cook
or drive a car, and it can
provide those on the pe-
riphery of society a chance
to be accepted, to learn that
staff and members really do
care and are willing to help.
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,',[DAR RAPMD .• )J1,, rinpif
W. 0�701640
R
2 The Hoye and Why of Senior Centers 32 "Tennessee Centers Provide tite
Base for Service Delivery
7 Aging Interviews Threc Pioneers in
the Senior Center Movement 37 One "Little House" Grows Into
a Multipurpose Center
16 Women in Crisis: Centers Can
Sometimes Make the Difherence 41 The Story of Hudson Guild
18 Multipurpose Centers in a 44 Course Calendar
Rural County
45 Conference Calendar
21 Senior Centers and Health Care
46 Jews Notes
25 Baltimore Center Opens Its
Doors to Nursing Home Residents 48 News of Federal Agencies
27 The Neighborhood Family
► r ,� ll
I
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CEDAR RAPIDS.ul.l. "DINES
Nos. 283-284
May -June 1978
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,
EDUCATION AND WELFARE
ADMINISTRATION ON AGING
AGING
Robert Benedict
COMMISSIONER
Donald D. Smith
DIRECTOR. NATIONAL
CLEARINGHOUSE ON
AGING
June B. Faris
EDITOR
Patricia Rowe
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Karen Battle
STAFF ASSISTANT
1
2 AGING
The How and Why
of Senior Centers
By Donald Kent
When Mrs. Hooper developed a sharp pain in
her back last winter, the 77 -year-old widow
decided to see a doctor. Since she had no
physician of her own, a young neighbor, who
worked as a volunteer in the local senior center,
suggested going there, where Mrs. Hoopercould
have a general health screening without an
appointment and at no cost.
Mrs. Hooper had never been inside the center
although she had gone past it on a bus several
times. Since its completion a few years before, it
had become a city landmark. The red brick and
glass building, whose rugged tower dominated
the local skyline, spanned most of a city block in
a downtown arca that was rapidly renovating.
The doctor who performed the screening
(diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and other tests,
including a careful examination of the painful
back) found nothing seriously wrong. Mrs.
Hooper's lower back problem would probably
improve in a few sessions with the center's
physiotherapist and some moderateexercisc, the
physician said. When Mrs. Hooper fell some-
what better, the therapist helped her enroll in a
special physical fitness course meeting three
mornings a week.
Then one thing led to another. After morning
exercises Mrs. Hooper looked intoa needlework
group. A staff "enabler" got her interested in
embroidery again and she tried her hand at
crewel, which was newto her. Then olherwomen
in the sewing group suggested slaying for lunch
at the center, a Title VII nutrition site. That not
only solved Mrs. Hooper's noonday meal
problem but kept her at the center for the main
event in the afternoon program—the one o'clock
concert, film, or lecture. That day the performer
was a young Polish -American folk dance group.
On succeeding days there would be a pianist,
guitarist, wildlife films, and a discussion with
r
several city councilmen. On Mondays, a live
combo played and since there were never quite
enough male partners to go round some of the
women danced together.
Mrs. Hooper had grown less outgoing over the
years and was never much of a dancer. She felt
many of the center's programs were not for her,
but she was reassured to sec how much help she
could find there if she needed it—a consumer
counselor who might have solved her complaint
against a television repair man last year; a dentist
who did denture repairs or fillings almost
immediately; an optometry service and podia-
trist; a staff member who organized bus tours to
parks, museums, and ball games; an insurance
expert, legal counselor, representatives for the
Food Stamp and social security programs,
and—if she should ever need then—mental
health services and special assistance for the deaf
and blind.
Mrs. Hooper's life became more active than it
had been for many years and her outlook was
brighter. Her new perspective stimulated her
long -dormant desire for organized study. Al-
though she had never finished high school and
had not entered a classroom forWycars, she had
always enjoyed reading and learning about the
way her city and country had grown and evolved
since her childhood, and she loved contacts with
nature. The courses at the center were varied
enough to fit with her life-long interests—local
history, "ecology and you." a program called
self-discovery through the humanities, weight
control, poetry, several foreign languages, music
appreciation, and a variety of creative skills
courses such as painting, ceramics, and jewelry
making.
In the course of fcw months, the senior center
experience became it strong new influence in
Mrs. Hooper's life. She found there what .Joyce
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Leanse, director of the National Institute of
Senior Centers, says centers arc uniquely
qualified to give --"(he help older people need in
continuing their personal growth and maintain-
ing a viable life style."
It happened to Mrs. Hooper at the Waxier
Center for Senior Citizens in Baltimore, but for
more than three decades older Americans have
been finding the same type of stimulation at
senior centers largetmd small across the country.
Who Uses Senior Centers and Why
Jean Fisher, director of the Philadelphia
Center for Older people, one of America's first
central -city, multi -service centers and a model
for many of the centers developed during the past
three decades, says, "I wish we could gel
anthropologists to write books about senior
centers. We need people with Margaret Mcad's
social and community sensitivities to observe
and understand the new communities being
formed in the centers.
"Members are using the senior centers as their
community. They come in when they know their
friends will be there, to share conversation and
meals. Then they call each other up at night on
the phone. And when an emergency occurs, it's
the friend from the center who is often the first to
get to the home or hospital and provide the
backup support, the undercurrent of communi-
cation, which others may get from family and
neighbors. For many older people here their
friends from the senior center have become
family, neighbors, and community."
Such loyally and support goes not only to each
other but to the senior center itself, Mrs. Fisher
says. Members raise funds to pay off the center's
mortgage, chipping away in sums of $50 to $400
from sales, parties, and benefit activities.
Joyce Leanse has observed in her study of
thousands of senior centers that "while data
show that many older persons arc attracted [oil
facility where services and activities are availa-
blc, the fact of the facility itself and the
opportunity it creates for bringing people
together appear to be the most compelling."
Mrs. Leanse says, "Participants view the
senior centers .as a program of services and
activities and also as a place to go, to place to
gather for fricndshipand fellowship, ora place to
sit, observe, and just be near other people."
In a broad survey in 1974, Mrs. Leanse found
that more th;m 25 percent of those intervicwed al
centers attended daily but few had participated
in any specific services or activities during the
week or even the month in which they were
interviewed.
Otherstudics have pointed out that this type of
socializing is not for everyone. A typical
comment is, "I just go to the center for bridge
lessons. I don't need it foranything else .... I'm
not ready for it yet." Others reject the idea of
associating primarily with their age peers.
saying, "It makes you feel old to associate with
old people only."
Still other older people may be perfectly
content to reduce their activities and fall into
more and more sedentary habits.
These comments and findings were among
many received in a Cleveland, Ohio survey a
decade ago in connection with a comprehensive
senior center there. The major deterrents to
senior center membership were competing
activities and interests, and feelings of ambival-
ence toward exclusive association with older
people. 'file study by Dr. .lames E. Trela of the
Cleveland Vocational Center and Leo W.
Simmons of Case -Western Reserve University
noted that, "For those isolated from meaningful
social opportunities and detached from suppor-
tive relations, age -graded social clubs may
provide relief from a vortex of loneliness, while
for those active in a variety of roles such groups
may offer little attraction. The study concluded
that the strongest incentive to membership in
senior centers may lie in program offerings which
manifestly meet the various needs of individual
members.
A Stanford University study indicates that
those attending Little House in Menlo Park,
Calif., one of the earliest and most successful
seniorcenters,arelong-term extroverts. Manyof
the people who need socializing most won't go to
senior centers.
Surveys by the Senior Centers Institute,
however, tend to refute the Stanford findings.
While users may include it somewhat higher
proportion of relatively active older people than
is to be found among nonusers, no evidence
suggests that it large majority of users are
outgoing joiners and doers. On the contrary, the
NISC surveys suggest that at least it sizeable
minority of users arc not typically outgoing
people.
More than five million older Americans, from
GO to 95 years of age (about one-quarter are 75 or
older), are members and participants in the
country's more than 5,000 senior centers, accord-
ing to the National Institute of Senior Centers.
More than half of the participants live alone
compared with one-third of the general elderly
population who live alone.
They come from all economic backgrounds.
Among those who attended, 47 percent were blue
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collar workers, 16 percent, white collar workers
and 16 percent, professionals. according to tit
Institute.
In any given two-week period, about six
Percent of all older Americans attend a senior
center, according to data collecled for talc
Institute by Louis Harris & Associates, and
about 18 percent have attended a senior center
"recently." Another 18 percent would like to
attend a center. The most frequent reason Ihev
do not is that no facility is ;available.
Where the Money Comes Front
Ever -greater sums of money. energy. and
community commitment are going into senior
centers today. Yearly budgets for operation,
expansion, and construction of senior centers
may amount to over 5300 million.
Until the decade of the 60's local :Ind Suite
funds—private aild public—provided for the
bulk of building ;Ind operating expenses. Civic
lenders ;rad politicians love senior centers
because they are visual proof of whal a
community is doing for its older citizens. Such
lenders can point to the centersand count offthc
services they provide and the number of persons
engaged.
With passage of the Older Americans Act of
1965, the Federal government begun plaving a
constantly expanding role in funding center
services and facilities.
In the 1977 fiscal year. Tile V of the Older
Americans Act provided S40 million for build-
ing, altering, or renovating facilities to serve ns
multi-purpose senior centers, while Title VII
nutrition funds were the major financial source
for meals served in senior centers. Many of the
coordinated, comprehensive services provided
by senior centers (transportation. outreach.
home services, information ;rad referral) are
funded under Tile 111 of the Older Americans
Act, and Titie IV continues to he a valuable
source of funds for training center staff to assist
older persons.
The most important change brought;thout by
the Older Americans Am however. m; v, have
been the efforts to channel ether hederal funding
sources to meet the programming and service
needs of senior centers. Many senior centers now
receive vital sources of funding from the Federal
General RevenucSha ring programl.block guutts
under the Conununily Dcvclopmcnl Act of 1974
and Title XX (Social Services) of the Social
Sccurilv Act.
"These funds havr become very important to
Its." sa,vs.lc ll Pasha of the I'll ihadelphia Center.
"but their nl:nxhucs sometimes seriously inhibit
its in running our centers.
"For example, it's terribly hard to tell n nice
e old person he or site can't carry away uneaten
food in ;r doggie Mag I)CMUNC of Federal
x restrictions applying to nutrition sites," Mrs.
Fisher says. "It needlessly hurnilintes the people
involved, no matter whm the hculth-guided
intent of the regulation is. 'file government
should Icave us freer, not inhibit us.
"I wish the Administration on Aging would
send ()ill questionnaires in which we could tell
about the problems we run into with the
mandates oft lie different Federal prograuns."she
continues. "Nobody wunts a heuvvhandcd
Federal uniformity imposed in senior centers."
In Philadelphia and m;nyotherareas, United
Way—which raises voluntary contributions in
the community—has long been a major source of
senior center funding. Other voluntary groups
include the Notional Com,cil nf.lewish 1%'omen.
church groups,.lunior League, and serviceclubs.
Foundations ;Ind trust funds also have mad,
important grants to some centers.
City governments have also floated special
bond issues for senior centers. Baltimore's 53.8
million bond issue for the Waxier Center is an
example.
Many Slates recently provided funds for
center operations and construction. Wisconsin
has appropriated $2 million for fiacilitics, sull',
and programming, while Tennessee has provided
SI million for staffing ;rad the operation of
ongoing senior centers and csaablished a goal of
al least one multi-purpose senior center in each
of its 95 counties. In Hawaii the legislature
authorized 51.5 million for construction of
senior centers, and the IfuWaii Stale Senior
Center in Honolulu receives more than S IIIB.O(1l)
;a year in Slate funds focal program which reaches
9.000 elderly ILnvaiians.
In the 1978 Iiscal -year. West Virginia has
allocated $350.000 in Revenue Sharing funds for
construction, renovation, ;Ind ;requisition of
senior center facilities. The Governors request
loran additional $1.3 million of revenue sharing
funds for the x;une purpose is nosv before the
legislature.
During the 1977 liscal year, New York Staic
appropriated SI.7 million for senior center
operations, and New Ilnnlp.shhe. \'evada.
hlorida. \lassachuscus, ;rad Pennsylvania arc
among many other States (;,king legislative
action to fund ;and strengthen senior centers.
Three Mendes of Progress
During more than titre, decades of existence,
the concept of what senior centers can he and
Should do hats evolved.
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Until the first senior center wits founded in
New York City in 1943, the onlyspecial services
directed to older people were homes for Iheaged
and Old Age Assistance. What was to hecomc
the Hodson Community Center grew out of a
clear need for it center where people could meet
and associate on a neighborhood basis. Soon
services for theeiderlywere introduced, especial-
ly those needed to maintain the elderly in the
community. Over the years, this focus on
multiple needs of older adults increased.
Two early West Coast centers which were the
prototypes for many centers around thecountre.
emphasized education and recreation more than
was the cescat New York's Hodson Center. 'Ilie
San Francisco Senior Center, created in 1947.
developed out of the combined efforts of the
United Community Fund, the American Wom-
im Volunteer Services, and the grassroots
efforts of many older San Franciscans who
recognized the need. The city's Parks and
Recreation department granted use of :t large
building near Fisherman's Wharf for tile group's
activities. The clientele was as mixed and v:uried
as the population of tine city itself.
"rhe Little House in Menlo Park, a primarily
white-collar middle class conununity. has had
from the start an exceptionally high degree of
mcmher participation in planning and carrying
out its programs. Members not only planned
their own programs but hecame actively in-
volved in projects of benefit to the conununity.
With regard to counseling members, Liule
House saw itself as a referral agency --not
equipped to provide certain services directly hill
ready to give complete advice on where to turn
for aid.
In the late 1940's the Philadelphia Center for
Older People also hecamc it model ol'a centrally
located citywide facility which tries lit sent the
total needs of older persons.
1'afferns and Structures
Since the decade of the 40's the grassroots
development of senior centers has produced
countless variations on several main themes:
• The now -familiar multipurpose senior
center with a broad spectrum of health, social.
educational. and recreational activities :tad
services in it central I'acilitY.
• The network composed of a single center
With multiple NaICIHICS or branches operating at
the neighborhood level,
• Multicenter systems. linking more or less
equal facilities.
• Centerslinkedsvilhclubprograunsthrough-
oul the community.
If organizational patterns and structures vary
almost ad infinitum, the mix of services oll'ered
Its, the 5.000 or more senior centers is hardly
more st:mdard.
Slightly more than half of the centers
responding to a 1974 survey by the National
Institute of Senior Centers underan Administra-
tion on Aging grant rated themselves as "multi-
purpose centers:' In most cases, this meant they
provide three or more types of services, such as
transportation, education, information and
referral, counseling, medical help and others.
One of the unexpected findings was that nearly
half of the self-identilied multi-purpose centers
provide health services.
The publication last ,luly or Iif:W;s' final
regulations on grants for acquiring, altering, or
renovating multi-purpose center facilities was
broadly perceived as a sign of renewed and
increased Federal interest in senior centers.
In order to assure that -ride V monies go In
multi-purpose center facilities which are inle-
gr:ued with the comprehensive and coordin:ded
service systems under Titles III and VII of the
Older Americans Act, the Administration nn
Aging gives priority to applications front State
agencies on aging in awarding funds.
Title V defines the multi-purpose senior center
as it community facility for the organization and
provision of a broad spectrum of services for
older persons, including health, social and
educational services, and facilities for recreation
activities. But it docs not give a detailed
description of distinguishing characteristics ofa
multi-purpose senior center.
If EW officials concerned with aging programs
see the desirable and distinguishing characteris-
tics in four main arras: group services :and
activities, individual services. the accessihility of
center sites both geographically ;and in the sense
of accommodating the handicapped and dis-
abled, and relationships with other public and
private agencies.
Group services, in this view, should include
recreation for physical health and socialization.
a variety ofeduea don opportunities, opporluni-
tics for sharing information, mutual concern
sessions which strengthen natural support
mechmlisms. congregate mals. and social
Dents.
Individual services would normally include
counseling and referral in such:reaz as housing.
employment, :in(] bcnelil cnlitlenncnls: outreach
programs and visiting homebound persons:
heatllh services which incltide screen ing, rehabili-
union. maintenance. and restoration services
aimed at maintaining independence: home-
flICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES IiOIRES
AGING, 5
delivered mads; protective services including
supportive and crisis services; and day care
services which enable physically or emotionally
impaired older persons to participate in the
center.
Program access considerations focus on such
aspects its the number of days in operation (at
least live days and one evening a week seems to
be an expected minimum), community visibility
of the facility. adequate sirs and physical
facilities relative to the needs of participants, and
accessibility for the handicapped; appropriate
assistance to the deaf. blind. and non-English
speaking participants; and transportation and
escort services for participants who need them.
In regard to their relationship with community
services, multipurpose centers should provide
opportunities for other public and private
agencies in the community to deliver services in
the center and become a part of its service
program. There should be opportunities for
participants to become involved in the decision-
making process of the center and encouragement
to take part in the local. State, and national
democratic process.
Whom Should They Serve
While most senior centers welcome increased
Federal funding, not all are pleased with the
accompanying mandates which lend to cmpha-
size graver attention to the most frail and
vulnerable elderly.
Some feel that since resources arc limited,
those most in need should be served first. Others,
however, point out that if the 75 percent of older
persons who are less vulnerable arc neglected,
centers will soon be used almost exclusively by
those groups most urgently needing help, thus
limiting the positive self-help aspects of facilities
i which can only operate when the physically or
socially active elderly are mixed with the not -so -
well and less socially aware older person.
"We want to include the frail but we do not
want to lose the people who haven the lump and
• give joie de vivre to everyone in the center." says
one center director.
In efforts to help the thousands of diverse
senior centers to see their own operations more
clearly and carry them out more successfully, the
National Institute of Senior Centers has been
devising standards for evaluating centers. They
may help senior center slat %evaluate their work
periodically and determine such points as:
• Is the program meeting the needs and
interests of the participants!
to Arc resources (staff, funds, facilities) being
i 6 AGING used in the most efficient and effective manner!
• Has the center reached its goads!
• Are individual services and activities ac-
complishing their objectives!
• Whitt is the cost of it particular activity or
service?
In what may he it significant new trend, some
schools are being converted to senior centers.
In Nashville, Tennessee, the Knowles Senior
Center is it converted elementary school. In
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the second floor of a
high school shelters it senior center. In Hawaii,
the Kaunoa School become the first senior center
on Maui.
In Montgomery County, Maryland, part of an
elementary school has been converted to asenior
citizen day care center, with the remainder used
for recreation department offices.
Each of the thousands of centers located
across the country is unique and distinct, yet, as
Leon Woolf. director of Baltimore's Waxlcr
Center says, "The joy of them is that almost
everything we do in this new building can be
done in a store -front operation or almost any,
other site."
Jean Fisher, in Philadelphia, says, "We've
accomplished so much in seniorcenters. Nowwe
should look at their roots. Sec what they have in
common. And see what new directions to take,
wherever they're not getting down to living
people."
Don Kent, who writes on medical and social
subjects, has been a frequent contributor to
NEIL publications•.Ilej'onrterlJ,directedAtneri-
c•am cultural and information centra in Franre.
Ethiopia, and Zaire.
Correction
In the Jan. -Fell. article, "Texas Tightens Laws
Regulating Nursing Homes;' which appeared in
Aging, it Senate investigation was credited with
helping to bring about important new reforms
regulating nursing homes.
The particular investigation referred to was
conducted at the request of Rep. Claude Pepper,
Chairman of the House Select Committee on
Aging, under the guidance of the Committee's
Chief Investigator, David Holton.
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 6101NES
Aging Interviews Three
Pioneers in the Senior
Center Movement
Aging interviews Freida Gorrecht, Mickey Allardice and Jean Fisher
AGING: Do you think if a center is
going to be multi-purpose it should
have certain basic services available
there? And if so, what should those
services be?
MS. GORRECHT: First of all, I
think there ought to be adequate pro-
vision for belonging to a group which
is the center group, which then has
different facets. 1 think there ought to
be recreation and socialization. I think
that is the basis on which things are
built.
There ought to be decent education-
al opportunities and I'm talking about
how we fought for years to get the
community colleges and the universi-
ties to admit that they could do adult
education in centers. They didn't have
to go to a classroom. They didn't have
to have 25 to a class. We have people
getting their high school diploma for
the first time. We have people learning
languages. One of the most popular
classes is on human sexuality. Thirty-
five years ago, who would have
thought anybody would even sign up
for that? But it's a different day, you
know and the centers have come along
with the times. They're "how-to"
classes, How to be aggressive, how to
be assertive, how to make something,
There arc all kinds of education.
The problem we have right now is
that some educators are trying to tell
us, and tell older adults, what educa-
tion is. And we say it's what we decide
it is for ourselves. But here, again, the
problem is funding. If they tell us what
*Ala. Correchl has been involved
with se»iorcenters for sonic JO years.
.She is N.xecthtinr' Director of the
Walter I'. Reuther Senior Centers,
hhc. of Detroit, Alich., fast
Chairperson of the National Institute
of Senior Centers Delegate Council,
and a member of the National
Council on the;lgiu,g Board of
Directors.
•Ats. Allardice is Dirraor of zhlhll
Service Centers, Ince of Detroit,
Aliedh., a member of the National
Council on the. Aging. Board of
Directors, and Chairperson of the
NCOA Board Conine jilee on ter
11 unrmlit ies.
'ills. Fisher, mho had been working
with senior centers for soon, three
decades, is Executive Director of the
Philadelphia Cenlrrfor older
Proplr, I'hiladrlphia, Pa.
it is and that's all you get money for,
we've got a problem. So, l think it has
to have that educational component.
I think we have to have opportuni-
ties in the center for leadership devel-
opment, a real opportunity for seniors
to be decision -makers. I think they
ought to be on boards and have a real
role in deciding what is and is not in
that center and evaluating what they
have.
There have to be some kinds of
health services. One of the most
i
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important to me is health screening.
We know that the whole idea of older
people and health is that they only go
to the doctor when they get sick,
because it costs so much. So we need
health screening and now we have it in
our centers. We have to insist that the
public health departments take on that
responsibility through whatever mech-
anisms of support they can generate,
and they ought to have education in
health classes. They should be helped
to get examinations and health screen-
ing to take care of things before they
get to be crises.
We also need legal services. Our
people have their rights exploited all
the time. They cannot afford legal serv-
ices. Legal services have to be sys-
tematic and dependable.
I think that we need congregate
eating. By the way, most of us had
congregate meals before we ever had
Title VII. It was in the centers that we
began to perceive that people who
lived alone and ate alone didn't cal
very well. And 1 have been a little
concerned about the view of Title V I I
as a feeding program for the poor
concept that we've gotten in too many
communities.
AGING: Well, 'title vii was not
intended nor is it intended to be that
kind of it program.
MS. GORRECHT: Then, I think
there ought to be opportunities for
people to develop community inter -
1
ests. Someof our most successful work
is done with pcopfe who no longer
come to our center, but when they
needed its. they used its and then they
found other ways to live. Our expert-
encc has been, since 1953, however, as
they get older, less mobile, more
restricted, have crisis situations-- they
come back in.
They;dso need to be given opportu-
nities to do volunteer work to learn
that This isa way of livin@ that has good
compensations to it, in terms of' good
health, good mental health, and so
forth, and then they can be helped to
do it.
the other things centers need to
have is opportunities for community
action. We provide this in our centers
and always have.
First of all. you have to know wlut it
is yoti rc talking about, so that you
have to shape up this kind of program
within the center to haveaun education-
al input. so you can learn what
redlining is, if thal's what you're
interested incorrecting.so you'll know
what social security changes are all
abort, if you want to make an impact,
so that you caul speak with knowledge.
So. it's an educational process. as
well. I think it is most important to
help people operate in ;a group for
impact. which is sometimes as simple
as making sure that they all have
transportation to get there if there's it
hearing, and if they get there, that is is
barrier -free, or there's a way for them
to walk if they have a cane or
wheelchair or are blind.
They need ;in opportunity to learn
how to focus on some issues and stick
with it and make it effective.
AGING: What do you feel about
emphasizing senior center services and
activities for low-income, frail and
vulnerable elderly. rather than. say.
the more acti e older person! Un you
think this is good or not so good"
MS. GORRECHT: I do not think
that the United Stales is taking it very
liberal view of wharf its obligation is to
older people. I think older, well put -
together people who want to conic
together in groups and have this kind
of it life havens much right for t he tax -
supported dollar as the disadvantaged.
It so happens, in our centers, we do
serve poor people.
We serve what has been coined as
the "frail elderly." We never use that
word. We call it our people who have,
unfortunately, been handicapped in
some way oranother. We have a whole
program under Title XX that needs
more money put into it. But we think
it's important that those people come
to the center, not as medically indigent
persons or medically deficient persons,
but as people who need some extra
help like a special van to get them
there.
I've been rather disturbed at this big
thing on this day care model, which is
medical model. We've been dealing
with these kinds of people for years
and never called it that. Right now, in
each of our centers, we have an
occupational therapist with several
CETA aides and handicapped older
people are brought into our center
regularly. We did ;r pilot project
several years ago and we could only
accommodate blind older people
because our buildings weren't barrier -
free. We experimented with what
would happen to blind older people if
we brought them into a center where
almost everybody is sighted. Now, it
happens that many of our clients
became blind gradually as they were
with us. They were there, anyway, and
we just took different care of them.
What we did find was that in
bringing many non -sighted people
here who often had other things wrong
with them, our staff as constituted,
couldn't manage it. because these
people did need extra things. Many of
them had no social skills, for instance,
and they couldn't relate to other
groups. We had to get special equip-
ment, like big cards, dot some ofthenr
could sec. We trained our sighted
people to be aides and they did it on ar
voluntary basis. They took people to
the bathrooms. They helped them
through the lunchline. They did all
kinds of things. But we realized that in
order to do ;r good job, we needed
more money and more staff and the
next time the proposal was written up,
FA
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it included all kinds of frail elderly and
there was it limit on how many of them
we could take and we demanded
specialized transportation and extra
help. We have seen the progression
these people have made from a kind of
a sheltered group into the center, so
that they're in there, involved with lots
of other things. They became officers
of the center, many of them, blind
people. They participated in things
they never had participated in before.
AGING: Do you think you need
facilities, physical facilities, designed
Specifically for the elderly, or do you
sec a senior center being in a commu-
nity center, where there's an age mix
and where. perhaps. young and old
would have;m opportunity to help one
;mother and to mingle?
MS.GORRECIIT: Tlmt'sallwedo
have in Detroit. But. I don't want to
say I find it successful. It has problems.
They till have problems.
AGING: Would you tell me some
of the pros and coati!
MS. GORRI:CHT:In the first
place, public recreation buildings
weren't built for older people. Su,
that's the first problem. So, you*%c got
an access problem.
In Detroit, right now, we're going
through a rad problem. because the
centers in public recreation buildings
which have been there for wars have
gotten money to improve public access
bill not completely. and Title V can't
be used for those buildings, because
they're used for all age groups. So.
we're very angry.
AGING: You really would like as
see 'Title V funding used for centers
which sercc all age groups!
MS. GOR ItEC,IIT: 'Platt's right.
because here you hate a city that has
operated senior centers hefnle other
cities, and it teas always un the basis.
by the way. of mingling public funds
and private funds. Thais the way
we've ahvays operated. In our own
agency, the Union gives money, the
i
United Foundation gives money, and
the city gives buildings, and janitor
service, and light. But all of a sudden
we need more access to it, we need an
elevator in one building, we need an air
conditioner, and there is no way that
building can have those things put in it
only for older people. In other words.
it's a building that is literally shared.
And with the present rules and
regulations, there's no way we can get
Title V money. We've got to do
something about this. There are other
communities which did not operate on
this philosophy. They'd buy a little
building here for a center and it little
building there. That's a whole different
cup of lea.
We don't want these kinds of
restrictive rules and regulations. I
would say that there are values to
multi-purpose buildings and there are
headaches. We operate all year lung.
Some of the headaches are that
ordinarily kids arc in school only until
3 o'clock. which means we leave at 3
o'clock. It means we can't have 7 -day a
week programming. which I happen to
think we ought to have. II also meatus
that in the summer we've got a
problem. because the kids are there.
it's not that the kids area problem so
much as ( here just isn'(sullicienl space.
AGING: We've been talking of
mixing the frail or less active elderly
and Ilse active elderly mud older people
and younger people. [lute tlo older
people Ihemsches react to other older
people front various ethnic groups or
from different social and economic
groups! Do they react %cell together or
do they tend to isolate then selves
within the center. so that they form
little groups!
MS. GORRCC'MT: I think that
depends on the conteand how the
center sees iIse ll. in teals of a place fur
people. One of the accusations we had
earl' in thedevelopme t of centers%vas
that they were all white and this was
true. Our society %%;u ;a rcllection of
segregation. 'I here's nn question about
it. But as neighborhoods changed, this
began to change.
Also, centers began to sec that they
hada public ohlipation ht sewer all
people. 'Ihis is, again, heron• civil
rights. And this was dillicult. I rc-
member the programs we did on the
open door policy. tine subtle kind of
discrimination that took place. when a
person whowasdil%rent cone intuthe
center and they didn't get treated as
well, by the informal groupings. which
is what's important to them. not the
stall.
This was a problem that we labored
with for years. I think we licked it when
we decided that as a responsible com-
munity group, oll'cring services to
older people, we had to say. "It's fur
everybody and that's what we mean...
But ever hodv has a freedom of
choice, and if you don*t like it. you
don't have Income. It's dillicult to say
to people." This belongs toeccryhody
Freida Gorrecht
and if you call'[ lite with that, you'll
have to sort voursell' out:'
Many white people left the centers.
Many white people just really couldn't
take I. Sono of them came back, by
the way, and I think, with the associa-
tion,
ssocimtion, have come great things. one of
the most interesting things I saw
happening was in a preventative
mental health group called "Know
Yourself;' which we gut involved with
at Oakland Universily. That group
gave black and white people a chance
to sit down and examine their feelings
together about each other. Real
relationships were built up, and as we
did this with more and name groups.
they began to taken look at themselves
as people. just as a man and woman.
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES M011JES
A(il aN(;: Do you cncouragc• people
to take on roles or do you generally ask
for volunteers'!
\IS. G0RR[C'll'1 : I think we do
both. Onc of the roles of the worker k
to know you. to know that nlayhc
vote re ready now and need to step into
an activity. With a little encourage -
stent. eau will.
'Phis isn't always done M• the stall'. I
may say to you. as a ntcntber. "Don't
you think Angic could really do that
joh on yourconuniuec! Wit\, don't you
ask het •!" And very often, its the other
w;ry around. It's the worker till(, is
approached and someone on it conn-
mitlee will say. "Hey. did you notice
Angie! Nlayhe site*(] come on my
committee. \\'h:ll do you think.,'.
"fhm's a good idea. Ask her. And tell
her I thought that she could do this:'
This kind of mutual help and support
and knowledge about each other. to
know that you might not he ready this
week. but you might nest week is very
important.
Learning is a progressicc thing and
older people can learn lots of things.
most anylting they set their minds to.
One of the things I became arcate of
carly in my career in centers, because
of this generation that I a'as dealing
with, was that many women didn't
know how to drive cars. Their hus-
hands drove cars, and in our city.
driving a car is rather important
because of the kind of bus service we
have. Then the husband would dieand
his wife would come to the center and
one of the things that I sate happening
was that the other women were
encouraging 65 or 70 -year-old women
to get their driver's license and they
did. If I had talked to them about that.
it would not have been very useful, but
they did it. And women learned to take
care of bank accounts for the first time.
They learned to drive cars. They
learned to make other kinds of
decisions that all their married life they
had not madeand theydid this because
they had other women who had
successfully been through (his kind of
adventure and they were convinced
that Iltev could do it.
AGING: what do you think of the
possibility of introducing nursing
home patients intn senior comers. at
leas[ on a part-time basis! Oo vuu
think [his is feasible? Oo von think
smite of them could he returned to the
community if [hey were given that op.
portrnity to stretch themselves and to
grow again!
MS. GORR[CIiT: Several years
ago,just before I Icfl the seniurcenter.
we had an evaluation done of the
senior center and we were situated
geognrphicaliy on it street called the
Boulevard, which had old, big homes
on it, and those old. big homes had
turned into nursing homes, so that the
popular name of the street was
Nursing Home Row. ']'here we were.
siting in the middle mf Nursing ]'lone
Row.
I started a project which then was
followed up and progressed later to
hire workers to go into the nursing
homes on a contract basis. We would
start some socialization programs and
also try to work out where [he nursing
home personnel would he reponsihlc
for bringing nursing home patients to
the center. There's still a little bit of
that program left, where they're paying
for it tlenoselves. I would say we rat
into problems with this, one mf the
problems being, the nursing home had
to agree to provide the looney for the
st if Io do this, because Ilie re inti t that
kind of staff in the center to bring
Patients in station wngonsand so forth
and some mf them are on crutches. Rill
I have not seen nursing homes running
to the front door to do this.
I think, in any senior center, where
You have it diveesity of programs.
Whether it's handicapped people.
released mental patients, nursing
(tome people, coming into the center. it
flits to he carefully figured so that the
wcHelderlyaren t shovedon.'I-hal it is
truly a mixture and there is common
sense about hove much of each of these
ingredients you put in and still have it
good group.
: AGING: Well. we know that a
certain percentage -I think it's about
15 percent of niltxing home patients
if they were given supportive services.
would not need to be in nursing homes
in [lie first place. So, it seems to me that
the senior center might just upon Ilse
door to enable them to find sunoeune
that [hey could live with, to share :aro
apartment with, and then they could
possibly live in the community again.
MS. GORRUX1I F:. people can get
Oil[ of nursing homes. Now. what von
need to have is [lie linkages into serv-
ice. Someone in the nursing home who
helps that person get uta of the nursing
home and find those conununity
resources. 'I here's where we've gut a
problem. We don't have ;urybmdy
doing (hill.
AGING: well, this is ,If, the topic,
but what would you think of our
health care system being revamped so
that nursing homes were paid tat make
Jean Fisher
People well, rather than being paid
more for those patients who are
bedridden?
MS. GORRI?C'll.l': well, as Chair-
man of [lie National Coalition for
Nursing Ilonoe Reform and as C'hair-
nuuo mf Citizens for Better Care in
Michigan. which is a consumer group.
65 percent of whom a re Nell iorciIizens,
this is what 1'111 dedicated to, we need
a Complete overhaul of the hcallh care
system. in tams of long-term care. in
terms of home health care We are now
spending loo nmch money on instino-
"nnilized older people who could he
helped to he other places, hill until floc
various federal gm ernmenl officials
and file various bureaucrats really
insist upon change. and reallytake [his
whole fragnlenled health rare system
FIICROPILRED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOIRES
apart and pill it together again, there
isn't any hope. You'tc not going to
change anything significantly will, the
hand -aids [hal are being proposed. ill
my opinion.
A" IN .. Nut it would benefit the
nursing home patient, and certainly
the taxpayer, In pay for rehabilitative.
rather than maintenance, health care.
NIS. GORRECHT: Right. and
we're not putting our money into pre-
ventative health care. and we're not
putting it into rehabilitation, in my
opinion, to ally significant degree.
We're spending a [tell of a lot of
money, but (Lal isn't what's coming
out of it. For instance, a ye;rand a half
ago. the State Deparunenl of Social
Services decided or the legislatures
decided, that they were going to ctrl
way back on the budget of chore serv-
ices which, in our state, means hone
help services. We panicked.
The people that we had in our
Restore program couldn't operate
freely if they didn't have those home
health services. It meant they'd have to
go loan institution. You know. on [he
one hand, we're talking about dealing
with the frail elderly ina more humane
way and on the other, we're taking the
props out from under them.
Now, what did we do! We got them
organized, we demanded public hear-
ings and we raised such a stink, that the
legislators really couldn't stand the
heal and put the thing back in and
none of them lost their home help. But
this threatens them every year. They
shouldn't have logo through this in my
opinion. But the fact is, you can't have
them out in the community without
certain kinds of supports and those
cost money, but we don't have the
lobbyists for the supports that the
institutions have. One of the richest
lobbyists in the country is the nursing
home lobby, both o t the state level and
at the national level. And so, il'sa little
hard to deal with this kind of thing. I
think, you know that I'm hoping that
the government itself begins to look al
the reality of it, rather than listening to
the lobbyists and if they really ire
interested in revamping the health care
system, they'd better get started.
AGING: What do you Think ahoul
having, for insumce, people frrnn lire
fond stamp ollice or Ills social securily
office, coming to various centers, like
the old circuit rider judges :'
MS. GOR RI:CIIT: %%'c'%e had that
for years. The social security field -
worker has it regular lime that he
conics to the center. 'I hen he sitsdown
Willi two, three, live, or len people who
want to discuss sonic issues. lis ahvays
been my contention that the general
staff ought not to deal with those kinds
of things.'I'hey don't understand them.
AGING: What do you do in a case
where an older person conics in and
they need expensive dental Work and
their Medicare won't cover it, but
they're not indigent, so Medicaid
won't take care of it either.
MS. GORRI?CIIT: This is called
"creative social work:' in my opinion.
and we do many things. Firs(ofall, the
workers in the center. With training
and experience. know where you can
pick up services. For instance. we have
a university dental school in our town.
A Ira of our people can be taken into
the school because they have students
who, under the direction of their
professors, do that kind of dental
work.
There arc occasions when staff
people will pay for something out of
their own pocket. This is true with
welfare workers, too, when there's no
way to meet the particular problem.
Sometimes you do bend rules.
Sometimes it's a question of working
the system, loo. It's amazing to me the
number of things than really can be
done if you know that system. You can
get all kinds of things coming through.
while another worker, who doesn't
know the system, has a dickens of a
time.
But I think the emphasis has to he
that here is a community with all these
kinds of resources. Vou'ee cot to know
whal they are and how to Ilse them for
the center member. And to teach the
center members how to work a little
for themselves. That's another part of
it.
AGING: Do you feel that thus Isar.
senior centers have [ended In serve the
more extraverted. more sociallvaivarc
i
or more politically aware activc older
person. as opposed to the num isolat-
ed?
MS. ALLARDICG: Probable, yes.
It's ahvays harder Ili turn sonichodv
away when they're there at your door
Than it is to find the time and funding
to reach out to the less able. But
certainly. I think if ant' agency has a
good policy board :and stuff.lhat make
the ellorl to provide both kinds of serv-
ices, it can he alone. ),oil can have
outreach, you can provide for the
Physically handicapped.
We have special programs in our
centers, bringing in physically handi-
capped, including wheelchair people.
We have had it program that started,
oh, about 12 years ago, with Title III
funds, reaching out to people in
nursing homes.
For those who couldn't conic to the
program, we took it to them and we are
still providing that service under
contract with nursing homes. for
instance.
AGING: Did you find in working
Willi nursing home patients that any of
them are able to return to the commu-
nity, as a result of these center func-
tions!
MS. ALLARDICf: I'm not sure. I
think that's hard to answer, in that the
criteria for living in nursing homes has
changed drastically, including Federal
requirements. Medicare, and Stale
requirements. so that when Wesrar(ed,
there were no activity directors, there
were nn social service workers in
MICROFILMED BY
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nursing homes. They were often
housing people who were not very ill
and now we have assessment of skilled
and basic care. That has changed our
effect or at least the ability to dcter-
mine that effect. I would say it made
life better for the people that lived
there because although they were
physically unable to leave the nursing
home, at least they became more
active, more involved.
I remember in one of the research
projects, people who responded said
that the Ionclics( were people living in
nursing homes, with it whole lot of
other people around them and yet
there they sat with people in it chair on
either side looking at the boob wire
without knowing the names of the
other people. No interaction. And I
think that program, as Lar as we're
concerned, has gotten people more
involved again to whaleverdegrcethey
can be involved, depending on their
physical limitations.
AGING: What do think about
multi-purpose centers housed in spe-
cially designed facilities as opposed to
centers set up in a community center
facility that serves all age groups!
MS. ALLARDICB: Well, our
agency does have experience in both
and I think there are advantages and
disadvantages. Our initial program
started in 1953 in an old home in an
arca which had once been a very
affluent boulevard and a home of it
former mayor of Dctroit and it was it
homey atmosphere. Then we moved to
a multi-purpose family center that
provides services to all age groups. The
building is newer and more attractive.
bigger rooms, better facilities, no
stairs, good lighting, and much more
space for additional programs. We
have been able to provide for many
more people, but the quality or sonic
of the quality of the service has
changed somewhat.
I think the disadvantage is that it's a
big beautiful bat( modern and sonic -
what institutional kind of building. h
isn't a home. And for t umv of these
people who have lost their spouses,
Inst their friends and their own home,
live in apartments or sometimes
boarding homes. that kind of thing.
the old-fashioned homey building that
we had before, meant a great deal to
them and that, of course, is missing.
So, there arc advantages and disad-
vanlages to both.
AGING: Nell, in line with this,
would you opt for a small center that
perhaps offered just recreational and
leisure -time activities with an 1&R
component that could send them to
services, if they needed them'!
MS. ALLAUACE: I think there
are an awful lot of people than don't go
very far. A neighborhood center is
ideal for accessibility for older people
and, of course. I'm speaking of city
ones. Ideally, it would he great to have
neighborhood centers with all the
basic requirements of a multi-purpose
center right there.
AGING: Well. I was thinking in
terms of sc%erel huge multi-purpose
centers and then smaller neighbor-
hood centers that could serve as social
centers, with tits capacity to send a
person to other services, if needed.
NIS. ALLARDICE:I think even
that is expensi%c, %%'flat we've done in
some insloaces is cooperating with. for
instance, a church group, that only
meets once a week. If you could bring
in visiting nurse or some othercompo-
Items ofa multi-purpose center. some
educational programa. some of those
things in satellite offices, that coal(]
also enhance a program.
AGING: Earlier. we were talking
about centers Ihnl are housed in
community facilities. I -lave you found
that there's been ;tit opportunity for
interaction between the younger and
older generations and has This benefit-
ed people or has it been more of a
deterrent!
.NIS. ALLARDICE: No, I think it
the elllm is made, it can be of great
benefit. \%'e'%e had %ulunteei programs
:it various limes and we'%c had school
groups (hal h;re conic in.
We also did n program for seycral
years with a parochial school where
first. their junior and senior high
students participated and %yc %%cut
down to as law as se%enth and eighUn
grade. when they %%credoingsociolugy
and they rune in one (];n ;m %%cyk and
provided first a program for the
seniors and then la ler, with the seniors.
I think this wits it very exciting
experience. hath ways. and sonic of
those kids wereadoptinggrandparents
in sonic ill' the nursing homes. fur
instance. and would visit them once it
week and talk to them and tell them
what they were doing in school. We
picked out people in the nursing home
who had no family, no contacts. No
one ever visited so this was a %%ery
exciting experience. The kids. I think.
learned :t great dead from it, because
sometimes they had no relationships
with the elderly. And [[ley could du a
little shopping. the%, could %'rile notes.
they could do various things fur the
elderly.
AGING: What do you think about
a cohmmunity facility where working
You have to
account for people
as well as numbers.
There's a lot of paperwork
that could be used in
direct service. This is being
said by every agency
that deals with the
government. 9
mothers could leme their children and
senior center participants []light vulun-
lecr to help out with the children. 1101
as a full -lime staff. but as all adjunct
sum Il'.
MS. ALLARI)ICF: Sunnewhat
like the foster grandparent program.
Yes. I think that bringing children's
programs into senior day cane can he
hc[]eficial.
Ilawccen', one of tumpruhlenns is
that our multi-purpose I;unilycenler is
in the inner city of Detrnil, right next
to ajunior high. and scniut:s have to gat
out and wail for huses there. and the
older people arc concerned about
leaving befurc the kids get out of
school, because there is a great do;l of
crime against seniors and they became
MICROFILMED BY
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the targets of purse -snatching and
lugging.
AGIN(]: In your opinion, %%hilt
programs have been most beneficial to
the elderly, as far as what the center
provides'.' Could you pinpoint a few!
Or would you say it depends on the
individual'!
MS. A LLAR DICE: Well. I think it
depends also on the location and the
time and the issues. We have deve-
loped a variety of different kinds of
programs as we've gone ;dung, but it's
been partly influenced by where wi ve
been located. For instance, we were in
what became nursing home row. those
old houses I talked about. and we
developed nursing home services.
Then it became after-care. adult foster
care home+and these were people that
were coming out of mental instilu-
lions. So, one of the unique things that
we have been able to provide has been
work with both the retarded and
mentally ill elderly.
AGING: Do you find that some of
the restrictions imposed when using
various types of funds inhibit the
delivery of services to center partici-
pants'!
MS. ALLARDICE: Well, they
make it awfully difficult for the
unsophisticated person. 1 know that
front Ilse state level.
Some skill and sophislication in
grantsmanship is very helpful. And.
unfortunately. sonic of the neediest
people I have seen conic tip with great
ideas hu( don't have the ability.
particularly fiscal, as well as writing
abilities, to present it and get the
money that's needed.
AGING: When senior centers
provide medical, dental. :and legal
scrviccs,do they run inloany problems
With thane professions whose practi-
tioners would otherwise receive fees
for such services'!
MS. ALLARDICG: I personally
have not encountered that. We have
legal aid and we've used then,. We've
also had, for instance, a lawyer on our
board of consullan(s. who is lerrihl•
generous with his time and has never
charged fees, who helps not only with
the agency problems but also with
1
individual problemswhenever wehave
them.
And 1 think that's true of doctors
we've had on the board that give free
physicals. I think the professionals
realize it's that or nothing. The older
person would not be able to buy that
kind of service. As you know, Medi-
care and Medicaid won't pay for
diagnostic physicals. I think when the
alternative isjust to live with the health
problem, doctors see that the services
really ;trait competing. Many limes
the professionals are very generous in
giving some help themselves.
AGING: Are the Endowment for
the Humanities programs being used
in your centers!
MS. ALLARDICE: I think they've
been tremendously successful. Our
center hasjust started one program.
To me, that's been one of the most
exciting programs to just be It part of,
hearing the tremendously diverse ways
it has been programmed and presented
in centers, and the spinoffs. It has
developed into creative writing, dra-
ma, music, exploring local history,
cooperation with students in schools.
Things like that. And that is what is
very exciting.
AGING: What about the personal
rewards in running a center!
MS. ALLARDICE: I love myjoh
very much, and I have always enjoyed
working in the field. Sometimes the
advances seem awfully slow, particu-
larly for the poorest and neediest,
mentally handicapped elderly who
have been the least able to speak up for
their own needs. We work hard to help
them use the system and become
advocates on their own behalf.
But I think it's very hard loseethem
pushed aside. Unfortunately. most
people do not really realize the
problems. I love the phrase somebody
gave that it would be nice if the senior
centers could have all kinds of cost
overruns and the Pentagon could have
the hake sales. '['flat is. I think, a great
idea.
AGING: Do)'ouINaI' it's possiblc
Io give a stock definition of the kinds of
services than nmlti-purpose centers
should provide? Or do you think this is
going to depend nn file population
they serve, and the type of neighbor-
hood they are in'!
MS. FISHER: I would like to see
multi-purpose centers designated as
the focal point for service. Like a one -
slop shopping service. If you come to
the center for socialization and recrea-
tion and educational classes, and you
need some help related to sonic bills.
taxes, housing, or coming hospitaliza-
tion, there would be staff there to
handle yon problem. You won't he
continually referred oil' to another
office, which often happens. If you're
going to have to refer the person and if
it's a frightened person, you may have
to walk him or her to the Social
Security office, to the clinic. or up to
the Housing Authority office.
And if we could arrange with many
of these services to staff offices within
1 6 It would be a
great idea if the senior
centers could have all the
cost overruns and the
Pentagon could have
the bake sales.
senior centers, even for two days as
week for different services, this would
be ;a great boon to the older person
who, once his travelled to one place.
can stay Ihcre comfortably.
AGING: Would yml suggest some
basic services that all multi-purpose
centers should have?
MS. FISHER: Well, I think having
the nutrition program right there and
having the delivered meal service is
really great. If you call have some of
the in-home services self right thereat
the center, so that when older people
need to he provided with home
services, homemakers. or chore serv-
ice, they can gel it through the senior
centers, that would he great. loo.
MICROFILMED BY
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Of course, there's not enough
funding in those arras. People gel on
waiting lists. flat if we could have that
kind of staff within it senior center, it
would make as significant difference in
the lives of older people.
All of the health screening that the
hospitals are now providing within
senior centers, and the nurses that
they're sending in to do the blood pres-
sure or other testing is great. And there
is it fine prevention of blindness
program which is going on in Philadel-
phia, where we make appointments
and bus people to some of the best eye
clinics in this city for complete check-
ups and followvps. All of these things.
if they're given support by he staff,
mean that more people will go to them.
AGING: Do you think that senior
centers tend to draw more socially
aware or extroverted older persons.
and that the more introverted or
isolated elderly have it tendency to be
left out?
MS. FISHER: well, this is where
we need more help, because the
introverted, apmhedc, and withdrawn
are coming to the centers. Sometimes
you look around and they're sitting up
against the walls the way they do in
nursing homes.
We've developed a team of two staff
members who go around and talk to
these people who will only communi-
cate if somebody comes to them. They
don't go to the club or the class or
make conversation on their own. But
were hoping by using staff, talking to
them directly, they can get acquainted
and find something moreinlereslinglo
do than just sitting, staring into space.
They are coming in because we have
buses to bring in the frail and the
handicapped, wheelchair people are
coming in. This is healthy. because
Ihcn we have a mixture of people. 11
would be sad if those people were
isolated in centers where everyone was
frail. Rut when they conic in, they take
nn sone of the joy and the fait of the
well people, going in to watch them
dance. or getting into physical Iitness.
You can even do some exercises from a
wheelchair.
And we always Iry to plan certain
programs that will appeal to some of
the more forlorn people who may not
go for the sophisticated programs.
AGING: You mentioned earlier the
problems that you are now encounter-
ing with older people who need
psychiatric and psychological counsel-
ling.
MS.FISH ER: Well, as you know. it
lot of the planning should have been
done when the mentally ill were
released from the mental hospitals.
Many of them are just being ware-
housed in cheap rooming houses and
boarding houses and nursing homes.
Now, they're moving freely into senior
centers and some of their behavior is
tremendously disruptive. We have
worked out a system where, if very
hostile individuals come in and start
making a scene, screw ming and yelling,
swearing at the staff, thcadministrator
or the administrative assistant comes
immediately to the fore and lakes on
the hostility from the person, tries to
sort out the problem, tries to reason
with the person.
flat if they are really disruptive that
day we may say they arc going to have
to leave and come back another day.
With help from it psychiatric nurse,
we're having training sessions, learn-
ing more about the individuals, keep-
ing records on them, observing behav-
ior. -rhe nurse has started a therapy
group and gotten some of the disor-
ienlcd people into therapy. working
towards behavior modification. It's
not the type they're doing in nursing
homes, which is more for the senile.
but behavior therapy when the people
think out what they want for them-
selves and what their values are and
how they might achieve them.
AGING: You have a'specially
designed facility for older people.
What do you think about a senior
center that is witinin a Itirger conunumi-
ty center facility where young and old
can interact? Do you think that has
some good points to it, ordo you think
older people are better till' in an age -
segregated facility?
MS. FISHER: I think if depends oil
the community where you're located.
I've seen some magnificant interacting
centers. largely in suburban areas
where the children :ire not so numer-
ous or aren't coming out of poverty.
e,here they may become aggressive
towards older people.
We have one center in Philadelphia
where at night the children are taking
delight in smashing up the things that
belong to the senior citizens. Robber-
ies are occurring, and the older people
are being harassed as they leave the
center.
I think we have to look at each
community and whether the commu-
nity' children are going to share a
building, and be responsive to letting
the older people have their time to
themselves and respect their equip-
ment.
AGING: How do you feel about
combining senior center services and
activities for the low-income, frailand
vulnerable with the more active elder-
ly?
MS. FISHER: Well. I'nh all for the
American way of life that calls for a
mix of people. That's the way America
started, they came over here with some
democratic points of view and a place
fqr :all in the sun.
lf you begin setting up poverty
P
ngrams, and somebody said—]
think it was Manny Kaufman—
services to the poor tare poor services.
and you have the very frail and
apathetic and handicapped and with-
drawn people and disorderly people
together, and nobody leavened the
lump and nobody look any direction
and leadership, then I think it would be
very slid. It would be a much harder
job for the staff, because in the center
with large numbers of well -normal
people, they function on committees
and take responsihilities. Sonicofthcir
responsibilities include being friendly
visitors to the homehound, carrying
trays in the dining rooms for the
handicapped, greeting the handi-
capped of the door, laking the handi-
capped people in the wheelchairs or
the him([ people to their program
areas, and there's interacting going nn
all the time.
And they find these people arc
socially acceptable, that they're real
persons, and they look after them If a
blind person is a member of a
MICROFILMED BY
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particular committee. and the bus
didn't bring that person in on time,
they immediately go tothesta0'person
and say "wc want Maggic to get here
on time. She's an important person on
the committee:'
So they're till interacting on behalf
of these people.
And I think, if yogi re ever going to
do the voting properly, those who arc a
little more affluent have to really
personally know those who are poor
and frail. And know what kind of an
income they're livingon and knowthat
somebody has S50 a month for food
and any personal needs they have alter
they've paid their rent.
-this is essential, that they knowthis
and associate with them.
AGING: What do you think about
centers that provide leisure and recrea-
tion activities with an I&R compo-
nent? Do you think lhere it place for
centers like that?
MS. FISHER: Well, it depends on
whether that's satisfactory to the
people. In Philadelphia, we're located
right across from Camden. New
Jersey, and there's a good bus service.
so we haven lot of members from New
Jersey that came before they got fill[ -
fledged multi-purpose centers over
there. They had drop-in centers, and
they said. what do you do in a drop-in
center, you drop in and you drop out.
And nobody cares whether you conic
or go.
I think that centers should develop
the way fire people want them to. If
people say they have it need for this
center to evolve from a seniorcenter to
a multi-purpose center, then if should
happen. with the members all taking
port in the process, deciding the next
step, deciding what they want to
include.
And we achieved it lot of that feeling
:thou( what the center wanted to
become by laking our members to a
number of different sures and looking
at outer senior centers. And we said,
this is the next thing we want.
It really happened to its. We got a
new building.
AGING: Well, it seems the parfick
pants themselves are deciding what
services they won and need, rather
Ithan having it imposed from above. I
think that's very helpful, because very
often we hear that government is
telling people what they need.
MS. FISHER: Well, they do
dictate, that's for sure. 'fake, for
instance, the means test. We said we
won't impose the means test on people.
We tried it on ar few and they found it
disgusting and we were willing to say,
well, we'll not do the means test ;Ind
maybe we won't get paid for those
months that we didn't do it, hal by
going into legislative action. taking
buses down to Washington, byappear-
ing before the Senate hearings, we did
break the means test and gained
eligibility for senior centers. I think
with that one victory behind its, as we
see any ugly legislation coming up, we
should get after it. ;Ind say, after all,
other age groups have their communi-
ty centers. ;Ind the older peopleshould
have their places for recreation,
socialization, educalion.just like other
age groups.
AGING: You were talking about
the problems that you had encoun-
tered with Tick SX. Do you feel thin
some of the restrictions imposed when
using various types of Federal funds
inhibited the delivery of services to
center participants?
MS. FISHER: Well, it certainly
forces you to pill a lot of time into
data, and this is a little disturbing, but
you take it ;Ind do as much its von can.
Now you have to account for people as
well as account for numbers. I think
there's a lot of time pill into paperwork
that could he used in direct service, and
I think this is being said by every
agency that dca IN with tliegovernment.
The paperwork is tremendous. We tell
the people about that. We ICI them
know, so that when tine% go to a
hearing, they call speak out and say.
our staff is so involved with paper-
work we can't sit down and play a
game of pinocle with them, or laugh
with them as much as we used to do,
They notice this.
AGING: If you could pinpoint the
service or services, which would you
say are the most important to your
center?
U
MS. FISHER: In talking very
honestly ;Ind directly with our elders
council, which is the governing holy at
the center, and having them put forth
what they thought the center should
be, they said it should he ;t loving,
sharing, caring community.
In otherwords, we are seeing people
come in from all over the city and
maybe they don't know their neigh.
bors, but they come to the center and
this is where their friends are, and these
are the people that they talk with, that
they call up on the telephone at night.
that they call on in time of trouble.
'their investment is in a place where
people are warmly greeting one anoth-
er and caring for each other. The
people are more important than the
food service or anything else. %Vital
counts is relationships.
AGING: An opportunity to talk to
people and actually form an informal
help network among the members?
MS. FISHER: That's happened. I
would really like to see a person like
Margaret Mead come in ;Ind studv a
large senior center and see the com-
munity that the people lim edeveloped
for themselves.
They volunteer all the time. '[*here
are hundreds of people coming in
every week that aren't
just coming in to
be entertained, but are coming in to do
the chores that need to be done,
serving in file dining room, hosting,
doing it newsletter mailing, serving on
committees. faking responsibility for
planning money -raising events. 'I hey
just put their lives into the center.
AGING: You mentioned earlier
that you are having an increasing
number of people with mental proh-
lems using the center. What special
elrorls on the center's part do you
think should he made
MS. FISHER: We need sunlf from
health and mental retardation to crone
in ;Ind provide therapy and training to
deal with the mentally ill. But the stair
should also offer;I therapy course for
the well -normal people so that tine),
can understand mental illness and be
more sympathetic. Instead of saying,
' Ill going to run away from this sito-
MICROFILHED BY
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ation," spying, "Well, I know ;aid
understand why this has happened:'
And 1 think that once we can
understand the behavior, this will help
the people stay together. All of them
should be reading and seeing in the
newspaper what's happening in var-
ious communities where they've taken
over big hotels and put the mentally ill
and the mentally retarded in them. The
communities are getting frightened
about it and wondering what to do,
wringing their hands.
If the well elderly can see themselves
as part of a movement to help the
mentally ill and retarded rc-enter
society by being warm and receptive, it
could make it significant difrerence.
AGING: What are your other
problems and achievements?
MS. FISHER: Well, I think the
senior center movement is absolutely
great. I don't think that thearea offices
on aging have turned out to be what we
had envisioned. And I think they've
fragmented the service further.
I can remember Commissioner
Flemming's dream, that the area
offices of aging would be used to
coordinate services and bring us
together and put us at casein relation-
ship to linkages and getting the service
we wanted.
I've spent a year and a half going to
the area office on aging, telling them
about the problems that I've had with
mental health in my center, but I'm the
one that had to call in representatives
from mental health associations, seek
out help from Ball-Mercerand call the
regional officcand HEW to explain the
problem. I wrote to Commissioner
Flemming about it, I wrote totile state
about it. Everybody says, to back to
Mcntal Health. But there's no man-
date saying that mcmarl health, which
doesn't have a lot of money either, has
to get involved
Since they've already put money
into storefront mental health offices
;Ind. in some places. they've even built
their own centers, why can't they in
least send in stuff twice It week to help
I's cope with these problems?
I doi t sec why we can't meet
penplds needs with compassion and
humanity.
Women in Crisis:
16 AGING
Centers Sometimes
While interviewing ./ran Fisher. L:ver•urirr•
Director o/' the Philadelphia Confer /iir Older
People. err mlkod about three n•onren who had
conte to her Center for help. 7hr,v provide
poignant glimpses into the prohleors faring some
of our R'ation's learn lbriunate elderh•. and
illustrate .some uJ'the surcrssee ami Jnilures that
nut{r Cemer personnel arra /aced with oil a nail v
basis. ,IUF .
In our centers we arc getting a lot of the very
fragmented people, for instance. the " haggic
Women" are coming into file senior centers, the
women who live in floe railway depots and the
bussladonsa» d whosleep an night overs grill for
a little warmth ;Ind local and have all of their
worldly possessions in shopping bags.
These people, sonic of whom have been
mentally ill, have been driven into it trmnpsitua-
lion or gypsy life, and they aren't gelling ;any
benefits at all if Ihcy don't have a residence.
Now, we've gone through the experience of
working with one person fora yearand a half. a
haggic lady. We look the soft approach,
tolerating her acting out behavior, finally get-
ting her to trust us. She is now living al the Y in
our cify;nd has been for nine months. She'sgel-
lingo check from welfare and is 62,.4o she's now
eligible for SSI. After site pays her weekly rent,
she has exactly $50 ;a month for anything she
needs. And you can't cat on a dollar a day.
She comes to file center, has her big noonday
meal and she's doing sonic housework which
enables her to earn that extra money that it takes
to have anything really worthwhile In cal and lo
pick yourself up. And she:s willing to go out and
scrub floors and cicm;nd iron to earn than little
extra money.
When we first saw her, she was a completely
distraught person,just living off the picking~ that
she was getting out of the wastebaskets on file
street. h's going to hakea long lime to bririg some
of these people back. We know her story, we
know that she had four ),cars in a sanitarium in
California of one time. There's a lot of paranoia,
it lot of feelings of persecution come out every
now ;Ind then, but she has now gotten to trust
enough of the snaffand enough of the members to
begin no ["like some friendshipsand know where
site can come for help, can talk out her problems,
;and gel the support she needs.
Ilut this is ;a real process of sharing for these
people. and it just can't happen quickly. We have
to have enough staff to work one to one with
these people. And she*s been willing now lnener
it therapy group.
Recent ly, we hada little black woman• it very
petite old lady of 92 with it hideous hampering
brace on her leg, so thnt sonnclinncs she was in it
wheelchair. We had taken her to camp and
discovered thin site hada large hedsorc on her
back. We begged her to go into the hospital, but
she refused. She'd been living in a fnlfhy little
house for years, anon the landlord charged her too
r»uch rent. The place was never cleaned;md the
roof leaked.
lion she Was becoming frail, and she knewshc
Was going no die and didn't want to go into the
hospital. We did everything we could. 'file
visiting nurse came twice n week, but the woman
was incontinent.
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
1
Make the Difference
The homemaker only came three times a
week, so the bed didn't get changed often
enough. We found, when delivering the food to
her, that she often could not gel to the food and
open up the foil or open up the milk carton. We
talked to the neighbors."Oh, well, we'll go in a nd
make a cup of coffee for the old lady, but that's
all we'll do," they said.
She became more and more ill, we saw it was
getting toward the end, we called on the church
at the last to come in overa longweekend. Ilut we
found the church didn't come in that weekend, so
it doesn't look as though she got a ny help, and all
the agencies were closed. She had it heart attack,
went to the hospital and died within 24 hours.
And then the church gave her a magnificent
funeral, where young people and old people got
out and testified to the marvelous life this woman
had led. [lot where were they when the minister
asked them to go in and give service that
weekend?
Now, what I think needs to happen is to have
some centers open seven days a week in different
areas, so that on the weekend, people don't call
the Hotline and get told, well, go to such an office
at 9:00 on Monday morning. The problem is
now.
There have to he some centers open. We have
to work with the hospitals and the nursing
homes, with the transient places for people to get
lodging for the night, and see that in-home serv-
ices and meals are delivered on weekends. Serv-
ices aren't just needed five days a week, they're
needed seven days a week. And our service is
worth nothing if we don't ask for that.
One day, a woman came in just smelling to
high heaven, and all these people came into my
office saying "If she goes into the lunchroom we
won't be able to stand it." So I talked to herand I
said, "I think you haven problem, would you like
to go up and haven bath, and we can find some
clean clothes?"
And it turned out that this old lady's husband
was so mean that he never gave her any money
out of the Social Security check. He took her
check and his check and she never had enough
money for a bar of soap. She went out and gave
herself a good scrubbing and got cleaned up and
became quite presentable. And we sometimes let
alcoholics get a chance to clean up, and that is
part of a service that I think is important,
because we are going to continue to see these
people,and they' rc going to need some of these
services.
The Sisters of Mercy have developedit hospice
for transient people, and baggic people or
anybody else that needs a shelter, and they have
J ust acquired property to expand their service
and include a bath service and all. And now, the
neighbors are fighting. They don't want to see
that developed in their particular district.
And I think it's such a shame that we cannot
serve humanity ns he needs to be served, that we
are going to look down our noses at everybody
whose hair isn't cutjust right, or whose stockings
are falling down or something. These people are
people like ourselves, and many of them have
been somebody at one time, and for whatever
reason they've fallen apart. I think it lot of them
could be reclaimed if we could give them serv-
ices with dignity.
FIICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOVIES
AGING 17
1
IH AGING
Multipurpose
Centers in a Rural
County
By Jean Norris
ung. severe winters and winding country
roads often force older people in rural
areas to he isolated, but in Franklin County.
New York. older people are taking part in a
variety of activities sponsored through the
county's network of senior centers.
hr;utklin County which boasts a puptdutiun of
40,000i% predominately rural, with nrauiy half of
its land arra within the massive Adirondack
Park. The 1.674 square miles comprising its land
arca arc bounded on the north by Canada's
Quebec province. Although there are population
centers at each end of the county. the nearest
large city is Montreal, with the mid-section of the
county mountainous and sparsely populated.
Franklin s residents are not only isolated from
major population centers hal have the lowest per
capita income of any county in the State and the
highest unemployment rate. There is a serious
shortage of doctors and medical services which
compounds problems for the 14 percent of the
population who arc over 60.
Although file county's population is just
40,000, Franklin received neatly 40 percent of
State funds undo ThIe V of the Older Americans
Act for file acquisition, alteration, and renova-
tion of facilities as multipurpose senior centers.
William O'Reilly. Mlector of the Franklin
County Office furthe Aging, says that the centers
received the large funding grant because the
county was already operating a number of
centers and bce11l5C the senior citizens took file
initiative in applying for government assistance.
Ile feels it is easier to insure 111:11 all of the
county's elderly are assisted than it is in o larger
urban arca. because of file close-knit nature of
the small conanunities and an on-going outreach
program conducted by each ;adult center direc-
tor.
'transpurinlion Provides file Key
The initiative of the senioreilizens who are tic-
scribed
rscribed as hoth proud and independent also
r
enabled the centers loacquire new buses for their
transportation programs. New 20 -passenger
buses are now on the road at threecvmersas well
as two 12 -passenger vehicles obtained under the
Capital Assistance Grant Program of the Urban
Mass 'transportation Administration. Each
month the adult centers provide over 9,000 rides
and cover over 11.000 miles throughout the
county.
Since t11e county lacks public transportation,
the program is vital to boththeelderlvand hand-
icapped who use rile free service for visits to
doctors:nd social service agencies, as well as for
errands and shopping on a regular weekly basis.
Despite severe road conditions the buses were
only kept from making rounds on one day lust
winter. Most of the drivers arc retired school bus
employees who lake pride in theirability to reach
their destination no matter what file road
conditions are. Many of the secondary roads
outside the towns arc unpaved. but are kept ac-
cessihie through a well-equipped plowing sys-
tem designed to prevent ;uq• 1'1-anklin County
resident from being isolated during the long
winters.
Countywide services offer a variety of pro-
grams. The nutrition program, which opera WN
through the senior comers, serves over 9,000
meals per numth, including meals-un-whcels;uxl
(loctor-prescribed special diets for those who
require then.
'file North Country Centel' of Gerontology
o0crs educational opportunities thruugln the
conununit) college and is setting urn prgject to
bring entertainment and information to the
honss of those elderly who are visually or
physicuuy hamfierpped. The Emeritus Studies
Program offers college level courses in adult
centers and any senior citizen can audit courses.
For those who need supportive services, the
Senior Citizens Council 11as instituted ;r Ilonte
Care Program which brings public health
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nurses and home health aides as well as house-
keepers w the Ilumes ut the elderly.
lite Franklin C'uunty Office for lite Aging
coordinates services and ensures that the elderly
receive assistance through Food Stamps. Medi-
caid. and other social smices. The RSVP
program is also run through the 011ice tar the
Aging and h;tS uler 500 volunteers at work
throughout the coungI- half of whom are
employed at the adult centers. Low income
people neer 55 are given contmunityjobs under
Title IS of the Older Americans Act. Through
the Pastoral Outreach Service, sponsored be the
North Franklin Ministerial Association, volun-
teers regularly visit an isohued or lonely elderly
person on it one-to-one hnsis.
Adult Centers and Senior Chubs
There are eighl full-time Multipurpose Adult
Centers in rile rnunty with full-time nutrition
and transportation programs. Other services
include educational. physical litness. and craft
programs. Assistance is also avauilahle in
applying for Medicaid. Medicare. Fuad Shunps.
Supplentcoud Security Income. and Senior
Citizen I)iscuunt Cards. Counseling on lite
insurance and Ills filing is also uflcred. as Well as
blood pressure clinics. I he centers also provide
referrals and unnsportation fur health screening
services.
In smaller com nlun it ics with populanion.
under 500 there arc senior Citi/cu clubs which
meet nunuhly for social events and dinners.
C'uuperrtipe cents and trips offer the elderly
front the centers and cluhs throughout the
county an oppontlntly to mix tugellter. The
highlight of the year is the Senior ina. held each
May during Older Americans Nlunth, It isa large
fair -picnic -convention held by ;ual for older
citizens. A formal dinner. during which the
Senior Citizen of the Year is announced. is the
finale of this one Clay spectacular. Last year over
1.500 people attended.
Franklin county's elderly participate in roam
self-help activities to raise money fur the centers
and their programs. A fiddler: contest. square
dances. and ice cream festivals were held along
Willi traditional fund misers such as hinge and
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS.DES MoltIEs
AGING 19
20 AGING
card games, rummage sales, craft and hake sales,
and auctions. Ralne tickets were sold on every-
thing from handmade quilts to it trip it) rile
Bahamas. During the latter part of 1976 and
1977, the adult centers, senior citizen clubs, and
their advisory boards raised a total of $100,000
to initiate various projects, including $51,000
which was used to provide heat, lights, and
transportation for the nutrition programs.
The Multipurpose Centers are used by the
communities al large fora variety of activities. In
December the Harvard Glee Club performed at
the Malone Golden Age Club where they were
served dinner by the senior citizens and enter-
tained by the Kitchen Band.
Throughout the year the facilities at each
center arc used by young people for parties and
dances, for bingo games and craft lessons. The
general public is encouraged to use the blood
pressure clinics and many young adulls work at
the centers as volunteers and as Title vi
Manpower employees.
Each center has its own unique history and
services to offer the seniors in their individual
locations.
The Akwesasne Office for the Aging provides
services for the approximately 300 senior
Mohawk Indians at the St. Regis Mohawk
Indian Reservation. Their senior citizen center is
located in the Akwesasne Community Building
and offers assistance to any Indian over 55. They
also encourage the re adifrmation of old ideals by
being a strong vocal group within their commu-
nity.
Since 1971 the senior citizens of the Brushton-
Moira area have been meeting and have
expanded their services to encompass many
small rural communities. They have recently
completed a survey in cooperation with otter
senior citizen clubs, which has shown a need for
senior housing and will soon result in the estab-
lishment of Franklin County's first senior run
housing. In the five rural communities surveyed
there is a total elderly population of 562. Of the
177 persons who responded. 92 said they would
move into senior housing and 68 indicated they
might be interested in the future. A typical
profile of an elderly person residing in the arca is
that of a single woman over 62, living in a one
member household, wilh :in income of less than
$3,000 a year from social security. They own
houses in small towns, which are not modern but
adequate, but they would prefer a one bedroom
apartment and could pay 560-570 a month rent.
The Burke Adult Centcrsenrs four rural vil-
lages. The membership owns its own building, a
beautifully renovated Grange Hall, and runs it
U
store from which handcrafted items made at the
center are sold.
A more urban facility is the Malone Adult
Center in downtown Malone, the countyscm. In
addition to the regular nutrition and transporta-
tion services, Malone has the Kitchen Bland.
made up of seniors with it flair for making music
with pots, pans, and kitchen utensils. The eldest
band member is 80 and thegroup is popularwith
local citizens of all ages.
The Five Town Adult Cenlcratl St. Regis Falls
was first formally organized in 1970. As its name
implies, the center serves the senior citizens in
five towns with a full nutrition, recreation, and
transportation program. The Sarana Lake
Multipurpose Adult Center publishesa biweekly
newspaper written and edited by the membersof
the center. They also have a store stocked with
donated goods, with proceeds going toward their
fund raising programs. The seniors are plan-
ning on moving into a facility of their own in the
near future.
The Adirondack Adult Center in Tupper Lake
began as as senior citizen club in 1969. It is also a
full service center. They sponsor monthly bingo
games at the Geriatrics Ward of the hospital and
provide prizes and refreshments. Other commu-
nity services performed by this civic minded
group include the running of the annual heart
fund drive, selling up it blood doner clinic, and
the establishment of it midtown community
garden.
Fort Covington is the newest multipurpose
center and the farthest North. There are about
143 elderly households in the town which directly
borders Canada and the SI. Regis Mohawk
Indian Reservation. At present mcalsareserved
in a school basement where other programs are
also held. An abandoned church will soon
become a modern multipurpose center there and
the senior citizens of this tiny town arc working
hard to create a facility equal to the others in the
county.
"North Country pride and perseverance dis-
tinguish the Franklin County Senior Citizens,
who go ahead and help themselves, needing only
encouragement from us to begin new, innova-
tive programs. These people are not used to
having anything done for them and resent
accepting handouts. Our job is to present
programs to them and assist with paperwork.
They can then willingly and eagerly raise funds
and keep the programs going," concluded Mr.
O'Reilly.
• Afs. Norris is on the stuff R% the Franklin
Corner Of.arc for dre Aging.
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES IlolaEs
Senior Centers
and Health Care
By Barbara Rubin
Health problems are a major and cominu-
ing concern for the elderly, their fami-
acs, and the health and welfare agencies which
serve them. "The Social Security Administration
reports that the average health care bill for a
person 65 or older was $1,360 in 1975, almost
three times that ofpersonsaged 19 to 65.-1 While
People over 65 represent about 12 percent of the
total population, they fill a third of the nation
hospital beds.
Good hospital facilities are often lacking for
those living in urban poverty areas, where there
is frequently it shortage of qualified physicians,
accompanied by it proliferation of inferior
"Medicaid mills." Hospital outpatient depart-
ments often provide impersonal, perfunctory
care, and employ physicians who speak little or
no English. In addition, the trip to the hospital
can be long and tiring. "A study of 1,552 older
persons in selected innereity areas of New York
indicated that the elderly suffer from poorer
hcallh slams and higher incidence of functional
incapacity than their citywide or national
peers. -2
'file aged, especially those on fixed incomes,
frequently seek medical care only when a crisis
occurs, al a lime when therapeutic intervention
may no longer he effective. 'file older person
deteriorates to the point where he can no longer
sustain himself at home, he becomes isolaled
from fancily and friends, and may prcmalurely
seek admission to an institution.
Our Institutional Orientation
A major response to the complex heallb:ntl
welfare needs of the aged is the creation of
varying levels of custodial care which are
reimbursed by Medicare a nd Medicaid. Not only
is such carecoslly, but for manyaged. it results in
dreary and depressing isolation during their later,
years. The U.S. increasingly tends to be an
institutionally oriented country, seeking gov-
ernmental solutions to social and health prob-
lems, rather than strengthening existing family
and communal supports. After a recent visit to a
nursing home, a governor of a large western stale
observed that it was a very nice place and people
were working hard cleaning and making sure the
residents were attended. But "1 thought to
myself, here's a place where elderly people are
sent when they reach a certain age and arc paying
$600-$700 a month for strangers to lake care of
People that not too many years before would
have been upstairs in the bedroom, oron rocking
chairs silting in the living room. It would have
been a part of the context of normal
life... Were institutionalizing everybody. And
I'd like to dc -institutionalize everybody. 1'd like
to have a community that has a more human
spirit to it. 1 think people are ready for that."
Despite its negalivc aspects, there is an
increasing demand for institutional care. Among
other factors, there has been inadequate provi-
sion for alternative approaches to the care of the
aged within the community. The potential of
existing programs has not been fully developed:
instead new expensive health care institutions
have been created. We need to reexamine our
existing system and to encourage new directions
in hcallh maintenance for the aged to prevent or
delay their relegation to institutions. There is
also a need for life enhancing, as well as life
sustaining programs, preventive services are
particularly relevant in areas which are geo-
graphically remote from adequate medical
facilities, or where health and wclfnrc services
have been impaired because of budgetary cut-
backs in municipal:rad voluntary hospilals.'rhe
enormity of the problems faced by the aged sug-
gests that connnunily agencies which are not
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOIRES
AGING 21
In considering the po- primarily health care providers. such as senior
tential of centers to citiiea centers call conduct pteecntiNe he;dtlt
❑ll'l'[ the elderly's
needs. We should
hrtlth in its broadest
sense.
?? AGI\(i
care programs.
Traditionally, the early settlement houses
played an important role in meeting the health
needs of the con»munily. (.illiamt \\':fill, a public
health lilac. Iimndc(I tine Ilene\ Street Se tle-
I»em (louse as I111 outgrowth of her work midi
the em -1% Xew fork immigrants who Imd serious
health problems gfu%%ing out of poterly Condi-
tions. suhstandard housing. and poor medical
rare. Miss Wald began life mowillenl of public
hrtlth nursing. which she defined as "tial. the
expert care of the sick in Ihcir hollies. and
second. the education of the palienls and their
families in the I:PCIS of health and file."' Ilie
prohlems of the cldcrly. Today. are ditl'Crenl from
Ihose of the clic inunigr;sus. hw Ihcre ate ninny
%rho lice in suhslandard housing. lum imale-
yu:uediels.and neglect their health unlil Inedir:d
treatment is no longer ellecli%e.
Senior (-cnIers:md Ilcallh ('arc
In considering the potential of senior Citinm
centers Io meet Ilse hadlh needs olthe elderly. %%c
should %ic\% the Ienu"hadth" in the broadest
sense. "Ilealth elm be defined as a stale of
complete physird, mental. and social \%ell-heing.
not merely life absence of disease or infitmily:''
(iit'ell this definition. the senior cili/en centere:m
provide a prolec(ed and psychologically them-
peutic anwsphere lin the elderly \rho might
olhr-wike remain v home. woming about rad
of imagined ills. The psychic benefits derived
Prot) interaction with (life's peers and participa-
tion in daily social. rccrrtlion;d. sad cultural
programs can he substantial.
A major concern, along wilh the qualily of
medical Cnrc, is its:n';IiL•thilily. Relapse of (heir
lira It ilucaed activities :uul Comcnient lormions
wit lain a cunummily, senior eiliren causes could
prose elleelite in finding the hidden urban
cldcrly poor most in need al medical Calc. l hey
Could bring medical xenices out of the hospital
and info the conunullit y. of%ling older people
easieraccess and more indiyiduali/ed aIle»tion.
Ileallh programs in senior citircn ccnlcrs Can
also ecr\C as an adjullo it, all o%cma %rd and
Cxpcusi%e heldth Care system.
In a number of large Cities. public hcallh
nursesnrc inereasingfy being used loulpplclln•nI
medical social %%arkcrs. I hr Collaboration of
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these tau disciplines might he refereed to ;Is a
Procntive Health Care Team. which is of
pnrtictdar %;title in serving if cluster of senior
ciliicn centers in medicalh undetsamed areas.
\'arses anti social workers call help the clicnl :Ind
his llamll% cope with the cnwtional. social. and
financial problems Y%hich result front ul acme or
chronic. incapacitating illness. I hey can enahle
the aged inilk idual to recugniic earl%y s\mlptunls
A illness. seek appropriate medical Ole, and
undershuul the motile ol'his illness.and the pre-
scrihed trealmem. As if result he may li%e in his
Mail conununity Ycithoul resorting to insl itmion-
aliYation.
Ileallb Programs I'mder Ili%
of Greater \e\% Turk
I he Store IRunt-Scl%ices IM Olderr Adults, a
drop-in Center in Ilmoklw. oll'crs iniolm uinn.
referral. ad%ucan. Iegal. and home supporl x•r\-
ice, to :Ippru\imaleh 251) older adult, Cath
motlh. Slot c -Proal Ser\ ices also pro%idrs,hop-
ping assistance. locndly \isiling. Idephone
rells,llnl tee. and ocml wl,iice.:\Il l'IncmtIlly the
social York ,udl ;tie ren rcgi,ICrcd ntlr,e, Ironl
\ledger P\cr, CuIICLC aha idcnlil.\ pl C,CnI and
potential hclth problems. C%almue the person's
phasicl ;md emotional condition. estimate the
:ability of the indiriduul and his I:unify to mcel his
pruhlenu, delCrminC the urpcncy and c0nnplcsily
of a given siluntinn. and decide on priorities lis
action. In the course of assessing all individual's
problems. the nurse allay perli+rnl simple
diagnostic procedures. such as measuring %ifal
signs or culilating nuo'ilional cleliciencic, and
other oloious abnormalilics. the nurse mal
social \Yorker Then assist the illdi\ idual in seeking
filed icaI care. and supporl the I'eoaily in IhCe%enl
of crisis or the de%clopmcnt of a chronic sitna-
Iion.
!he
sudp;nsunn•s all ad%ncacv rule on heh;dl
of the clients 115 encouraging Them it, utili/c all
medical sm ces to \%hich tile\ arc Cabled. Man\
eldelIc arc timid \% licit kill uif ing about Ihcir
condition and ollen become needle„ I\ an\iou,.
the nurx•s Cncomagc Ilan t0 pre„ their
I'll �,ici:m fora ,atislaelol} r\pl:mallon of Ihcir
prohlcnl. mal ollen lime to correct olkinlornnr
lion about the patient•, filed icor Iona red Color of
t I'eal Inelll.
An e\mnple til a client helped hthe agency is
Mt. II.,an SII%c;o old manli\ing;donC Ina \\;Ilk-
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CEUAa R(tPtis.ur IOI:ILS
Adult dna care in it
cummunitY renter
offers the elderly the
upporumit\ fur social
intcr•Irtiun and mcuut
stimulation.
AGING 2}
1
24 AGING
up apartment in Brooklyn, whose hypertension
had been treated by a doctor in Manhattan. Mr.
H. had not been to his doctor in over it year
because he found it too dillicult to make the trip.
He contacted the Store Front and requested a
home visit from the nurses who went to his house
and checked his blood pressure, which was very
high. 'rhe nurses arranged for free car service to a
doctor in Manhattan together with an escort
from the Store Front.
Project Extend is an outreach, home support
program that helps homebound individuals who
are too physically or emotionally incapacitated
to attend a senior center. This program has
proved particularly helpful for those who are
temporarily incapacitated. The Marble Hill
Senior Citizen Center in upper Manhattan has
such a service, which provides a link between an
individual trying to maintain himself in his own
home and the community in which he lives.
Nurses and social workers from the center can-
vass the community to locate those in need of
help. As a team, they visit the elderly individual
in his home, assess his problems, and coordinate
a plan to mobilize community and family
resources in his behalf. For one severely
depressed woman, the team offered regular
contacts both by phone and in her home. Meals
on wheels and escort services were made availa-
ble and medical care was arranged for her.
Gradually, the woman was able to leave her
apartment and eventually participated in a full
range of social, educational, and cultural
activities at the center.
Day Care Programs
One health related program appropriate for it
senior citizen center is the Day Center for the
Elderly (D.C.E.). Devoted to special services for
the frail and handicapped. this type of program
offers long term maintenance for the individual
who might otherwise he confined to a nursing
home. The Mosholu-Montefiore Community
Center's Day Center for the elderly, initialed in
r
1972 as a three year demonslration project tinder
the Social and Rehabilitation Service of HEW,
includes activities to improve and maintain
social and emotional well-being and provides
health supervision, lunch, and transportation.
Medical consultation is provided by Montefiore
Hospital. The staff consists of a social work
coordinator, public health nurse, licensed
practical nurse, consulting physician, and rec-
reational and occupational therapists. The
program thus provides a blend of social, recrea-
tional, and medical services.
This program has helped reduce institutionali-
zation for those aged who lack family and com-
munity supports. Day centers for the elderly are
frequently attached to nursing homes or hospi-
tals, where more intensive treatment and
supervision are provided. 'There are individuals
who have no need for such intensive services yet
are unable to function adequately in a regular
senior program. A D.C.E. in community center
offers these individuals the opportunity for social
interaction and mental stimulation. The health
and welfare problems of the elderly continue to
grow, but senior centers, particularly in coopera-
tion with schools of nursing and medicine and
local hospitals, can offer preventive services and
provide a viable approach to meeting the health
care needs of the nation's elderly in their own
homes and in their own communities.
REFERENCES
'"Health Carc Costs for Elderly Rise in 1975."elging, April.
1976.
rCantor, M. and Mayer. M.. "llealth and the Inner City
Elderly," Thr GerontolugirL Vol. 16, No. I. Pt. I. 1976.
'Wald. L.. Hauwun Hear SIr""I.Ncw York: Henry IlnitR
Co.. 1915. Quoted by Bulletin of Henry Street Settlement.
e Ranlon, J.J., Puhllr Hrabh. St. Louis: C.V. Mosby Co.,
1974.
*Airs. Rubin ivas fonnerlr Health Services
Coorrlinalor, Associated YAI-YIfrHAk q%
Greater Ne1e York.
FIICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DLS IIDIrILS
Baltimore Center
Opens Its Doors to Nursing
Home Residents
By Leon Woolf and Carol Hirsch
it 1970. the \Ieuupolilan Senior Citinn's
Centel in li;dlimnre. Md.. made it, lirst
c oris al intcgt;uing nursing honn•n•sidrnis into
a senior eentcr. the original grunt. made under
'fide III of the Older Americans Act. teas used to
proeide special stall. tr;msporunion. and a
research component n1 test tine conccpl u1
"Centercan." Centercare encourmgcs tine re-
learning of sociali/anon skills and the main-
tenance of independence. eters alien instirlaion-
alirnlion, by integrating the more able nursing
hone residents into it social and recreation
center sen'inc ielaticelc heallhv. actite seniors
living in the conanunily.
Phis pilo) project proved sosucccsslili that the
Centercare concept %us continued. tc illoul
special f undine. m the \\ 'aster Centel lire Senior
Cili/ells. a nnuucipal liicililc in Raltinuar. \Id.
tchich opened in 1974. Waxier rum hit's 10.500
nteinbers. including 60 ntn'sing hoose residents
teho attend 111CMIM up to Ml cc a
\trek. In iltepasl dote and a
11:111 cru's.atcr 18011 Ursing
home residents have
hccn tvelconled to
I he Writer Center.
Ilan hate come
lions seven dif-
fercnt nursing
Ionics and repre-
sent allletels
of nut'sing hones
"ICeOf IL!If.6 u�
JORM MICROLAB
Nursing home patients
are given :t I)CC(IC'll Op-
portunity to mix %with
their healthier, more
active peers.
26 AGING
care. Pour of the homes arc non-profit and
three, proprietary.
The nursing home staff identifies eligible
patients, arranges lrtansporlmtion. turd remains in
constant contact with Waxier staff. The center
refers people whose physical and mental abilities
would allow them to achieve integration into the
Waster membership. These people must he
ambulatory, conlinenl. ;tial most importantly.
willing to come. Thev may not exhibit severe
confusion or a high risk of wandering from the
Center if left unattended. In four cases, the
homes have provided :tit escort who accom-
panies the group to Waxier so that the home can
include more confused persons who may profit
from the lherapemic clfcctS of socialization and
Stimulation.
On their first visit to Waster, I'ew Centercare
participants are able to join in the activities.
Most are at first surprised by the quick pace and
the multiplicity of activities. 'Thcv tend to stay
together its a group and must be directed to
activities.'I'herefore. two Waxter smlf memhers.
a social worker and a senior aide. area '%.signed to
work with the Cenlereare participants, to
gradually encourage more independence. Group
meetings arc also held to encourage interaction,
to increase awareness of the broader conumunk
tv. and to resolve programmatic problems when
they arise.
'file activity level of the Centercare partici-
pants tends to increase as time goes oil. For
sonic, progress is esceptionad. For others.
changes are less dramatic. At first. passive
activities are often preferred. such as watching
the dance groups, listening to lectures, or using
die lounge areas. Gradually. the Centercare
participants begin to express their individual
preferences. Many enjoy educational classes
such as the History of Baltimore class, the
creative cunimmnications chess, or singing
classes. Sonic Centercare participants join the
crafts programs or use the pool tables or pian,.
The normally high level of aclivity at Waster
becomes contagious and stimulates the nursing
home residents.
The rewards for involvement at Waxter are
easily discernible. 'Tile Centercare participants
like a change of scene and "getting out:' Often
they become more outgoing. relurningtofornier
levels of socieli/alion. Some exhibit increasing
responsihility for themselves as well as leader-
shipwithinthegroup. Yheyhegintowalkfurther
and faster as they mix with their rclatkely
healthy. active peers.
Socialization with peen will) live in the conl-
munity reduces the isoltion of the nursing home
environment. For the few Centercare partici-
pants who were able to return to the communi-
ly. Waxier was the first step toward this return
and those persons n1a}continue to attend
Waster. '[*his continuity is important, fora move
front an institution often means a total separa-
tion from old friends as well as front caretakers.
Perhaps the most important advantage of the
Waster Center to the institutionalized is that this
program is designed to increase independence.
while nursing institutions are designed tl) serve
dependency needs. Pven the best nursing homes
often operate on a pathology model of' aging,
viewing the individual in terms of medical
management Iticlors. Many nursing homes offer
a custodial community rather than a therapeutic
setting. Waxter focuses on abilities, which arc
important in helping the individual to improve
his self-concept and to increase his Ic\el of
independence.
*,tlr. IPuull'is A.veerzaive Pirea(w mrd All.
/lirseh is Senior .Social II'a.rker nt the 11'n.rver
Conner %in..tienior Ori -ens. Rahinrure. AU
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES M011IEs
1
The Neighborhood
Family
By Hilda K. Ross and The Neighborhood Family
1he phenomenal growth of the cldcrly
population in the U.S. and particularly in
"'Ib rami, Fla., has forced health professionals to
face the reality that there will never he enough
Federal dollars or professional personnel to
effectively reach every elderly person requiring
assistance.
In 1974, the stall' gerontologist of Jackson
Memorial Hospital's Conununity Mental Health
Service became interested in testing it new orga-
nizational model— the Neighborhood Family.
"chis wouldallowilie elderly toidentifytheir own
personal and environmental prohlcros,and then
resolve Them with a mininaan of funds and
professional staff. They believed that the elderly
should act as both the planners and consumers,
with the staff working as a liaison between The
Neighborhood Family members and connnuni-
ty ngcncies. "I'll its, the elderly would have it direct
impact on the distribution of resources by felting
agencies knmv what Ihcy. as a group. wanted for
their community.
The program's objective was In educale it
group ofolder people to helheprinmryagens in
altering the negative social and environmental
conditions in their communily. 'through the
group learning process, other hasic needs of the
elderly would also he met: the need to be needed,
to he part of a community group, and to he
recognized as effective people.
The word "Neighborhood" %vas chosen in
order to enlist individuals from ;an arca which
cher delined geographically and psychulogic;dly
;as their neighborhood. The word "I'nnily" waS
chosen hec;uase it implied a hond of similar
values. It was felt that older people. must of
whom have lost their reln(iyes. would adopt a
surrogate Gamily and rely on it All reciprocal
friendship and support.
The Neighborhood I;nnily is sudl'cd by the
Community Mmol licllh Service (CNIIIS).
but the Neighborhood Family itself is much
inure than the Jackson Memorial Ilospival
(,IMH) Community Mental Health Clinic
because it belongs to the people rather than to
.IM H. The Family developed within the.Lblil-
GMFIS framework, bill the members choose to
be autonomous.
-rhe Northside Neighborhood Family Serv-
ices was formed as it non-profit incorporated or-
ganization with its own Board of Directors
drawn from the Neighborhood Family membcr-
ship. The Board formulates theFamily's policy
and progranix subject to approval by The
Neighborhood I nmily membership. Slaffadeise
and help the members to carry through on their
decisions.
A Warehouse Becomes a Center
Selection of a site for The Neighborhood
Family began with demographic surveys of
neighborhoods in the inner-city areas of Miami
and Dade County which had large concentra-
lions of elderly persons. The mnsl Suitable site
seemed to he it low-income trailer park develop-
nient neva large shopping center. Thisarea had
the highest crime rule in Dade Courcy. fe%y serv-
ices provided by agencies, limited recreational
and educational facilities that were nearby, and
mininoal social interaction between the cldcrly
beyond shopping. An informal survey also
indicted a wide range of personal and eiyiron-
mental problems.
Since IrnnsporLnion was frequently naen-
lioned as a problem. it was decided that a Facility
Close to the target population wns necessary.
With no budget, the hurden of housing rested un
the conunuaity The Northside Shopping plaza
had the most trallic. The management was
approached. mad %vithin a month. a huge
warehouse %vas offered with free ren and
electricity. I he banally cleaned. pnintcd, and
furnished it Ihcrosehes.
One person carried out the initial contact with
residents by knocking on each moiler dnnr;md
explaining 'I he Ncighhorhuod Family concept
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -OLS I401tic5
AGING 27
Ou;tsi-(antiIi;tI I1110t
;tnd rutnntunin 00 iu
h;tcc liven dcccloped i
an arca td wci;tl dv(s%
nnuual xuhi(iur
aliatli) and Ingicictis
ncst
is A(il\'(i
�IICROIIPIN t1'•
JORM MICROLAB
of working together "as to Family confroming lived in the trailer parks. Another 24 percent
problems most older people seem to have." An lived in small private homes in areas beyond the
interview was conducted to explore the needs of parks. 'Those 50-59 years of age represent 12
each individual and the community. By using percent, while those 60-69 make up 31 percent of
this approach, a climate of positive expectation the membership. 'File 70-79 age group comprises
and individual involvement and commitment 20 percent and the 80 and over group, 9 percent.
was created and continues to be a strategy for The youngest member is 28 years of age and
encouraging participation. In a period of 10 the oldest is 93. Eighty-five percent are white
weeks, 27 elderly persons expressed an interest in Americans: 6 percent are Black. There are very
i the project and came to the first meeting. few Spanish-speaking members. However, we
Data from the Assessment of Needs survey are seeing an increase in the number of Black
were presented to the members at the first elderly women, both American BIk'
meeting in the facility.
The next six weeks involved learning the
names, telephone numbers, and services pro-
vided by community agencies. Twice a week,
some 25 older people met at the facility to plan
for two panel discussion meetings involving
various agency heads who would provide
information on services available to The Neigh-
. borhood Family. Through this process, the
elderly learned organizational skills as well as the
selection and protocol techniques needed in
contacting appropriate agencies.
It look 10 weeks from the first meeting for a
group of elderly people to turn the warehouse
into a Center, identify themselves and their
purpose, phut and execute two large panel
meetings, form an administrative body, and
prepare a program for an Open House.
Although a staff was offered by the JMH-
CMHS, the staff gerontologist chose to work
alone at first. During the initial fourmomhs, no
staff or agency personnel were there to impose
preconceived notions of how to work with older
people.
There were no agencies to extend services, no
operating funds, and no administrative structure
to contend with. It was important for the
members to see themselves as the only partici-
pants who would transform the theoretical
model into n functioning Family.
The Neighborhood Family continues to be
understaffed. Aside from a full-time director.
there are 1110 part-time nurses, a full-timesocital
workcq and secretary. Six hours of psychiatric
time are available to The Neighborhood Family
from the JMH-CMHS. The Family survives
With the help of volunteers from the member.
ship. Five volunteers each work 38 hours a week,
and 20 volunteers work from 2 to 37 hours a
week.
All Races, All Ages Rand Together
Although the arca defined as Tile Ncigltb0r-
hood was in the trailer parks arca, we discovered
It the end of the first year that only 70 percent
ac s and
Bahamian, and in the number of Asians,
particularly Filipinos.
Thiry -five percent of the members have lived
in Miami for less than 10 years, but 54 percent
have lived in the same neighborhood from I 1 to
30 years. This large group represents the elderly
who did notjoin the flight from the inner-city.
The majority live alone, and 43 percent are
married. Most of the members say they had
"sonic high school,' and 27 percent finished high
school.
Originally 65 percent of the members had
telephones: this dropped to 56 percent at the
beginning of the second year and is still drop.
ping. We are notified of telephone cut-offs each
day. When The Neighborhood Family opened,
52 percent indicated that they had cars. This has
dropped significantly as insurance rates have
sky -rocketed in Dade County and as members
can no longer afford to maintain it car.
A levelling oil' is occurring as more affluent
residents choose to go elsewhere. leaving 'file
Neighborhood Family to those "who really need
it:
One of the major problemscitcd bythe Family
members is poor health. Sixty-eight percent
indicate that health "prevents them from doing
what they want to do." Sixty-six percent ;are
under care for their medical problems. Eye
problems, arthritis, heart trouble and hyperten-
sion are leading complaints. Reasons cited for
not seeing a physiciein include: "It's not bother-
ing me now." "finances; "'can't find a suitable
doctor," and "transportation."
In the first year. participants listed their major
concerns in this order: hcallh. money, and a
desire for ;a hewer -self-image. AI me end of the
second year they listed health, crime in the
neighborhood, and finances.
Dealing With file Problems
Residents who were helped with It problem
usually bec;tme active in the Center and used it
for social support as well, however• there were
others who, for reasons of ill health or similar
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES Ft01liES
AGING 29
1
A leveling off is occur-
ing as more affluent
residents go elsewhere,
leaving the Neighbor-
hood r;unily to those
who really nc d it.
30 AGING
problems. could not comeand Net supported tit,
idea of working together "like n fwnily." A
network system w;ls initialed in IIIc trailer parks
for these individuals. Its purpose Wats to keep a
record of new people moving in. locummunicatc
information quickly. In he in close contne, with
individuals needing services. and to keep
residents informed of center services altd eclivi-
ties.
During the first year, weekly outdoor meetings
were held on a member's p;uin in one of the four
trailer parks. This laid [lie groundwork for
dealing with larger environmental problems
Within tits trailer park and provided ;t hase for
collective problem -solving. After a year the en-
vironmental prohlen,s were resolved, hilt resi-
dents continued to he in close contact with', -he
Neighborhood Family. They were already in the
habit of cotnacting The Neighborhood 1 :unily
for help with everyday problems and crises. and
for companionship and social activities.
This year, the network meetings have been
reactivated in another trailer park which the
entire Neighborhood I;unil)' membership. in-
cluding policy and agency personnel, identified
as one of the worst crime areas in the Ncighbor-
hood family community. Their specific objec-
tive is to "Reclaim Your N'eighhorhood" and the
project has the approval of the trailer park
owner. manager. and m:my residents who were
already Neighborhood Family members.
Iildcrly members are presently olrcring very
Young mothers help ,villi child care. Their
problem list for future action is lung, including
removal of ;I dope -peddling ring. drift, Kell ness,
noise. and finally. crime.
Ifealth Services
The N'eighborlutt,d Family provides sup-
portive and preventive community health care.
Willi file aid of the nurses, social ,worker. and
"the friendly I :unity place.- crises in health care
have been largely eliminated. The Well -Adult
Health pmgnim in The Neighborhood I;unify
now includes screening, lte;lltl, interviews,
lectures, blood pressure and weight checks.
health counseling. home visits. nal nn exercise
program.
protect n,cmher's eagerly tit Ik to the nurses mol
look forrwnrd to the health inim icw' anti hlood
pressure rending. Ilawever. only half of then,
comply with instructions or rcfcrr:ds. Some non-
contpllei's voice the fear of a disability being
discovers. bclicving Ilial Ihcy will he rejected
and forced into isolnfion it, people knew dee%
were not well. Sonic have had un.satishictory ex-
perriences with clinic services. 01 hers .sny Ihcy just
wool "lo go it ;done." 1 n sone insuu,ces. it look:1
Year and rnanv interviews to identil,% the snlicnl
problems. rroding the resistance of noncontpli-
ers is a continuing elrorl.
The nurses stake tonne visits and hospital
c;dls. 'Their persistence after two veil's is finally
paying oil'. Pylembers have hcg tin a regular
exercise prograun at the center, and they urge
others to "Sec Ilio nurse: "'lo go In your doctor."
or "lake care of yourself." There arc lines I'or
blood pressure checks. Members accompany one
;mother to a near-hy primary health car, facilil,.•
H rllthy older nicnibers look out for the sick.
Social Services :md Comlxcling
The Neighhorhood family provides direct
and referral services invoking personal econom-
ic and cnvironntcmal assistnnce. These include
road suunps. the Senior Companion Program,
SSI, housing, counseling, Will legal aid. Ilol
meals are served daily at the Neighborhood
Family Center and to die nun nnibulatory at
I,onte.
Individual and group therapy arc provided by
family members and profcssion;d staff. along
IIICRDFILMEU BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 140MES
with continuing ev;tuation by the psychiatrist
and nurses.
Social activities include discussion groups on
the development of mutually supportive activi-
ties, Thursday morning membership meetings,
neighhorhood improvement meetings, network
systems meetings, hi-nhonthlc trips, parties, and
bingo sessions. Nothing is superimposed from
above. Members continue to hold weekly
meetings and to express their ideas and desires.
rbc Board of Direclors plans programs based on
these ideas and members vote on the programs.
One idea which has been carried through to
completion was the Indian Day. which was such
a success that ;n Middle Gast Day was planned.
public officials have also been brought in to
address the Neighborhood Family group on
concerns voiced in the Thursday membership
meetings and on such issues as garbage fees.
insurance rates, and crime. This has led to
feelings of personal worth and effectiveness
among the members.
The scheduling of events or programs reflects
the interest and energy level ofthe members. The
members, director, social worker, or nurses may
( y,
a
contribute ideas (or activities, hilt the develop-
ment of a program is a mutual effort. The Family
paces the "life" of an event whether it is ;in hour.
it day. a week. ora month.
Budget
Based on the stall -service ratio of The
Neighborhood Family. this community-based
program offers a structure for serving large
numbers of individuals at minimal costs. Direct
care services, that is, medical, psychiatric, and
social sers'ices, were given to 650 people front
.July 1975 to .July 1976. '['his number generated
2.500 encounters per month ata cost of S24 per
member per year. "['his figure docs not include
1,440 people who came into the Center fur rec-
reational. educational, and special events.
Contributing to Ute low cost is the volunteer
labor of 27 members and the rent-free, electrici-
ty -free facility.
Summary
We have described what can he accomplished
in a two-year period in a low-income neighbor-
hood composed of residents with multiple
physical, psychological, social, environmental.
and economic problems. Quasi-11milial bonds
and community action have developed in an area
of social decay. mutual suspicion. apathy. and
hopelessness.
The Neighborhood Family dillbrs in the most
fundamental sense from other service providers
because it is not nuclei- the aegis of an agency
extending its scryices to its constituents. It is free
to develop its o" it services.
The Neighborhood Family is n cummmnity-
based and annnumitvadminislcrcd hodv which
utidi/es the services of professional personnel
working as mcmhcrs of the Family, not apart
from its "stall." The elderly participants arc the
decision -makers who function as peers with the
professionals.
The Neighborhood Family can supplement
pmgr tis in senior centers. in churches, and in
coni mmnity mental health centers. It warrants
replication in rural areas. and with other ethaie
groups.
In its third year. The Neighborhood Flintily
Model continues to prove the hypothesis that
older people living in the cunununil' can work
together as n Family to reduce stress hour
personal problems and environmental condi-
tions.
`Ne4fhlrurhoud Faindr Servirvs. Inc. ,Iliaml.
Flu. cls. Russ is un Ihe.vly(/Tr/'!hr (igirrr'.eip' n/.
Miami Srlu.(,l a/',Werthinr'.h I)epallmenl ill.
Psrrhiuu•r.
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MoitirS
AGING 71
32 AGING
Tennessee Centers
Provide the Base for
Service Delivery
By Mason Rowe and Charles Hewgley
Tennessee has long been proud of its
growing network of multipurpose senior
citizen centers, and for a decade, the
Tennessee General Assembly has supported
them with the highest level of State funds
possible in the budget. In fact, the legislators
have come to consider t he mull ipurpose center as
a practical focal point for the delivery of services
to older Tennesseans. "Currently, the Tennessee
Commission on Aging is supporting the opera-
tion of 69 centers in 63 of the Slate's 95 counties
with Stale funds," says Tom Henry, TCA's
executive director, "and we have as our goal es-
tablishing a multipurpose center in every county
of the state."
The overall system of centers, supported both
with Title V and State appropriations, includes
83 centers serving 77 counties. Last year, more
than 200,000 Tennesseans 55 and older partici-
pated in center activities. TCA projects this
number may reach 300,000 in FY 1979 if the
network is expanded as planned.
"A senior center in every county of the State is
not really a long-range goal for the Commission
on Aging any longer; it is fast becoming a
reality," Henry adds. "The TCA has received its
greatest shot in the arm from a SI million
Tennessee General Assembly appropriation for
the establishment and continued operation of
multipurpose senior centers for fiscal year 1979."
Spport
for senior centers, of course, has not come
about quickly; it has developed slowly over
a number of years. When the Commission on
Aging was created by the Tennessee General
Assembly in 1963, there was already a strong
interest in senior centers.
In 1959 the Tennessee Medical Association
recommended that 28 public and private
organizations concerned with the needs of the
elderly consolidate their energies by forming the
Tennessee Council on Aging, predecessor of the
Commission on Aging. Part of this early interest
on aging was encouraged by the senior citizens
clubs in the State. The Tennessee Council on
Aging wanted to develop local community
programs, and early regional council meetings
on aging considered "senior citizen programs" at
workshops.
Even earlier, the senior center concept was
fostered bya study and investigation made by the
Tennessee Department of Mental Health that
began in 1955. Discussions in the fields of
medicine, education, social work, business, and
industry centered around ways of reducing the
growing number of admissions of older people to
mental hospitals. A research -oriented group of
representatives in these fields approved the
concept of establishing a community center as a
service, research, and action program with the
aim of preventing deterioration in the lateryears.
Forming tt single Slate agency for aging was
another proposal arising from the discussion,
and the Tennessee Council on Aging, predeccs-
sor of the Commission on Aging, was founded in
1958.
The Governor's State Committee on Aging
also had an early interest in senior centers.
Established in 1960 to coordinate "grass roots"
input for the 1961 White House Conference on
Aging, this committee helped to create interest in
senior groups in each community organizing as
clubs or structured organizations. After five
public hearings across the State in preparation
for the White House Conference, a strong
impetus developed to seek funds for these senior
organizations.
In 1962 Dr. William A. Keel, Program
Specialist for the Governors Stale Committee
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 1101r1Es
on Aging, wrote: "The purpose of senior citizen
groups is to support the physical, mental,
financial, and spiritual well-being of older
persons who are handicapped or of retirement
ago. This can be done by providing personal and
vocational counseling, education, recreation.
health services, and by actually helping them
secure work. In connection with the operation of
these definite and direct services there should be
a program of (1) research and training, and (2)
community education and positive action."
his
idea gained agreat dealof support among
professionals concerned with the problems of the
elderly. One of these was Sebastian Tine, then a
member of the faculty of the University of
Tennessee School of Social Work and a member
of the State Council on Aging. Dr. Tine, now the
Executive Director of Senior Citizens, Inc. of
Nashville, said in a brief overview, "The Social
Needs of Older People in Tennessee' (1960): "Il
is possible and feasible to envision communities
in Tennessee in which private social agencies,
municipal departments of recreation and adult
education, churches, and civic groups coopera-
tively work out a master plan, pulling some
recreational program within easy reach of every
senior citizen"
Within the next few years, the "vision" of
having a facility within reach of every senior
citizen will have been realized. However, the
multipurpose senior center network will be more
than recreational centers—they will be strong
focal points in the statewide delivery of services
as well. Thus, when the interest in aging began in
Tennessee, an integral part of that focus was the
senior citizens club. As this interest concentrated
on the mental deterioration often associated with
aging, the senior club became an important part
of the solution to the problem.
In 1961 an informal directory of "Clubs.
Centers, and Other Senior Citizens Groups in
Tennessee" was prepared, listing some 50
organizations. A 1962 study stated "there are
now five large centers and 52 smaller organized
groups on aging," and in 1963, 67 separate
organizations were listed.
When the Tennessee Commission on Aging
became the designated State agency for aging
programs on July 1, 1963, it inherited a strong
interest in the senior club or center as vehicle of
service delivery to the elderly.
The Commission continued to work with these
clubs and organizations, and though no large
amount of money was available to train
personnel or to fund projects, the idea of the
center as a key feature of the aging network was
fostered over the years, and a body of able
personnel existed who were already thinking of
the center as a multipurpose service delivery
system.
An important part of the development of this
program was a series of training institutes funded
through Title III of the Older Americans Act
from 1966 to 1969. "The purpose behind the
activation of a training institute for adult leaders
was to provide a corps of trained leaders to work
in senior citizen centers in Tennessee. Training
was directed toward providing the knowledge
and skills needed to organize, develop, and
supervise programs for the well-being of older
people in their communities," Tom Henry
explained.
The primary purpose of the institutes was to
give intensive training to men and women over
50 years of age. Selection of students was made
with regard to leadership ability, experience in
working with the elderly, and personal qualities.
The funds included scholarship amounts for
each student, and final selection was made by a
screening committee.
0
course was concerned withthe psychological
aspects of working with persons in the later
years of life. A second course was oriented
toward the administrative and organizational
skills needed to initiate and maintain an effective
program for the elderly. The third course taught
recreational programming for older persons. All
courses were coordinated with extensive field
work for every student. As a result of these
institutes, a directory was completed, naming
almost 100 trained resource people in the field of
aging. This traininglaid a firm foundation forthe
growth and development of senior centers.
Shortly after this training period, the Tennes-
see Commission on Aging again published The
Directory of Tennessee Centers, Clubs, and
Organi:arionsfor Older Peaple(Fcbruary 1971).
This directory listed 103 organizations in 32
counties, but these were by no means all
multipurpose senior citizen centers. They in-
cluded church organizations, business organiza-
tions for retirees, and similar groups. In 1972thc
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AGING 33
directory included 124 organizations in 39
counties.
Though each oft bescorganizations played an
important role in community programs for
senior citizens, some groups played it more
intensive role as the key part of itservice delivery
system. These were the multipurpose senior
citizen centers. These centers, according to the
Slate regulations that were developed later by
TCA, were defined as follows: "Such centers
shall not be resident facilities but shall be used to
afford a place for meeting, recreation, and study
to Tennessee citizens 55 and older, including
establishment of recreational, educational.
health, welfare, counseling and referral services.
and the provision of opportunities for volunteer
services."
ven
without a large budget to develop senior
centers, the Commission on Aging helped to
foster at situation favorable to the development
of an expanded network of senior centers. The
interest in the elderly by Tennessee's citizens was
carefully nurtured, and there was a slow but
steady increase in the number of clubs and
organizations. Through discussion and training
programs over a number of years, professional
workers in all areas of the State were able to plan
effective programs and to design services to
enable older Tennesseans to remain inde-
pendent. Moreover, throughout the towns and
communities there was a belief and trust in the
concept of it service delivery multipurpose
center.
TheTennessee Commission on Aging initiated
financial support of senior citizen centers in FY
1966 when two centers—Montgomery County
and Marshall County—were funded using
Federal monies from the Older Americans Act.
By 1969 the number of centers supported by the
Commission with Federal funds had increased to
nine. In FY 1970, the Stale first appropriated
$60,000 for use by the Commission on Aging to
fund community programs for aging, including
the nine senior centers. These funds were to be
used on a 50/50 match wile local communities.
In its 1972 annual report, the Commission on
Aging outlined the agency's cumulative accom-
plishments. The total national budget foo aging
programs under the Older Americans Act had
steadily increased from SS million in 1966, to $20
34 AGING million in 1970, S25 million in 1971, and $30
II
million in 1972. During this period. Title III
community grants were available to local
agencies to provide services for older persons,
and there was additional Federal money for the
Retired Scnior Volunteer Program (RSVP) to be
used in developing a volunteer corps of senior
citizens throughout the State. During fiscal 1972,
the Commission awarded $204,263 in Title 111
funds for community service needs, and the
Legislature appropriated an additional $60,000
for projects. Local, Model Cities, or Appalach-
ian Regional Commission (ARC) funds were
required for matching the Title III grants, while
the State appropriation was matched by local
funds. Other local, private sources provided the
remaining cash resources. Through these grants
a variety of services were provided, but I I
communities chose senior centers as their
projects to fund, and one additional community,
Knoxville, funded an information and referral
program at a center that was receiving monies
from the City Department of Recreation.
Behind most of these early centers there arc
stories showing real dedication and foresight by
the early workers and directors. In Lewisburg,
Mrs. Clint A. Pickens, now chairman of the
Tennessee Commission on Aging, was founder
of the Marshall County Senior Citizens.
When Mrs. Pickens came to the county, she
had no particular interest in working with the
aging. Her community interests were the Girl
Scouts, Garden Club, and Woman's Club. After
intense organizational activity with these pro-
grams, she was ready for some rest, but events
developed differently. Her reputation as a person
with organizational ability and qualities of
leadership had already been established. When
Marshall County needed an organization for
senior citizens, her name name naturally to mind,
and she was asked to take the job.
wring
this initial period, there were no funds
for aging programs or senior citizens projects.
Groups met in churches and schools, and at one
time the Marshall County group shared a
building with the Highway Patrol to save rent.
In 1973, the Older Americans Act was
amended and Federal funding to community
projects for senior centers was discontinued
effective in 1974. TheTennessee General Assem-
bly appropriated $535,000 for use in FY 1975 for
the support of centers, and the Commission on
MICROFILMED In'
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I
I
i
Aging funded 55 centers. In FY 1976, State
support was reduced to $335,000 and 47 centers
were funded. Many were seriously hampered in
their operation by the lack of adequate funding.
Additional funds were needed to support the
core operation of the centers to give them the
administrative and financial stability to attract
other financial sources.
A great deal of the credit for obtaining Stale
support for this growing network of senior
centers goes to the Tennessee Federation for the
Aging. This federation of concerned people was
conceived and organized by Mrs. Pickens in
1970. She and her colleagues in the Federation
fell that if elderly Tennesseans were to receive
Political consideration, they would have to be
supported by an active advocate organization.
Mrs. Pickens served as president of the Federa-
tion for the first two years of its existence.
The role of the Federation for the Aging in
developing the network of senior citizen centers
is impossible to overestimate. Its members and
officers were respected members of their com-
munities, and they were the trained, key
Personnel in Tennessee aging programs. Mem-
bership in the Federation was constantly
increasing, and its members were influential.
They had, moreover, the knowledge to tell what
the needs of the State's elderly were, and, in the
case of the senior center, they were the trained
professionals who were delivering the services to
the elderly. It is no wonder that the Tennessee
General Assembly quickly understood that the
multipurpose senior center could play an
important role in raising the quality of life of the
older Tennessean and could do much towards
maintaining the elderly in their own (tomes.
Mrs. Pickens explained the origins of the
Federation. "The reason the Tennessee Federa-
tion for the Aging was organized is because, at
that time, the Commission on Aging felt they
could not take an active part in politics nor an
active part in soliciting funds from the General
Assembly for senior citizen projects. We [senior
centers] felt that we needed a political arm for the
aging in the State of Tennessee. That is the
primary reason that people were called together
from all over the State, and we organized with
that one purpbse in mind from the very begin-
ning.
"The predominant feeling among center
directors at that time," she added, "was that they
knew they were getting a three-year gnat from
the Federal government (under Title 111), and
they knew they would have to get strength—
political strength—in membership and activity
in order to secure additional financial support
after the Federal funds expired."
Mr. Richard Block, current president of the
Federation, said, "I think one of the prime
motives for establishment of the Tennessee
Federation for the Aging was to create sonic
unity among senior centers. Up until 1970 we
werejust a lot of individual units, each going our
own way, and each trying to succeed towards our
own particular ends. With the formation of the
Federation, we were able to get together to
discuss the needs of older Tennesseans and
through a network of organizations to work
together not only to secure funding but also to
formulate common goals and common ends."
feels that the strength of the Federation
is basically with the individual membership."We
always felt our strength was in the numbers of
members and the network of organizations
stretching across the Stale. We have expanded
our membership so that we have about 1,700
individual registered members today. However,
if you go by the number of members who are
representatives of groups, this would include
upwards of 40,000 to 50,000 persons."
"Our whole aim from the very beginning,"
Mrs. Pickens emphasizes, ,was to have a senior
citizen center in everycounly in the Statc. We fell
that they should have the same representation
that the health and welfare departments have
with their local offices in tach county. We felt the
senior citizens needed it place to go with their
problems for help just as with these other
departments:'
"Tennessee was one of the first states to
recognize the value of a multipurpose center and
what it could do to get people into the
mainstream of life and away from feelings of self -
depreciation and isolation," Block said. "Today,
Tennessee probably has as many centers for our
population as any State in the country. The
center has been a very viable instrument. 1 think
more than anything else, with per unit cost, that
there is no question that taxpayers receive
greater benefits for their tax dollar through the
use of multipurpose centers. 1 have projected
some figures on what it cost lhcCityof Memphis
in terms of cost per individual per year. It is less
than two dollars a person. When you consider
what it saves the government in institutional care
costs, not to mention the value of the happiness
of the individual, there isjust no way you could
keep from calling this a bargain:'
MICROFILMED BY
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AGING 35
36 AGING
Speaking of the future of the Federation,
Block says, "I see a changing philosophy for the
Federation toward providing more technical
assistance. We have been, in some instances, very
helpful to those counties who are setting up
centers where none existed before. I see this as a
very promising future for the Federation:'
The Tennessee Federation for the Aging has
been named the State affiliate for the National
Institute of Senior Centers which is a part of the
National Council on Aging. Last yearthercwere
18 such State units.
Block said most of the Stale organizations for
centers are made up of professionals, and
volunteers are not involved. He thinks it is better
to have a mixture of the volunteer sector, as well
as the professional.
"There is one way in which the Federation is
penalized," Block explained. "Because we work
with the Legislature as a lobbying organization,
there is a limitation on our certification as a
nonprofit organization by the Internal Revenue
Service. We have a 501C(4) designation which
gives us certain privileges such as being tax-
exempt and qualifying for the nonprofit mail
rate; however, we cannot solicit contributions
from individuals so the person can take a
personal tax deduction for charitable contribu-
tions."
M1
TCA staff is now processing applications
for FY 1979 grants for multipurpose senior
centers. With the total amount of funds—Slate
and Federal—available for use during the fiscal
year expected to exceed $2.5 million. TCA has
developed one standard application which is
accompanied by a detailed.50-page"Manual for
Administration of Stale Appropriations for
Multipurpose Centers."
Underlying the scheme for final grant awards
must be some type of allocation formula which
aims at an equitable distribution of the available
funds. Usually the formula is based on some
equal standard for each county plus an addition-
al amount based on the 60+ population in the
county.
By the end of June each year, the seniorcenter
grant awards will be announced. The monitoring
cycle begins anew. Field visits from both
program and fiscal staff will continue through
the next year to aid each project in fulfilling the
requirements of the grant awards.
The senior center story grows longer each year
in Tennessee; each new chapter adds more older
Tennesseans who are reaping the benefits of
increased funds and services.
In the words of Tennessee Governor Ray
Blanton, in his closing address to some 1,400
older Tennesseans at the 1978 Governor's Con-
ference:
"There's no doubt that we're moving toward a
new appreciation of older Americans and the
rich talent and wisdom that we can tap from
them just for the asking.
"After all, sooner or later, if we're lucky, we'll
all be older ... and 1 agree with Charles Kcttcr-
ing who said 'we should all be concerned with the
future because that's w1rure we have to spend the
rest of our lives: "
For an increasing number of older Tennes-
seans, "spending the rest of their lives" will be a
little more pleasant because they will probably be
able to spend part of it at a multipurpose senior
center.
*itlr. Rowe is a Research Anal vsi and
hlr. //cu•g4;r is u Public /� jnrnmrion
Offirer with the Tennessee Coni nis-
sion on Aging.
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5
One "Little House"
Grows Into a
Multipurpose Center
By Andrew V. Bradley Jr.
Since its inception in 1949, Little House had
been more than a physical facility. It has
been a philosophy concerned with the caring,
dignity, independence, and self-fulfillment of the
older person.
Little House is a multi-purpose center, which
today offers a range of programs and services to
older people from all socio-economic, racial,
cultural, and religious backgrounds. Founded 29
years ago by the peninsula Volunteers, it group
of civic -minded young women who wanted to
make a contribution to their community, the
center began in It small rented house, which was
affectionately labeled "Little House" by partici-
pants and sponsors alike. Because no precedent
had been set, programs were generally conducted
on a trial and error basis.
Two centers antedate Little House—the
William Hodson Center in New York City and
the San Francisco Senior Center. Both of these,
however, are in large urban settings, in contrast
to Little Houses suburban location. The
complex of problems confronting the urban
center and the suburban center require quite
different solutions and strategies.
The Little House program grew by leaps and
bounds, and resulted in the construction of the
first phase of the cu rrent facility. The struct ure of
the one-story building is California ranch -style.
The Peninsula Volunteers financed construction
through private philtunhropy, which continues
to he the primary financial base for Little
House's programs.
The construction of it facility specifically
designed as a center for older people established
a precedent with many advantages. The newly
built facility reduced architectural barriers and
provided au warn physical selling. The center has
been expanded three more times, and several
wings of the present building form a quadrangle
around a spacious inner courtyard. Presently,
consideration is being given to yet another large
addition.
The center is open seven days and six evenings
each week. During its development, Little House
has been the focus of at Ford Foundation Study
and has been used as a model by the Administra-
tion on Aging in its literature on multi-purpose
centers.
Membership Continues to Crow
Membership is open to any adult 50 and over.
Because the center is privately funded, there are
no geographical or other restrictions on mem-
bership. Since 1958 total membership has grown
from 1,300 to 3,000 with 565 personsjoining in
1977. The age distribution of Little House
members forms an almost perfect bell curve. The
mean age for members in 1977 was 72, and the
median age was 73. Throe -fourths of the
members arc women.
A significant percentage of the older individu-
als who utilize Little House etre members.
The annual membership fee is $12 but is
reduced or waived for those who cannot afford
the fee.
The 80 percent of Little House members over
65 are not essentially different from the peoplcof
their age in the community, but the 20 percent
under age 65 are different. Not only docs Little
House attract a much lower proportion of
persons under 65, it also attracts it somewhat
atypical group. On the average, they have less
education and income, are more likely to be
widowed or divorced, in have serious health
troubles, and to he retired or unemployed even in
their 50's. In other words, the younger Little
House members includea larger proportion than
Uil
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The construction of a
facility speeificadly de-
signed as a Center for
older people has cstah-
lished it precedent with
many advantages.
,i8 A(IING
does the entire community of persons who have
prematurely some of the troubles that one linds
to be associated with age.
There are no great demographic dinerences
between members and their counterparts in the
community. However, there seem to he signifi-
cant behavioral and attitudinal differences. Little
House members are a more active group after
age 65 than non-members. They are more likely
to look forward to retirement and to enjoy it.
In general I-ittle House members have been
throughout their lives more likely to be"joiners"
than non-members. Reasons for joining Little
House include wanting to meet people and find
new friends, needing to fill time and relieve
boredom, and wanting to be of service to Little
House and the community. It is interesting to
note that it large percentage of persons became
nembers within two years after some event in
their lives which left them lonely or v.ok away
some of the psychological support they de-
pended on.
Approximately 50 percent of the Little House
membership use the centereach month. '[*here is
a high incidence of usage of the center by the
members. Factors which account for frequent
attendance at Little House include living close by
or being able to drive one's own car, being retired
so more free time is available, and being
widowed. Therc is also a trend for older members
to use the center more often than younger
members. The impressively high participation by
members in their 70's and 80's shows that older
people call continue to be interested and active
when opportunities continue to be available. It is
also significant that almost as many non-
members utilize the center each year as do
members. This is primarily through adult edu-
cation and community college classes, as well as
the counseling office.
Meeting the Needs of the Community
Little House is located in Menlo Park, one of a
group of communities strung along the Peninsu-
la south of San Franciaco. The communities
which Little House serves are predominately
white-collar, middle- to upper -middle-class
residential areas.
There are at number of older people living in
the communities served by Little House, many of
whom moved to the arca lobe near their children
and to enjoy the mild climate. According to
projections of the 1970 census. San Mateo
County, in which Menlo Park is located, has a
population of approximately 80,000, 14 percent
of whom are over 60. The number of aged in the
County is, however, increasing at a faster rate
than the total population. Although the county's
population increased 25 percent from 1960 to
1970, the aged population increased by 42
percent.
From its beginnings, Little House has drawn
members from Menlo Park aswcllas increasing -
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ly substantial numbers from neighboring com-
munities. A little over one-third of the members
are Menlo Park residents, most of the remainder
coming from communities within a 30 -mile
radius of the center. Apartment complexes
abound in the vicinity of the beautiful park in
which Little House is located. A very high
percentage of the renters are active members,
many of whom moved there specifically for that
reason. However, skyrocketing property taxes in
recent years have raised rents beyond the means
of many older people, forcing them to leave the
area. These same costs have also forced older
couples to give up homes in the Hay Arca and
move to less expensive communities. Concomi-
tantly, there is a shortage of rental units in the
Menlo Park area, and an abundance of homes,
which for the most part are inappropriate for the
older population. The Peninsula Volunteers are
working on this problem by building a 100 -unit
apartment complex for low-income seniors.
Also, the Little House Counseling Office is
developing a Shared -Housing project, as well as
providing up-to-date housing information and
referrals.
While current membership is about 3,000,
approximately 7,000 adults use Little House
each year for adult education and other classes
which are open to the public. From its beginning,
the Peninsula Volunteers believed that Little
House should be governed by its members. This
is accomplished through a Little House Council,
which receives adivice and assistance from the
Peninsula Volunteer Board, and the Little House
staff, which currently includes 27 full-time and IG
part-time employees.
Internal and External Programs
Center programming is divided into internal
and external programs, which are interdcpcnd-
ent in their functioning.
The internal programs are those provided
within the center. During a normal week, there
are over 80 formally -structured activities offered
to participants, accounting for an average of
23,250 units of service each month. Formad
activities fall under the categories of education,
arts and crafts, cultural and social events,
physical fatness, and games.
Educational classes offered by Little (louse
have received a tremendous response from
participants and one facet, the Emeritus Insti-
tute, has succeeded far hcyond expectations.7he
latter is comprised of college level classes taught
by retired or semi -retired professors, who are
salaried by Canada College, the local conmmunity
college. Examples of courses offered include
current affairs, oceanography, art, and litera-
ture. Emeritus Institute students, many of whom
have not completed high school, welcome the
opportunity to take tuition -free college courses
in a familiar and convenient setting without the
hassles of campus registration.
Another aspect of the structured activities
within the center is the lunch program, which
operates Monday through Friday, serving caf-
eteria -style hot meals. Approximately 170 low-
cost meals are served daily, including two or
three choices of entrees. Any deficit incurred in
the lunch program is underwritten by the
Peninsula Volunteers who opted not to use Tille
VII funds under the Older Americans Act.
The lunch program is one of the oldest offered
by the center and is the main part of many
parlicipatitti day. Particular emphasis is paid to
holidays so that those who do not have a family
meal to attend can come to Little (louse. The
Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners are so
popular that many participants choose to collie
to Little (louse rather than cal with relatives.
M uch of the centers success is based on the use
of member volunteers since a high degree of
volunteerism allows for a cost-effective delivery
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During the week, there
are over 80 fornaally-
structured activities of-
fered to participants.
40 AGING
of service. Another benefit of active membership
is the older individuals' willingness to offer
constructive criticisms of programs and general
operations, which are acted upon whenever
possible.
Transportation is a major problem for the
elderly in San Mateo County, as it is throughout
the United States. Public modes of transporta-
tion within the County include taxi, convention-
al bus service, specialized transportation in
designated target areas, and a few volunteer and
non-profit organizations which provide services.
Motor Vehicle Department figures show that 41
percent of persons 65 years and older in San
Mateo County have no valid driver's licenses.
Because of prohibitive taxi fares, most of the
elderly must get around on public transportation
or with family and friends. County transporta-
tion has greatly expanded in the last four years,
however, and now provides daily bus service to
Lithe House at half-hour intervals. Even so, the
majority of members d rive their own cars or walk
to Little House and being independent of public
transportation seems to be a selective factor in
active membership at Little House.
A specialized transportation and escort
project provides door-to-door service to handi-
capped and frail persons who need transporta-
tion or escorts to medical services, social service
appointments, or shopping. Four 8 -passenger
vans operate Monday through Friday, and there
are four escorts who function independently of
the vans. The program is designed losupplement
county transportation for mobility -impaired
individuals.
Staffed by five people, the Preventive Health
Education program provides lectures and
courses on exercise, rudimentary disease diagno-
sis, first aid, and relaxation. The program's
primary goal is providing health education
programs to small clubs or groups throughout
the county which do not have the resources to
conduct their own programs. The program,
particularly the exercise courses, has been well
received.
The center's alcoholism program was estab-
lished in response to the plight of the older
alcoholic. The project counsels older problem
drinkers and their families, refers them to
pertinent services, sensitizes other alcoholism
service providers to the needs of the elderly
drinker, and offers educational programs for
groups of older people.
The newest component of Little House is the
External Program, which provides an nverage of
5,840 units of service monthly to individuals who
generally do not frequent the center. These
services include information, referral and coun-
seling, home delivered meals, Teen -Aide, spe-
cialized transportation and escort, preventive
health, and alcohol counseling and education.
Due to demand, the Information, Referral &
Counseling Office is open six days perweek. Any
inquiries that cannot be immediately answered
by the staff, which is composed of senior citizens,
are referred to a resource group of experts.
Frequently the counseling office acts as a
facilitator in combining a number of Little
House programs to meet an individual's needs.
Closely integrated into the I & R OOiceand the
lunch program is the home delivered meals
program, staffed entirely by member volunteers.
Individuals desiring the home delivered meals
service are processed through the information
and referral office to ascertain whether other
services may also be needed. A personal visit is
made to the home of the individual and a plan is
developed to get the olderperson out of his home
and off the home delivered meals program as
soon as possible when appropriate.
The Teen -Aid program is basically a chore -
worker service, utilizing high school students.
The project, which operates out of the informa-
tion and referral office, is often combined with
other Little House services in meeting the older
individuals needs. 'file intergenerational ele-
ment of the project has been extremely success-
ful.
Other programs provided by the Peninsula
Volunteers which are directly administered by
Little House or closely affiliated to it are the
Partridge Apartments for low-income elderly
persons, Rosener House, it day center for the
frail elderly, and prc-retirement planning, an
educational program for local businesses and
industry. These projects, though not organiza-
tionally a part of Little House, are additional
resources to be mobilized in meeting the needs of
the older population.
In thcopemtion of Little House, the Peninsula
Volunteers adhere to a multipurpose philos-
ophy, which has enabled the center to offer cost-
effective programs and to address the needs of
older participants in a dignified manner.
Whitt Little House will be in the future will be
determined by the needs of the older population.
A commitment by the Peninsula Volunteers to
provide a dynamic rather than a static Little
House ensures programs which can adapt and
expand.
*Alr. 11radler is Ereculive Director of Little
House in Alcnlo Park, Califurnla.
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The Stoof
Hudson wtuild
By Fritzie R. Kart
Q"ce upon a time. almost 111 gems ago•
Chelsemts who had conic it, the Iludson
Nei glthorlit o(I Ilou,c as eoungsicts.
teenagers, pmcols. and adulh. Irl the (iuild
knaM that Thep valued mud needed actisities and
screices as older adults. the Scillejoellt Ilousc.
commil(ed to of%ring opportunities to its
Chelsea ncighhors lea ;t nwrrsnisl) ins life in the
convnanitc. respon(lc(I M organising. under the
aegis of the I)tpanment of Social Services. one
of the earliest "day centers for seniors.—
millet small group mel it, the hnsentenl of a
Innucdesigned 1»'Or..lohn I.. Flliott in Iheeariv
1900's as a model tenement and tic)' chose IIIc
natnc of the Flliotl Neighbors ('tub. Sicnili-
"I'll.%- the locos of actkities in the Selticmcat
I IOIIG(• was in cluhs.
To lhisday.long-lime participants rete, othe
center as their ..chub." Despite the tnu'anee by
steep stairs leading through a still -street cotirl-
yard and the limited space. ncighbos \etc soon
Joined he older people llom other arras Miele
Iherc Mau no such "club." the;mkities Mere
prinmrilp social +uul rccr(•utional. hill soon the
Iludson Guild inu'odttced a small lunch. Other
resources. alhcit guile limited. Mere also made
mailable. Among thrill Mas. and still is. the
beatilif ll ucalion Ltcilitc ;It the Iludson Guild
Farts. I I udson (mild sponsors also pro%ided lot
a Stieda) allernoon social. a tradition which is
c
still heinmaintained.
A ('lull Remote% a ('enter
The tlderl)', with the support of Iludson
Guild. hepnn w;uk lite more inelusice programs
and services. \\'hilt the sloM'and arduous process
of plaiming to obtain space in a projccle'l
housing facilit}was taking place. the salter Mark
Miele the lilliott Neighbors ('lull nut was
demolished he the Federal Postal Aulhority-
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
P.:
The nutrition pro-
gram, which serves
breakfast to 30 people
and lunch ua an average
of 200, has effectively
Changed the eating
habits of it number of
the elderly.
42 AGING
Members then had to move to temporary
quarters but the seniors endured that move as
they did the move to their "nets" home at the
Hudson Guild -Fulton Senior Center. Through
the combined interest of the community, both
individuals and agencies, the Center, with 14,000
square feel of indoor space and 8,000 square feet
of garden, was opened as what was then
considered to he a model senior center. It is still
very adequate, although not perfect, to serve the
250 to 300 persons who come to the center on any
one day.
When the Fulton Center was opened 14 years
ago, the Hudson Guild assumed full linancial
responsibility. It helped the seniors organize as
the Fulton Senior Association, with by-laws,
elected officers, and an independent treasury. In
attempting to respond to the needs which seniors
identified. [here was a continuing exploration of
ways of extending services and programs. Very
slowly, the impact ol'growing numbers of elderly
was being fell and, increasingly, government
began to respond, often with demonstration
programs. The pioneer meals and nutrition
program was initiated with Federal funding and
the center members formed the CAFE CO-OP to
participate:nd plan for thecurrent progr maid
eventual take-over should it become necessary.
A social worker was hired tit help with personal
and family problems through funds provided by
Hudson Guild.
During this period the Center had participated
in it federally funded program of outreach to the
elderly and an income maintenance demonstra-
tion program had conte and gone. Because their
needs for these services continued, the Center
developed a program of its own, known as the
Communicators, using voluntary funds. This
program now includes it stair of I I who provide
outreach, escort, and personal service chores,
pay hills, act as advocates, deliver lunches, and
identify unnel needs which can he handled by
other agencies. As the number of entitlement and
assistance programs, mostly government spon-
sored, increased, each with its own standards of
eligibility, the Fulton Center took on the added
roles of informulion-giving, advocacy, and
intervention. The Center's still]' also gave
continuing encouragement and support to the
members to discuss their problems and needs
and to point out the flaws or deficiencies which
might he corrected by working together.
In dealing with problems that need immediate
attention, the Center often tracks down neces-
sary rceords, spends days at agencies to obtain
appropriate services for a center participant or
acts at hearings and appeals. Informed voters
-
M
and the elderly, as everyone is learning, are
voters—are effective agents, especially through
on-going or ad hoc coalitions for social change,
both administrative and legislative—and this,
too, is one of the center's concerns.
Contracting has become the means of obtain-
ing needed programs and the sponsoring agency,
Hudson Guild, now enjoys several contractual
agreements with government sources, which are
funding more inclusive and comprehensive
services. Our staff roster reads like it listing in the
Federal Register—sonic come through Title VI I
and Title IN of the Older Americans Act, Title
III of the Comprehensive Employment and
Training Act, and Title XX of the Social Security
Act, along with guest staff provided from time to
time bythe City University under the Continuing
Education grants.
Al present the Center has 1,265 actively
registered members. The age range is somewhat
wider now than originally, with an increasing
number in their sixties, a large number in their
seventies, and a smaller but significant numberin
their eighties and nineties.
In their own Association, of which all are
automatically members, the elderly function as
leaders and participants, lending support to the
center by giving direction and help, often
concrete and monetary. file Advisory Commit-
tee for the Meals and Nutrition and the Multi -
Service program helps to make decisions
alTecting the Centers staning and operations.
They decide on the amount for the suggested
contribution for meals and what kind of service
they prefer. They initiate and often help to lead
programs through their own talents so that what
was, years ago, it simple arts and crafts and
recreational program, has evolved into a varied
one geared to many different tastcsand interests.
One Slop Shopping
If the center is not yet a "one slop' resource,
we are somewhat like it supermarket with
members selecting what they need in the center
or for home delivery. Classes and groups now
include exercise, dance, yoga, drama, chord and
instrumental music, sculpting, ceramics, line
arts, several Innguaages, gardening, arts and crafts
of many kinds, sewing, group discussions,
grooming, "I Love New York" walking tours,
and table games. Some people conic daily.
staying into the evening, including Saturdays
and Sundays. 'Pickets to concerts, opera, the
ballet, and thentre are in great demand and guest
concerts in the center are special events.
Vacations at the Iludson Guild Faun include
out -of -season trips its well as summer sessions in
the specially constructed senior facililics. Day
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES ROItirS
trips to beaches, parks, and the Hodson Guild
Farm have become an important part of the
program. Hispanic members, who ha ve formed a
Hispano-Americano Grupo, share their culture
with other members and take full part in all
center activities.
If younger seniors are finding Center partici-
pation a satisfying experience, older ones find it
equally useful. Discount programs, coupon
exchange, and referrals for volunteer service,
and sometimes even jobs, cut across age lines.
Help with personal problems, crisis intervention,
and negotiation of the complicated Medicare.
Medicaid, social security, public assistance,
Supplemental Security Income, health, legal,
and housing systems, are used by seniors of all
ages.
Members with common health disabilities,
such as limited vision or diabetes, meet together
to learn more about their problems and to share
information and views. Special health tests or
immunization programs, as well as the screening
service provided weekly in the Center by staff of
the Community Medicine Department of a local
hospital, are valued.
-rhe current stationing of a local social service
office staff worker at the center once a week only
points up the need for such working arrange-
ments with other agencies for more effective and
expeditious handling of entitlements and service
requests. 'rhe center was instrumental in the
development of a Hospital Visiting Health team
to the homebound and relations with that
program and with the hospital's many depart-
ments are closely maintained. For the home-
bound or frail, the telephone service offers
reassurance with the back-up of the many center
services. Those who cannot come to the center
are brought in the minibus, which isalso used for
lunch deliveries and escorting for clinic, medical,
or other appointments. The minibus is also used
for groups, enabling many who could not take
part in special out -of -center activities to partici-
pate with the larger community.
Specialty Services
If the Center provides a supermarket ap-
proach, people still need the specialty shops—
those agencies which deliver specialized services.
One of the more frustrating and less successful
areas of intervention has been in the housing
Field, although there has been limited success
with complaints, ret increase exemptions,
applications, and Section 8 filings. While the
Hudson Guild was instrumental in the building
of the Senior Housing facility with 94 apart-
ments some years ago, there have been noelderly
housing start-ups lately. 'through continuing
participation in Councils and Boards, however,
it is hoped that such needs will eventually get
action.
'rhe local police precinct has been persuaded
to accept a center member as a liaison between
the elderly and the police. Some use of a youth
escort group is made as needed. Both staff and
seniors are members of a local Council for the
Elderly and members serving on one of its
committees were responsible for securing city-
wide discounts in a foodmarket chain.
'rhe Meals and Nutrition program successfully
fulfilled its "demonstration" charge and proved
the need and feasibility ofa meals program in the
center and for the homebound. An integral part
of the center's comprehensive program, it has
included health and nutrition education and
effectively changed the eating habits of it number
of the elderly. Individual consultative help
related to health and diet problems is also given.
In addition, breakfast is served to about 30
persons and lunch loan average of 200 daily in
the Center and 75 in their homes. All meads are
planned to accommodate medically prescribed
special diets and, within a general menu, choices
are offered in accordance with personal prercren-
ces. Given the opportunity to offer a 10 -month-
long weekend mels program- we hoped that it
would somehow be continued. It was not, but the
service, even for that short time, was important.
Since the goad of the Fulton Center, as it part
of the Hudson Guild, is to oll'era more satisfying
life within the community. services and activities
are designed to meet that goal. We knowthat our
Communicators and meads programs, in concert
with the variety of health and Social Service
Department's services, have helped to keep many
older persons from leaving their homes for long-
term care institutions.
Such simple services as lending wheel chairs or
talkers or canes make it possible for others to
gel about within their own limitations. When it
becomes necessary, the Center's stall' assist
people in finding the most satisfactory and
appropriate alternatives to remaining at home.
In fact, center members recently worked in a
connnunily fund raising to save a nearby nursing
[ionic.
Hopefully, there will he no "ending." not even
it happy one. to the story of Hudson Guild -
Fulton Senior Cetera but rather a series of
chapters of ever-growing ways of making
available a wider vauiety ol'services and activities
parlicularly oriented to that 22 percent of our
neighborhood who are 60 and over.
*dlr. Kan is Director of the llurlaau Guild -
Fulton Senior Center, New fork C'io%
Aq CROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
Vacations at the Hud-
son Guild Farm in-
clude out -of -season
trips as well as summer
sessions.
AGING 43
Course Calendar
June 26.30. Clinical Practice With the
Center, 15 Garrison Ave., Durham, NH
State University. Director, Summer
Elderly and Their Families. At the
03824.
Institute, Center for Studies in Aging,
University of Chicago. Toby Lou Hofs-
the University, 1'. O. Box 13.138, Den -
fund, School of Social Service Adminis-
July 10 -July 21. The Older Ilvoman in
tun, TX 76203.
tration Summer Institutes, Center for
Contemporary Society. At North Texas
Continuing Education, 1307 E. 60th St.,
State University, Director, Sumner
July 25-26. Lang Tenn Care: Instituter
Chicago, If. 60637.
Institute, Center for Studies in Aging,
and Their Alternatives. At the New
the University, P.O. Box 13438, Den-
England Gerontology Center. Summer
June 26.30. Federal Progra+us and the
ton, TX 76203.
Institute Director, the Center, 15 Garri-
Older Citizen: What Are the lrsncs
son Ave., Durham, NH 03824.
Today? At the University of Chicago.
July 10 -July 21. Transportation Sys.
Toby Lou Hofslund, School of Social
ternr Planning for the lildedy and
July 27.28. Tooling Up forAccersihili-
Service Administration Summer Insti-
14andicapped. At North Texas State
ty. In Kansas City, Air. Rita McGaugh-
tutes, Center for Continuing Education,
University. Directur,Summer Institute,
ey, Coordinator of Education and
1307 G 60th St., Chicago, IL 60637.
Center for Studies in Aging, the Uni-
Training, the National Easter Seal So-
versity, P.O. Box 13438, Denton, TX
ciety, 2023 W. Ogden Ave., Chicago, II.
June 26 -July 7. Ethnic Di/ferencer in
76203.
60612.
Older People. At North Texas State
University. Director, Summer Institute,
July 10 -July 2I. Adminirtratiou of
July 3I•Aug. 12. S+oonner Residential
Center for Studies in Aging, the Uni-
Programs in Aging: Funding. At North
Institute in Gerontology. At Syracuse
versity, P.O. Box 13438, Denton, TX
Texas State University. Director,
University. Dr. Hidde Van Duym, Ad -
76203.
Summer Institute, Center for Studies in
ministrator, Continuing Education in
Aging, the University, P.O. Box 13438,
Gerontology, University College, 610 E.
June 26 -Judy 7. hthica( Considerations
Denton, TX 76203.
Fayette St., Syracuse, NY 13210.
in Long -Term Care. At North Texas
State University. Director, Summer
July 17.19. Pourer and It's Wes: rinaly-
Aug. 1. A/finrmtiveAction and Egmd
Institute, Center for Studies in Aging,
air and Intervention. At the New Eng-
Enrplop hent Opportunity Ilvorkrhop.
the University, P.O. Box 13438, Den-
land Gerontology Center. Summer In-
At the Jack Tar Hotel, San Francisco,
ton, TX 76203.
stitute Director, the Center, 15 Garri•
Calif. Donna Smith, National Graduate
son Ave., Durham, NH 03824.
University, 1101 N. Highland St., Ar -
June 26 -July 7. Pre -Retirement Plan-
lington, VA 22201.
ring. At North Texas State University.
July 23.28. h"Ne ly /louring Manage.
Director, Summer Institute, Center for
meat Training Program. At Sheraton
Aug. 2- i. Negotiation and Adoini.n
Studies in Aging, the University, P.O.
National Motor Hotel, Arlington, Va.
tration of Federal Grants and Con -
Box 13438• Denton TX 76203.
National Center for Housing Manage-
tracts. At the Jack Tar Hotel, San
mens, 1133 - I5th St., N.W., Suite 611,
Francisco, Calif. Donna Smith, Nation -
June 26•August 2. /pug Tenn Cum
Washington, DC 20005.
al Graduate University, 1101 N. High.
Administration. At the University of
24 f• .26. lifelong At the
Jul), ` R Lcwrnin g'
land St., Arlington, VA 22201.
Miami. Institute for the Study of Aging,
New England Gernmulugy Caner.
Aug. 2-'4. Socia/ Context o/ Aging:
the University, Building 49 A, Coral
Summer Institute Director, the Center,
Aging I arews. At the New England
Gables, FI.33124.
15 Garrison Ave., Durham, NH 03824.
Gerontology Center. Summer Institute
Director, the Center, 15 Garrison Ave.,
June 26 -Aug. 2. Ilvorkrbop in Ifdnna
July 2.1 -Aug. •1 The Religions Com-
Durham, NH 03824.
tion: Art and the lilderlj•. Ai the Uni-
nnn+i{p in The Lh-e.r of OlderAd+dt.r. At
vers ity of Atiaini. Institute for tlhe Study
North Texas State University. Direc•
Aug. 5. Proposal Preparation Clinic.
of Aging, the University, Building 49A,
tor, Summer Institute, Center for Stu.
At the Jack Tar Hotel, San Francisco,
Coral Gables, FI. 3312.1.
dies in Aging, the University, P.O. Box
Calif. Donna Smith. National Graduate
13.138, Denton, TX 76203.
University, 1101 N. Highland St., At.
Jul), 10.14, IiuvinnnncuWl Ii,a rricrr.
lington, VA 22201.
Ef/cctive• Environmentsfor Older Peo-
July 2.1 -Aug. •I. Gerontology Cnrdcn-
ple, At the New England Gerontology
hon and Progran+ Planning for the
Aug. 7.9. Ne•Rotiatioo and Arbnini.r-
Center. Summer Institute Director, the
Community College. At North Texas
tration of Federal Grants anal Con.
44 AGING
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 1101tics
r
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOIRES
Course Calendar
tracts. At the Harvest House Hilton
Hotel, Boulder, Colo. Donna Smith,
Sept. 6i-I5. Congregate Housing: An
At the Sheraton Biltmore Hotel, Atlan-
National Graduate University, 1101 N.
Ensereing Need. At Pittsburgh Hyan
House, Pittsburgh, Pa. National
ta, Ga. Donna Smith, National Gradu-
Highland St., Arlington, VA 22201.
Center
for Housing Management, 1133 - 15th
ate•University, 1101 N. Highland St.,
Arlington, VA 22201.
Aug, 8-10. Milieu Therapy in Treat.
St., N.W., Suite GI I, Washington, DC
20005.
Oct. 24-26.
orent Settings for the lildedy. At the
Negotiation and Adzninis.
tralion o/ Federal lrraats Con-
New England Gerontology Center.
Summer Institute Director, the Center,
Sept. 21.22. Congregate Housing: An
and
tracts. At the Sheraton Biltmore Hotel,
15 Garrison Ave., Durham, NH 03824.
Need.. Stouffer's Denver
Atlanta, Ga. Donna Smith, National
Inn, Deny
Inn, Dcnvcr, Colu. National Center for
Graduate University, 1101 N. Highland
Aug. 10. Proposal Preparation Clinic.
Housing Management, 1133- 15th St.,
N.W., Suite 611, Washington, DC
St., Arlington, VA 22201•
At the Harvest House Hilton Hotel,
20005.
Oct. 27. Proposal Preparation Clinic.
Boulder, Colo. Donna Smith, National
At the Sheraton Biltmore Hotel, Arlan-
Graduate University, 1101 N. Highland
Oct. 3-5. liighreeuth Inrtiuile or Fed-
ta, Ga. Donna Smith, National Gradu.
St., Arlington, VA 22201.
oral Funding. At the Shoreham-
ace University, 1101 N. Highland St.,
Americana Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Arlington, VA 22201.
Aug. 10• I I. Congregate /iorrriug: Au
Donna Smith, National Graduate Uni-c
@nrerging Need. At University of New
versity, 1101 N. Highland St., Arlin g-
-
Nov,) 10. Congregate Hooting:
Hampshire, Durham, N.H. National
[on, VA oto
nAn
Iarn�rgiug Need. At Edgewater Inn, ,
Center for Housing Management,
_ _01.
Seattle, Wash. National Center for
1133 - 15111Sr., N. Suite 611,
Washington,
Oct. 12-13. Congregate Housing. An
Housing Management, 1133-15th St.,
N.W., Suite 611.
DC 20005.
F-nerging Need. At Sheraton-Dallas
Washington, DC
20005.
Sept. 10-15. Elderly Flouring Alanage.
meat Training
Hotel, Dallas, Tex. National Center for
Housing Management, l l 33-15th St.,
Nov. 12.17. lllderly Housing Manage.
program, At Ramada
O'Hare Inn, Des Plaines, III. National
N.W., Suite 611, Washington, DC
mens Trrinirne Program. At Hilton Ira,
Center for Housing Management'
20005,
South, Orlando, Fla. National Center
1133 -15th Sr., N.IXn., Suitt C I I, \Va-
shington, DC 20005.
Oct. 23. Affirmative Action and Equal
for Housing Management, 1133.15th
St., N.W., Suite 611, Washington, DC
laaplo)'ncnt Opporinli(y lVorkshop.
20005.
Conference Calendar
June 20-21. Got•er•nar} Conference rill
rigiae. At the Lausche Building, Ohio
Office on Aging, 901 9th St., lin, 609,
Oct. 22-2-f. 7•u'ent; 'o, ur/ rAnnna/
State Fairgrounds, Columbus, Ol,iu.
\lihv:wkcc, WI 53233.
C.nrernnr'r Coo/ere•urr or lIgio•(�. At
Ohio Commission on Aging, 50 Wes(
Broad Street, 9th Fluor. Columbus,
Aug, 20-25. The Sllh International
the• Century Center, South Bend, Ind.
Indiana Commission on Aging, 215 N.
OH
43215.
C•auererr o CerootolrtKy. y
� � In Tokyo,
Sc•n:uc• Ave., Indianapolis, IN �i6202.
Japan. Dc Mo (aaka Murakami, Chair-
June28.30.Almnagirngl6nuauSe'n'in's
mail of the National Organizing Cum.
mince, theCongress,c/uTukyuMe•tro.
Oct. 28.29. 77)c• 1978 Annual Alerting
(if the, ly�cflc•ruMillion o/The Amer•i.
the Problem of Prodru't. At the Wood.
Like Inn lintel, Sacramento, Calif.
pulitan Gerhuric Hospital. 32.2, Sakae-
call Geriahic, .Sncir/1'. In Denver, Colo.
Frank
Institute for HItalian Service Manage.
cho, habashi-kit,'I'ukpu, japan 17i.
B. McGlunc, d1.D., Executive
Direcor, 61e•dical Case and Research
meat. 1713.1 St., Suite 8, Sacramento.
CA 9581.1.
Aug. 26-Sept. 16. 1lioun•dic�d iLrperlr
I•nundatiun, 1565 Clarkson St.. Denser,
o/ A,cine: it liuropcda Si udr 7bnr. At
00 80218.
July 6-7. The Second Annual Institute
reran}/r{ly.
the University (if GJifurni, at Los
Angeles. Department of Iliulugical ;u,d
Nov. f-5. Alcnhenhip ,Jlvelin{q o/Ibe
N,aiont/ Accreditation Council%r
ua AI the Pfister Hotel,
Alihvaukcc,\\'is.5tanlc}'Lapidu.•Insti-
Physical Sciences, UCLA lixtc•nsio all
l(ecnrier Serving the 0hodanl Nirnd/y
title Coordinator. Milwaukee County
P.O.Box 2.1902,Los Angeles,CA90024.
Maurlira/rprrl. At O.1-lore Hilton Idutcl,
Chicago. Ill. The Council, 79 ,Madison
Avc., N'cw fork, N'1' 111016.
AGING 45
r
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOIRES
:, .
News Notes
Intern Program Draws Seniors
to Washington
During
Oldcr Americans Month.
175 older Ameriruts from all walks of
life, representing virluallc ever%
region of the country, converged on
the Nation's Capi
l:d.
lite ocri.,ion tvas the 1978
Congressional Senior Citizen Intent
Program, held iklay 8-19. Lath rear.
increasing numbers of congressmen
have sponsored seniors from their
home districts to visit Washington for
this program which Was begun as an
experiment in 1973 by Indiana
Congressman Llrood Hillis. '[*his
Year. about 100 members of Congress.
including both I lunse O nd Senate, are
participating in the program. Visitors'
exposure to the Senior Citizen Invent
program involves not only their
congressmen but White Ilouseand
cabinet ollices, government agencies.
and others.
'Anis year, the seniors worked in
their respective congressional offices,
participating in n series of workshops,
legislative briefings, and related
events. All activities focused on those
mallets of greatest concern to the
elderly. such as social security;utd
health care. When the program ended.
tine interns returned to their
COMM un i t ies m work with senior
citizen groups on the local level and
share the knowledge gained in
Washington during their two-week
sup•.
Because the intern program has
grown considerably in the L•nst few
years. Congressman Hillis has
introduced legislation to provide that
the House of Representative~ Outage
and coordinate it as an official
function. Until now, his office has
guided the program on tat unollleial
hasis.
The Senate counterpart of
Congressman Ilillis'Senior Intern
46 AGING
Program was also Kgun in 1973 by
Connecticut Senator Lowcll Weicker.
'rhe idea for Senator Weicker's
program was sparked by the Junior
Intern project which allows 300 young
People from Connecticut to spend a
week in Washington learning about
the processes of government. The
Senior Intern Program, open only to
Connecticut residents over 60.
annually brings two groups to
Washington for briefings with
congressmen and other government
officials. Since the program hegan,
575 of the Static's seniors have
participated in these Weeklong
internships designed to provide them
With the information necessary in
dealing more effectively with
problems in their communities.
Particip:mts are chosen from a pool
of more than 400 applicants. A
committee headed by Aloubel
Bernadette do Lourdes. ['resident of
the National Council on Aging and
former Commissioner of
Connecticut's Department on Aging,
chooses the participants.
I•IICRDFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES nofriEs
Robert Santy, the Weicker staffer
who coordinates the program,
explains that choices are based on the
applicants involvement in the field of
aging in their home communities and
ability to communicate to seniors
what they learned on their visits to
Washington.
The program Was incorporated in
1976 as it non-profit, tax exempt
corporation dedicated, according to
its by-laws, "lo giving Connecticut
residents over the age of 60 an
opportunity to experience an in-depth
study of our federal government in
Washington, D.C. and to charge such
senior citizens with the responsibility
of sharing their experience with other
senior citizens of Connecticut:'
Those who have participated in the
program now serve as municipal
:agents for aging, members of town
commissions on aging, advisors to the
State's five arra agencies and the State
Department on Aging, and on
community boards. Recently, past
interns formed a Senior Intern Club
to provide a network of senior citizen
information and activities. .
The program is presently funded by
grants from corporations, labor
unions, civic organizations, and
concerned individuals throughout the
State.
According to Senator Weicker, the
success of the program is due to
verbal give and take. He observes,
"Our system is strong enough to speak
for itself if we can get people down
here to sec it in action. The senior
interns impress me and my staff
through their questions and
comments. As a result. 1'111 a better
legislator in the areas that are of
particular interest to the elderly."
Amendments Strengthen Age
Discrimination Act
A landmark bill authored by Rep.
Claude Pepper to combat
discriminatory practices against the
elderly in employment was signed into
law by President Carter on April 6.
The Age Discrimination in
Employment Act Amendments of
1978 (P. L. 95-256) prohibit
discriminatory personnel actions
against Federal employees age 40 and
over, including mandatory retirement,
and protect private, slate, and
municipal workers aged 40 to 69
against age discrimination, including
mandatory retirement. The change for
Federal employees goes into effect on
October I, 1978 and for other workers
on January 1, 1979.
Two exceptions to the law were
stipulated. Until July 1982, tenured
professors at "institutions of higher
education" may be involuntarily
retired at age 65. Persons employed in
a "bona fide executive capacity" or
"high policymaking position" for at
least two years before retirement will
remain subject to mandatory
retirement at age 65 if they etre eligible
to receive a pension of al least $27,000
a year. Provisions allowing the
Federal government to retire air
traffic controllers at age 56 and law
enforcement o0iccrs and fire fighters
at 55 have also been retained.
Effective immediately, no seniority
or retirement plan may require
mandatory retirement before age 70.
However, if it collective bargaining
agreement which provides for
mandatory retirement before 70 was
in effect as of September I. 1977, the
new prohibition against early
retirement will Tint apply until
September I, 1980 or until the
termination of the bargaining
agreement, whichever occurs first.
This overturns the Supreme Court
decision in United Airlines vs.
McMann ( December 12. 1977) which
permitted mandatory retirement
before age 65 under a retirement plan
in effect prior to passage of the Age
Discrimination Act of 1967.
Procedural changes favorable to
persons asserting their rights under
the Act were also enacted. While the
Department of Labor is trying to
resolve an age discrimination
complaint by conciliation. the statute
of limitations for bringing a court
action (three years) is suspended for
up to one year.
The new haw also directs the
Department of Labor to study the
feasibility of eliminating the Act's
upper age limit of 70 entirely or of
raising it above 70, and to report to
the President and Congress by 1982.
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES I101RE5
News Notes
Old Friends .. .
New Friends
Launched On PBS
Old ... New Friends, a new weekly
half-hour television series about how
people of various age groups live and
grow with one another premiered
April 15 on the Public Broadcasting
Service (1'135).
Each of the Old Friends ... Near
Friends broadcasts—there will be
seven in the series first season—will
deal with the impact of one person,
regardless of age, and his relationship
to his family and the community.
Old Friends ... New Friends came
about because of a concern for the
growing isolation of older persons in
society, according to the show's host,
Fred Rogers, whose Family
Communications, Inc. also produces
the highly -acclaimed daily children's
television series, "Mister Rogers'
Neighborhood."
According to Rogers, "In Old
Friend.,... Neu• Friendswearegoing
to present people who can
communicate their self-worth and
their activities and accomplishments
to others. Perhaps the most important
matter in any person's life—at any
age—is having a satisfying
relationship with caring and trusted
friends. What I want to achieve with
Old Friends ... New Friends, is to
help them to understand enduring
relationships and interactions between
people of all generations."
Produced and directed by well-
known filmmaker Arthur Barron, ON
Friend., ... New Friends was filmed
in the Unitcd Slates and Mexico. The
production of the series was made
passible by a 5500,000 grant from the
Richard King Mellon Foundation.
A1r11\V 40
I News of Federal Agencies
Nelson Cruikshank Reviews First
Year Gains Under Curter
According to a year-end assessment
made by Nelson Cruikshank. Coun-
sellor to the President on Aging. sub-
stantial legislative and executive initi-
atives benefiting the MitiOn s elderly
marked the Carter Administration s
first year in office.
In a communication to 50 national
organizations representing the Na-
tion's elderly. Mr. Cruikshank said
that "while enactment of the Social
Security refinancing hill wits perhaps
the Administration's major effort on
behalf of the elderly." other actions
were also of substmlial benefit includ-
ing reforms in the areas or Medicare.
hospiltl cost containment. housing
assistance, emergency fuel aid. and
fond stamps.
In the arca of housing. Mr. Cruik-
shank noted Ih;t the Administration
provided S950 million in FY 1978 for
elderly housing assislance represent-
ing between 25,000 and 711.000 units.
Although this falls short of the goals
called for BI the 1971 White Ilousc
Conference on Aging. Mr. Cruik-
shank said that it was "a far cit• front
the impoundment (if ill] housing mo-
no, during the previous eight yetr�..
48 AGING
Reforms. lie noted. are also being
made in Million to health care casts.
The recently enacted Medicaid Anti -
Fraud and Abuse Act will subst nIial-
ly reduce fraud and help lower patient
costs. The proposed increase in Medi-
care enrollee premiums has also been
cancelled. as pan of the Administra-
tion's revised FY 1978 budget.
Other reforms supported by the
Administration include:
• S200 million in emergency fuel
assistance to help Are poor. immy of
whom are elderly. to papa Inst winter's
fuel hills. and additional monies for
weatherirtion programs for the el-
derly poor.
• Public transportation authorities
receiving Federal funds have been
required to purchase Tr nsbus. ;i veh-
icle which is accessible to the elderly
and physically handicapped.
• The Administration proposed and
enacted major reforms in the Fuad
Stamp program which siloplilics the
program and increases the number of
Pool Who can now participate. and
eliminated the purchase requirement.
As a result, some 2.2 million more
People will he eligible for Food
Stumps.
• The Administration also proposed
and signed into law amendments to
the Federal Aviation Act which per -
mil the Civil Aeronautics Hord to
approve reduced air Gres on a
standby basis for elderly and handi-
capped persons.
Elderly and h;mdirapped persons
will:11so benefit from the recently
enacted Legal Services Corpartion
Act Amendments of 1977. ,Mr. Cruik-
shank said, which include;m amend-
ment requiring priority for groups
Willi special diflictdties of access In
legal services or those with spcci;d
legal problems.
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 1101rJES
Subcommittee Approves
Older Americans
Act Extension
Legislation extending the Older
Americans Act and creating two new
programs providing legal services and
home delivered meals for the elderly
was approved an April 25 by the
Nouse Subcommittee un Select Edu-
cation.
Rcp. John 13rademas. Chairman of
the Subcommittee. Said the measure
would anilinue the Older Americans
Act for three more years and autho-
rize it new program to deliver meals to
homebound elderly persons who may
not he able. due to disability or illness.
10 trlyel to established nutrition sites
in their communities.
Other major provisions of the legis-
lation authorize Stale and arca aging
agencies to provide nutrition. senior
citizen center and Social services. ;Is
well as ombudsman Services for resi-
dents of nursing homes. The bill also
requires that these services he coordi-
nated under consolidated plans drawn
up by Slate and arca agencies on
aging.
The bill reported by the suhcom-
niittec also extends the Community
Service Gmploymenl Program for
three more years to provide jobs for
persons 55 or over. extends for one
year the older Americans volunteer
programs administered by ACTION.
including the Retired Senior Volun-
teer Program (RSVP). and authorizes
new proicels in comprehensive long-
term care.
IiraademaS said the hill contains
total authorization for Older Ameri-
cans Act programS of'S1.27 billion fur
fiscal year 1979, S1.261 billion for
fiscal year 1980. and SI.d6 billion lir
fiscal Year 1981.
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There are 30 million people 60
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notice of them.
AGING, official publication of the
National Clearinghouse on Aging
in the U.S. Administration on
Aging, reports on programs for,
by, and with this large and impor-
tant segment of our population. It
reports on what Slates, area agen-
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are doing in the field.
AGING has been called "the sin-
gle most comprehensive" source of
such news. It is must reading for
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DISCRIMINATION PROMIB11110—
Idle VI or the civil Rights Act of 1964
Slates No person in the Umled States
shall on he. ground o1 racecolor or no-
honal origin. be e•dialed from parpupa
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f.EDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
Remittance Enclosed (Make
checks payable to Superin-
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Photos, if any, should be cap-
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Photos cannot be returned unless ac-
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All material should be sent to
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program or activity receiving rederdt h
hanbal assistance Therefore, the Pro'
grams dacussed in this publaaoon. he<
every program or activity receiving Yuan•
bAl assistance bom the Department of
,feal ,. Education. and Welfare. must be
opt,aleel ,n compliance *an this far,
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
DIVISION OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20402
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
POSTAGE AND FEES PAID
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF H.E.W.
HEW—]91
U,S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES • ADMINISTRATION ON AGING
NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE ON AGING
GMEW Pub. No.(OHD/AoA)78-7090 -U.S. Gmemmont Printing Office: 1977 241.217/7 1-8
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS - DES MOINES
CITY OF IOWA CITY
CIVIC CENTER- 410 L W61 IINGUN 51, UWA CITY IOWA 52240 (319) 354.180)
February 6, 1979
Mr. R. Michael Kruger, Division Manager
Western Operations
American Television & Communications
Corporation
20 Inverness Place East
Englewood, Colorado 80110
I Dear Mr. Kruger:
At the meeting of January 9, 1979, the City Council passed a resolution
offering a franchise to Hawkeye CableVision provided that certain
matters relating to the implementation of cable television in Iowa City
are resolved. This letter represents that offer and includes a discus-
sion of those matters which need to be resolved to the satisfaction of
the City before a further recommendation can be made to the City Coun-
cil.
Single Tier Service
The proposal offered by Hawkeye CableVision does not fully comply with
the provision of the ordinance which provides that the first 12 channels
must'be available to all subscribers at no additional cost, Your pro-
posal did not include a single tier system for the University of Iowa
for the first 12 channels. The City must be assured that the first 12
channels provided to the City will be provided to University subscribers
in the first tier of service. The following additional signals must be
added: broadcast channel 6, broadcast channel 4 and the public access
channel.
Listing of Services
An exact listing of the channels or services which will be carried on
both tiers of the system will be appreciated.
X -Rated Movies
In the hearings concerning the proposed service, it is the City's under-
standing that you indicated that X-rated movies will not be provided on
any channel.
3/3
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES 140IBES
Mr. R. Michael Kruger
February 6, 1979
Page 2
Special Services
Under what circumstances and what timing will services such as C -span,
talking books, foreign languages, medical services and Calliope be
instituted?
Program Revisions
How long will Hawkeye CableVision guarantee that various programming
decisions will continue and what will be the exact process by which
Hawkeye CableVision will make decisions relating to changes in the
offerings?
Two-Wav Capacity
The Hawkeye proposal indicated that two-way capacity would be activated
by subscribers when feasible. It is our understanding that feasibility
will be determined by availability of proven equipment and reasonable
certainty that the service can provide a 13 to 17% return for Hawkeye
CableVision. Will you please document the criteria for making such a
decision.
Additional Origination Points
Additional origination points for live cable television can be easily
accommodated and can be activated. We would appreciate knowing in
detail the procedures and circumstances under which such action will be
taken.
Interim Facilities
Public access must be available by Hawkeye CableVision by the time the
system commences operation which will occur when at least 25% of the
'community is receiving service. This degree of installation is required
by the ordinance to take place within 12 months of the effective date of
the ordinance. The community then would be entitled to access by ap-
proximately April of 1980. However the new library facility will not be
completed until March or April of 1981. Because of the timing of the
new library, the franchise date and the completion of urban renewal, the
search for office space and long-term space within the Central Business
District is somewhat complicated. It is the intent of the ordinance
that your offices be in a central location and that the main access
studio be in a downtown location. It is recognized that the start-up
studio may have to be less than optimum in terms of physical space.
However, all of the equipment listed in the proposal must be made
available and usable. As this will be public facility, access for the
handicapped must be provided. When the main origination access studio
is completed in the new library, equipment will be transferred from your
start-up facility to the library and your office or studio will be used
as the auxiliary studio as outlined in your proposal. Both studios do
not have to be operational at the beginning if one is located in the
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
Mr. R. Micl , Kruger
February 6, 1979
Page 3
Central Business District. Please provide the location of your facil-
ities and indicate if the foregoing is in accord with your under-
standing.
Matching Grants
It is suggested that the Broadband Telecommunications Commission recom-
mend a starting date for eligibility for the two year matching grants
which Hawkeye CableVision proposes in support of the access function.
It may be advisable to start these grants after the new library is
completed rather than at the beginning of the access function, depending
upon the actual adequacy of the initial facility. An alternative would
be to start the two year period three to six months after the initial
access function begins so that the community would be aware of the
potential for using the funds effectively. If this procedure as out-
lined is acceptable to Hawkeye CableVision please acknowledge accord-
ingly.
Training and Promotion
While actual implementation of the access facility may be delayed until
April 1980, training and promotion of the use of the facility by commun-
ity groups should be initiated by Hawkeye CableVision at an earlier
date. It is the City's understanding that Hawkeye CableVision will
undertake the training and promotion function at least 90 days before
service to subscribers is available.
Pro ram Advisory Group
Hawkeye CableVision has indicated an intent to activate a program
advisory group which is to be representative of the broad interests of
the community and will assist in the allocation of the matching funds,
determine fair and equitable use of channels for various special inter-
ests, stimulate community interest and facilitate implementation of the
access rules. The City does not believe that this suggestion is viable.
Such a body, established by the company, could become a source of con-
flict and delay. The City has established the role of the Broadband
Telecommunications Commission to handle these functions. We believe
that if the Commission does not wish to carry out the functions which
you propose for the program advisory group then the Commission should
appoint a subcommittee which will report directly to the Commission. We
believe that this structure and process will simplify the procedure for
the public and minimize the possibility of conflict or disagreement
concerning these matters.
Scheduling, Use of Facilities, etc.
The company will be the primary public contact for questions relating to
program scheduling, the use of facilities and the use of channels
(except those channels which are controlled by the library, City govern-
ment, schools and University), training the public, assisting the
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDSOLS 1101n[S
Mr. R. Michael Kruger
February 6, 1979
Page 4
public and government and educational users with production within the
guidelines and rates set forth in the proposal and to be further clari-
fied by the access rules and maintain the access equipment which the
company provides. If there is an overlap between what may qualify for
cable casting on the public access or local origination or one of the
special channels the company will make the choice,
Public Access Procedures
The main access origination studio will be staffed 40 hours per week by
Hawkeye CableVision with the equivalent of three full time people.
Hours of operation will be optimum with many evening and some weekend
hours. Free production assistance will be provided to public educa-
tional and government users within the regular hours established pro-
vided that no single user exceeds 40 hours equipment use in a given
month. If this should occur, Hawkeye CableVision's rate structure will
then apply. If this process is in accordance with your commitments
please indicate accordingly.
City Equipment
Your proposal indicates that the City will receive a remote keyboard
which connects to Hawkeye's central computer for data origination over
the government channel. It is our understanding that this terminal will
be installed by Hawkeye within 6 to 9 months from the date of franchise,
when the system is activated. Further the company will train City staff
in the use of this equipment, and it is our understanding that the
company will maintain this equipment. Also, it is our understanding
that the City will receive necessary equipment and instruction so that
emergency messages can be provided by an override of the entire system.
Document Scanning
The proposal also provides document scanning equipment for the public
library. It is our understanding that this equipment will be made
available in the old library with associated technical equipment which
is needed to transmit the information on the cable system at the same
time that the City's remote keyboard is made available. In addition
Hawkeye CableVision will provide the necessary training and maintenance
for this equipment and move the equipment to the new library upon com-
pletion.
Library Access Facility
The library staff has had extensive discussions with you concerning the
library access facility. It appears that the most desirable location
for the main origination studio and access facility is the new library
as proposed by Hawkeye CableVision. The community will benefit the most
from this location because of associated graphics and audio production
facilities, other potential program supplement resources and the many
activities of community -wide interest which occur in the library's
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES MO IIIES
-,
Mr. R. Micha.1 Kruger
February 6, 1979
Page 5
meetings rooms. As the library has already planned space for a TV
studio which appears to be acceptable to Hawkeye CableVision your pro-
posal will not make a significant impact on construction, therefore no
capital contribution will be required from Hawkeye CableVision.
Acceptance of the access facility on library premises however is subject
to the successful negotiation of a lease at a nominal fee between the
Library Board and Hawkeye CableVision. Such a lease will include terms
for the company to assume its own utilities and maintenance costs in the
library space. Also it our understanding that the company will be
responsible for its own equipment, its own staff and for personal injury
and other matters that may be dealt with in the lease as it relates to
the leased premises.
In addition the library will be entitled to schedule use of the facility
in accordance with the same terms as other government, educational and
public users with no priority or authority over actual access policies
but with no limits as to maximum use by the library. Further Hawkeye
CableVision will agree to wire the new library to receive cable television
in numerous locations throughout the building at no charge to the library
and will wire and light the studio at its own expense. Converters will
be provided to desired library drops at cost and these will be a more
economical converters rather than remote control type. Monthly service
for all cable television within the library will be free. It is also
understood that the company will furnish the studio and production
control spaces at its own expense. After hours use of the access facility
will be provided by a separate entrance which does not allow access to
the rest of the library. Authorization and responsibility for such use
will remain that of Hawkeye CableVision.
Other Communities
It is our understanding that Hawkeye CableVision will be discussing with
surrounding communities arrangements for cable television. We wish to
know what arrangements Hawkeye CableVision will make with other commun-
ities for use of the access facility. It is our impression that these
access facilities have been included in the rate structure of Iowa City
and we believe it would be inappropriate for these services to be pro-
vided to other communities without compensation to Iowa City. In addi-
tion it likewise would be inappropriate for Hawkeye CableVision to offer
lower rate structures to Coralville and University Heights because you
will not have to provide access or other facilities within those commun-
ities. Also I would refer you to the ordinance for exact procedures
related to the extension of service to other communities.
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES MOINES
Mr. R. Mich..:) Kruger
February 6, 1979
Page 6
Your verification of these matters at an early date will be appreciated.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
i SinSere 3>'yours,
Neal G. Berlin
City Manager
cc: City Council
City Attorney
Bob Pepper
Connie Tiffany
Elliott Full
David Russell
jm/sp
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES
DEPARTMENT: HOUSING & INSPECTION SERVICES
QUARTER: SECOND
DECISION UNIT: HOUSING INSPECTION
Fiscal Year Objectives:
- Provide Housing Code information to the public.
- Respond to all citizen complaints of alleged violations of the Housing
Code within 24 hours after receiving complaint.
- Provide licensing inspections & enforcement on all rooming houses and
apartments outside federally assisted areas (CDBG).
- Provide fire protection inspections on multiples and rooming houses.
Work Completed:
- Conducted tours for City Council, Housing Commission, CCN and League
of Women Voters to inform these groups of representative housing
cases.
- Hired and trained Housing Inspector Phyllis Kelley.
- Inspectors participated in HIS departmental in-service training
sessions.
- All citizen complaints responded to in 24 hours.
- Substantially revised scheduling and monthly billings to accomplish
manual operation of the system by Housing Inspectors.
- 30% of the 10,000 plus Housing and Building records were purged of out
dated documents and transferred to microfilm.
- Held administrative meeting with Fire Department to clarify roles and
legal channels of authority. Fire Chief will contact State Fire
Marshall and report back.
Analysis:*
Number of inspections performed 2nd quarter - 502.
Number of reinspections performed 2nd quarter - 116.
Number of orders issued - 44.
Number of compliances - 229.
Number of court cases - (charges filed) 3.
Number of placards - 0.
31Y
FIICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAP DS•DES 110 RIES
Expenditures
"Budget
This Quarter
%
6000
30,706.00
12,491.40
37.06
7000
665.00
232.79
35.00
8000
6,094.00
3,098.83
50.85
9000
300.00
80.00
26.66
TOTAL
40,765.00
15,903.02
39.01
*Previous quarterly
in this section.
report combined CDBG and General
This
Funding statistics
report
reflects General Fund
activities only.
**Includes budget
from FY78.
corrections
from First quarter report for carry overs
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES MOINES
MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES
DEPARTMENT: HOUSING AND INSPECTION SERVICES QUARTER: SECOND
DECISION UNIT: BUILDING INSPECTION
Fiscal Year Objectives:
- To provide accurate information to the public regarding the codes and
ordinances affecting building and alterations.
- To provide print.review on all residential structures, all alteration
Plans and some commercial structures.
- To perform all code required field inspections.
- To reduce citizen complaints by 50% of 1978 levels.
To improve record keeping systems by utilizing microfilming and
computer data processing.
Work Completed:
- Have begun in-service training sessions to gain updated knowledge in
several fields.
- Have begun concentrated efforts to involve building inspector and
Building Official in commercial print review and yniform inter-
pretations.
- Prepared a rough draft for house moving brochure.
- Attended the 1978 annual business meeting of the I.C.B.O. and
discussed over 450 proposed code changes.
Concluded preparations for the 1979 annual I.A.8.0. seminar to be held
in Iowa City the end of January.
Prepared several code amendments to the U.B.C.
All prints including Urban Renewal and commercial were reviewed by
staff.
Stepped-up field inspections by having Dick Frantz, Building
Inspector in field six out of eight hours. Before hiring Frantz,
Siders did structural inspections.
Complaints by contractors have leveled off to insignificant levels.
'Citizen. complaints remain stable at low levels.
Consolidation of files undertaken to initiate microfilming.
Analysis:
Number of Building Permits - dollar amounts - 144, $6,673,419.
Number of citizen complaints vs. number of corrective orders through
field observations - 212. (Previous data not available).
Number of field inspections performed - 3,057.
3/y
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
Expenditures
*Bu_ dget
This Quarter
_%
6000
87,079.00
44,703.07
51.33
7000
1,976.00
1,551.60
78.52
8,000
10,758.00
10,562.00
98,17
9000
13,215.00
4,524.13
34.23
TOTAL
113.028.00
61,340.80
54.27
*Includes budget corrections
FY78.
from First Quarter report for
carryovers from
MICROFILMED BY
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1
0
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDV
DATE: February 6,N79
TO; Neal Berlin, City Manager y
FROM: Harvey D. Miller, Police Chief ws,
RE: Interesting Comparative Data
Some interesting data collection and comparison was re-
cently completed on 50 police departments across the
nation serving populations of 250,000 or more. While
Iowa City is not and is unlikely ever to be in this
population range, I have attempted to compare Iowa
City.to the results obtained from the.study. Some of
the major findings with Iowa City comparisons appear
below. I believe if the data obtained in the quoted
study were 'compared to data in regard to cities in the
50,000 population range (as reported for example in the
ICMA Yearbook) Iowa City would probably rank in the
ower quarte a on reported costs and in the upper
quartile on most operational and administrative prac-
tices.
The median per capita cost
of policing ranged from $48.06,
for cities of 250,000 - 4991999,
to $82.99 for cities over
1 million.
The projected per capita
cost of policing in Iowa
City for fiscal 180 is
$22.36. The median* for
Iowa Police Departments
serving populations of
50,000 or more is $32.00
per capita, ranging from
a low of $27.00 to a
high of $35.00. The
average cost per capita
is $31.60.
* The Iowa average is
skewed to the low side.
The Iowa City estimate
is for fiscal 180.
The rest of the state is
computed from 1976 data
compiled in 1977, the
last year data are avail
able
31S
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 1101:IES
The median number of sworn
officers per 1000 population
ranged from 1.08 to 2.42.
On the average small, medium
and large communities assigned
about 55% of their officers to
Patrol. Between 11.8 to 13.8
sworn officers are assigned
to the Detective Division.
Median of civilian personnel
ranged from 10% in the
largest cities to 20% in the
small and middle sized
communities.
Of the 40 departments with
women officers the median
number employed was 24.
The average number of women
officers to male officers is
1/350 in cities of 1 mill-
ion or over to 1/57 in cities
in the one-quarter to one-
half million population
size.
The number of marked vehicles
per 100 sworn officers ranged
from 4.5 to 46.6. The med-
ian ranged from 11.6 for
large departments to 16.4
in the smaller agencies.
Iowa City has .96 officers per
thousand population (1/1041). The
median and average number of
officers in Iowa is 1.5 per
1000 population ranging from a low
of .96 to a high of nearly 2.
Most smaller communities in Iowa
evidence a higher ratio of off-
icers per 1000 population than
do the larger communities.
Forty of an authorized complement
of forty-eight officers are assign-
ed to patrol, or 88%. Four off-
icers or 8% of the total comple-
ment are assigned to the Detective
Division and 4% of the staff are
in administration and management.
Iowa City's non -sworn employees of
the Police Department total 23.4%
of the total work force. This
total does not include part time
crossing guards.
Iowa City employs three women
officers or one female to each
fifteen males.
Iowa City supplies a marked
vehicle for each 4.8 officers.
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DLS 110111ES
WILL J. HAYEK
JOHN W. HAYEK
C. PETER HAYEK
C. JOSEPH HOLLAND
HAYEK, HAYEK & HAYEK
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
110 EAST WASHINGTON STREET
IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240
Ms. Angela Ryan
Assistant City Attorney
Civic Center
410 East Washington Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Dear Angela:
February 2, 1979
AREA CODE 319
337.9606
1 just thought that I would drop you this note to relay to you two
very congratulatory comments that I have received concerning your work.
Very recently in discussion with a prominent member of the local Iowa
City Bar I was advised by this attorney that a brief that you had filed in a
case you have been handling was excellent, well thought out and very well
written. He was very complimentary about the brief and your work in that
case.
Also I recently received a telephone call from one of the judges of
the Sixth Judicial District complimenting you on your handling of a very
difficult matter that had been presented to the court. This judge indicated
that you handled this very difficult situation ably and very professionally.
I thought that you would be interested in these comments that I have
received and so I thought I would pass them on to you. I am also sending
a copy of this letter to the City Clerk for distribution to the Council and to
the Personnel Director for placement in the files. Finally, I also want to
add my own compliments to those related to you above.
Very truly yours,
ohn W. Hayek
JWH:v
cc: ity Council
Mr. Dale Helling
FEB 0 5 1979
ABBIE STOLFUS, CMC
CITY CLERK (3)
3/�
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOEIIES
David i.. Cronin
Superintendent
7 February 1979
RECEIVED FF3 71979
IOWA CITY COMMUNITY
SCHOOL DISTRICT
1010 William SIrMt
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
319-338-3685
Neal Berlin, City Manager
Civic Center
Iowa City, Iowa
Dear Neal:
We have just received from the printer the responses to questions
raised at the parent input meetings held at Lincoln, Mann, and
Sabin. Copies will be provided to the public at the Board work -
session scheduled on Saturday, February 10, 9:00 A.M. at South
East Junior High School.
You indicated to me that you would like to have copies to share
with the City Council and we are enclosing six copies for that
purpose.
Sincerely yours,
ave Cr.
MICROFILMEB BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES IIOIMES
317
5 February 1979
To: Members, Board of Directors
Re: FACILITY UTILIZATION STUDY - QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES
For more than a year, the Board of Directors has studied the problems caused by enrollment
decline and population shifts that are facino the school district. During this time, the
Board has carefully reviewed enrollment trends, school census data, and enrollment pro-
jections that have led to the realization that the decline in enrollment is going to
continue for at least the next five years and that during that time, the district can
expect to lose an approximate 1,000 additional students. Most of this five-year enroll-
ment decline will be experienced at the elementary level. The enrollment loss with its
budgetary implications, will have a significant impact on the school district unless
action is taken. Taking action now will help forestall educational program and staff
cutbacks as well as freeing resources to make needed improvements in the district.
The discussion of school closings has prompted several questions. The following is a
response to these questions:
QUESTION/RESPONSE AREA
Financing of Public Schools in Iowa-----------------------------------------
Enrollment Projections - Accuracy -------------------------------------------
Challenges to the Enrollment Projections ------------------------------------
iSchool Census Data----------------------------------------------------------
Enrollment Projections - Methodology ----------------------------------------
Enrollment - Grand Totals ---------------------------------------------------
Impact of Enrollment Decline------------------------------------------------
Legislative Relief ----------------------------------------------------------
State Equalization Project ----------
Comparison of General Fund Expenditures -------------------------------------
Role of School Size and Cost ------------------------------------------------
Estimated Savings from Closing Selected Elementary Schools ------------------
Transportation Costs --------------------------------------------------------
Sale of School Property -----------------------------------------------------
Use of the 67; Cent Levy ----------------------------------------------------
Enrichment Tax--------------------------------------------------------------
Impact on Title I Funds -----------------------------------------------------
Reallocation - Priority Items -----------------------------------------------
i Alternative Uses for Buildings Closed ---------------------------------------
School Capacity of Each School ----------------------------------------------
SchoolSize-----------------------------------------------------------------
i Considerations Used When Determining Which Buildings to Close ---------------
Features found in Elementary Schools ----------------------------------------
Elementary Students Bused ---------------------------------------------------
Open Enrollment PolicyL -----------------------------------------------------
Effect on Staffing/Class Size-----------------------------------------------
Accessibility to School Buildings for the Handicapped -----------------------
1978/79 Kindergarten Freeze -------------------------------------------------
Options for Potentially Overcrowded Schools ---------------------------------
Importance of a February Decision -------------------------------------------
Facility Utilization Study - Order of Events --------------------------------
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES 140114LS
PAGE
2
74
9
14
15
16
19
20
21
22
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
33
34
35
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
QUESTION: FINANCING OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN IOWA?
Since 1972 all school districts in Iowa have operated under a budget process controlled
by legislative mandate. Each year the State Comptroller determines the maximum increase
in the general fund budget of a local education agency not the Board of Education. The
objectives of the legislation were to equaiize district expenditures, limit the rise in property
taxes and raise the level of state funding of basic public school instruction. The result has
been a leveling of district costs per pupil., The budgeis of the high spending districts have
been restricted and the low spending district have been encouraged to increase expenditures
to the date average.
The controlled budget, that portion of the total general fund budget that is financed by
local property tax and state aid, is determined by multiplying enrollment by cost per pupil.
i The cost per pupil is computed each year by adding to the previous year's cost the amount
of allowable growth announced by the State Comptroller. The amount of per pupil growth
is the same for all school district in `rhe staie but district' spending less than the state
average cost per pupil are permitted 125% of the allowable growth increase.
Since the cost per pupil is fixed the only variable in the formula is enrollment. A
district' available funding fluctuates with any change in enrollment. The legislature
has recognized, to some extent, that school costs can not be immediately adjusted in
direct proportion to enrollment declines due to ceriain fixed expenses. For this reason
district' are not penalized for 50% of their enrollinant loss for a one year period. This
provides an insufficient time for a disirict to reduce fixed cost unless it has undertaken
considerable advance contingency planning.
Because of the many budgeting problems thct school districts' across the state were experi-
encing due to declining enrollments, the 1978 legislature provided that for the 1979-80
school year the first 2 1/2% of any er,01mani loss would be forgiven and only the balance
considered for th• 50% penalty. This action wii( assure the Iowa City school district of
additional fundir.j of $393,424 for the one ,year poriod.
An extensive study has been done by the Department of Public Instruction on the effect of
declining enrollments on school district financing under the present formula. The result
of this study have been presented to the legislature now in session and they undoubtedly
will address the problem. Of the. prcbabl_ Solutions that have been mentioned in the press,
it would appear that relief for our district will likely be limited to some exclusion of fixed
costs and an enrollment bonus computed on a two year basis. Declining enrollment will
still impact adversely on future budget, although possibly to a some what lesser extent
than in the past.
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
'-)
In addition to the controlled budget the total general fund budget includes the amount
of "Miscellaneous Income" received and any unspent balance from the previous years'
budget. Miscellaneous revenue consists of all Federal aid, state aid other than the foun-
dation plan, local revenues other than property tax such as mobile home tax and the
apportionment of court fines, and district generated income including tuition and interest
on investments. T.hcse two resources buffer to some extent the direct effect of enrollment
losses but do not in anyway mitigate the ultimate result.
School district strategy
include to cope with the realities of state controlled budgeting must
1) attempting to limit current expense increases to the annual allowable growth
factor and 2) over the longer range, reducing fixed costs consistent with anticipated
financial resources.
3
r --
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOVIES
QUESTION: ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS - ACCURACY?
Many important school district decisions hinge on accurate
enrollment projections. Although it is impossible to say how
accurate our projections for the next five years will be, it
is possible to review how accurate our projections have been
in the past and to use the same procedures to predict the
school district's enrollment for the future. The following is
a summary of our enrollment projections for the past three years:
School Year
Projection
Actual
Difference
78-79
169
165
4
fewer than
projected
Lincoln 77-78
173
176
3
more than
projected
76-77
189
174
15
fewer than
projected
78-79
178
184
6
more than
projected
Mann 77-78
205
194
11
fewer than
projected
76-77
250
224
26
fewer than
projected
78-79 196 175 21 fewer than projected
Sabin 77-78 210 202 8 fewer than projected
76-77 220 208 12 fewer than projected
Enrollment projections were also a part of the 1973/74 Demographic Study. The
projections for Lincoln, Mann, and Sabin for 1978, made in 1973, were as follows:
School Projection Actual Difference
Lincoln 170 165 5 fewer than projected
Mann 246 184 62 fewer than projected
Sabin 210 175 35 fewer than projected
It would seem that past enrollment projections have tended to be too optimistic.
On January 31, 1979, I received the enrollment projections for Iowa City from
the State Department of Public Instruction. It is of some interest to note
that the DPI is also projecting a loss of approximately 1,000 students for
the district in the next five years.
Attachments - 2
4
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 1101NES
1\_.. .•.oma .._..
10178
RE: DISTRICT ENROLLMENT 51 S ,0E - SEPTEMBER ENROLLMENT DATA
* Includes regular programs only.
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 140111Es
HISTORICAL DATA
GNAEA: Six
Year
Data Base
Mean
PROJECTIONS
Percentace-Survival Ratio
Regression
-Survival Ratio
GRADE
i9lU
-1'9/1
1977-TtfJT—MT--Tg7F-TTl6—Tg77--Tg7lF-
jqjq
1 qf3u
1181
IvB2
19gr
1979
1980
19815
2 1983
TM__T
9�
983
K
R74
8558
805
734
762
844
710
692
609
550
550
550
550
550
584
560
537
515
494
629
602
5?4
547
520
1st
824
845
785
739
715
766
799
678
666
590
533
533
533
533
588
564
541
519
497
583
601
576
550
524
2nd
775
786
763
762
710
689
758
776
681
651
577
521
521
521
643
567
544
522
500
C43
563
581
557
532
3rd
779
739
770
723
723
689
675
726
760
659
630
558
504
504
657
620
547
525
503
657
620
544
561
537
4th
813
762
717
755
716
696
669
683
_
679
740
641
613
543
, 490 _
745
_ 644
608
536
514
741
640
605
530
547
5th
783
776
740
694
732
714
686
668
661_._
669
651
728
659
_ 631
717
603_
622
535
594
_ 672
737
_ 638
602
531 _
663
6,19
723
651
625
709
591
614
519
550
6th 768 755 749 738 685 715 699 682 661
640 _659 723 625 590
7th
601
714
730_
631
650
639
652
649
601_,
599
590
597
650
563
_ 608_
596
506
665
575
609
598
600
654
566
8th
595
594
706
711
681
641
6657
647
631 _
599
_695
586
593
646
616
608
596
606
665
612
605
594
596
6.19
9th
586
571
620
678
700
687
641
638
632
622
591
587
578
585
651
616
508
596
606
646
607
601
590
591
loth
513
618
621
599
671
698
663
619
606
_622
613
582
578
569
_ 655
651
616
608
596
651
642
605
598
6R3
11th
530
528
632 601 601
648
670
641
575
584
600
591
561
557
594
642
63a
604
596
593
637
629
532
586
12th
478
509
526
589
.591
552
635
637
613
551
559
574
566
537
552
570
61.6
612
580
552
569
611
CO3
568
TOTAL
8919
9055
9164
9014
8937
8978
8914
8736
8371
1 8086
7865
7639
7401
7184
8213
7974
7618
7535
7247
8228
8058
7854
7583
7307
* Includes regular programs only.
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 140111Es
DEPARTMEhT Of PUBLIC INBTRUCTION
GRIMES STATE OFFICE BUILDING
DES MOINES, IOWA 50319
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
ACTUAL
ENROLLMENTS FOR
1972.73 TMRU
197479
ESTIMATED FOR
1979.80
TNRU
1963-04
•••••.•••••••u•u•••�••••••••••u+••••u•••eA••••uu••u•u•.•••.A�•r••�•••••••u••••.••••�••••u
••u•••••��•�u AA u•�u •••u•�u
IOWA CITY COMM
ICH
DIST .
523141
SPECIAL
GRAND
4
7
2
3
4
S
6
7
e
9
IO 11
12
TOTAL
EDUCATION
TOTAL
...................................................................................................................................
1273 806
786
767
770
718
741
750
730
706
620
621 632
S26
9173
44
9217
7374 735
739
762
721
756
695
738
692
711
678
611 601
S89
9028
61
9089
74 -TS 762
716
709
726
713
732
685
690
681
700
671 604
591
8940
62
4002
15.76 844
766
690
689
696
711
711
640
641
687
687 699
SSS
8984
SS
9039
76-77 710
799
Tse
674
668
Ass
699
644
647
626
668 675
640
8893
S7
8960
77.76 693
679
777
72S
683
668
682
630
652
643
640 656
694
8602
71
6873
78.79 609
666
680
760
677
663
660
609
641
651
614 S97
639
8466
121
8587
ESTIMATED
ENROLLMENT
rn 79.80 591
584
650
650
740
665
654
600
604
632
640 597
571
8182
116
8298
8081 993
567
570
625
637
727
636
595
596
596
622 623
572
7978
114
6092
81.82 S95
568
S94
149
609
626
111
997
590
see
587 609
997
7782
111
7893
82-83 640
572
555
S33
SSS
998
618
653
592
583
579 571
580
7609
10e
7717
83.84 640
611
SS8
534
119•
125
190•
Sii
648
184
174 163
141
7499
106
�i
7565
.................................................................................................................................
FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION,
COMMENTS
OR CORRECTIONS
TO HISTORICAL
DATA
CONTACTO LELAND
TACK
515.261-4835
DEPT.
OF
PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION
0�\n
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
UESTION: CHALLENGES TO THE ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS
Arguments were presented at the public hearing at Lincoln School on January 24,
challenging the population projections used by the administration. The main thrust
of the challenge is that the district census undercounts preschoolers, thereby
throwing off the figures used for kindergarten enrollments in the various projections.
Consequently, as the challenge goes, the projections miss the upswing in enrollments
which will follow the upswing in births missed by the school census. Some of the
arguments in the challenge are correct—and useful for further efforts to project the
district's enrollment. This does not mean that the conclusions in the challenge are
correct, however.
The school census has consistently undercounted preschool children due to the method
on of the Uniersity
o(asking e
ihbors to fIowa'sacademic year). Both hcontributedto�thegundercountmplAnminafter �earlier, morev
vthorough
census would yield a better base for projecting enrollment.
The Lincoln projections for the district have 4,200 elementary pupils for 1982-83.
The earlier projections (produced by the Grant Wood AEA and district personnel) cited
by the administration showed from 3,800 to 4,000 pupils for that year. Two sources
of error explain the discrepancy. First, the projections used by the district did
fail to include all births. Second, the method used by the Lincoln parents probably.
overestimated births. The overestimation stems from two sources, both arising from
the projection is based on an assumption that the percent
an attempt to infer birth data for the district from birth data for the county. First,
age of Johnson County births
Given the absolute growth of Solon's
which occur within the district is a constant.
enrollment, as well as the relative growth of a few other districts, this assumption
is likely to lead to an overestimate of births in this school district. In addition,
assumptions had to be made about the number of births which occurred in Johnson County
but not University or Mercy Hospital last year. In 1977, an unusually high number of
such births occurred. The Lincoln projection assumed the same number occurred in 1978,
despite the fact that the number of such births actually fell from 1975 to 1976. The
error is assuming that the large number i
indicate an increase, let alone such a sts correct when previous years did not even
eep one. Even taking the average of the last
three years for which data are available, the number of Johnson County births taking
place outside the two hospitals would be over fifty (50) fewer than the figure used in
the Lincoln projection.
Another projection has recently become available. This projection, completed by
Dr. Leland Tack of the State of Iowa Department of Public Instruction, is based on a
district -by -district allocation of Iowa's 1978 births to school districts in the state.
Therefore, this projection is based on the latest, best information available. The
UPI projects an elementary enrollment for the Iowa City Community School District of
4,051 pupils in 1982-83 and 3,991 pupils in 1983-84. This projection, then, is only
slightly larger than the 3,900 used by the administration in the Facility Utilization
Study. The figure is closer to the administration's working figure than it is to the
Lincoln projection figure. For the five years covered by the Facility Utilization
Study, then, the figures used by the administration appear to be reasonable.
The Lincoln projection does make one other important claim, i.e., that the district
enrollmentll se by
thelPost ils a WorldearaWarfterII9baby bo om183. Thea isufinallyhoccurring.
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES Moln Es
One element of the Lincoln statement is correct. Births, and therefore enrollment,
will increase. It is highly unlikely, however, that the increase will be as great
as the Lincoln projection shows. An examination of national trends and projects will
illustrate the situation.
Births have begun to increase slightly nationally and in Iowa. The net reproductive
rate (roughly equivalent to completed number of children per woman) has fallen below
replacement level, however. Women are having fewer than the 2.115 births apiece
necessary for replacement.
The adjoining table shows the number of births which have occurred and would occur if
women averaged 2.1 children. It also shows the number of 5 to 13 year olds the country
would have.
Assuming 7..1 births per women
Year
Number of
Births (000's)
Females (000's)
18-34 years old
5-13 yr olds
(000's)
55-60
4274
27,925
60-65
4171
19,625
32,965
65-70
3621
21,415
35,754
70-71
3713
25,022
36,636
75-76
3126
29,265
33,440
80-85
3575
32,804
30,197
85-90
4008
33,859
31,012
90-95
3868
33,133
38,591
Clearly there will be an increase in births, unless the average family size is well
below 2.1 children. Nevertheless that increase will not produce the 30 per cent or
more increases for the 1980's over current enrollments as invisioned by the Lincoln
proposal, either nationally or locally. Only in the 1990's would enrollments bulge
significantly.
More to the point for local concerns, there is little reason at present to expect this
school district to share equally in the national enrollment growth. First, Iowa is
one of the slowest growing states in the nation. Second, the economic base of this
district is higher education, which is not expected to be a growth industry. Third,
the faculty at the University is expected to grow older (as a collective, not just
individually) and, therefore, have fewer young children.
The simple fact of the matter is that the district is highly unlikely to return to,
let alone surpass the enrollments it can expect in the next couple of years. The
district now'has considerable excess elementary spaces, so no overcrowding problem
would be faced even if three elementary buildings were closed and even if the district
did share in the national increases which can be expected.
E
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 14011IES
QUESTION: SCHOOL CENStu DATA?
The school census is taken every two (2) years and the most recent census was
completed in June, 1978. This 1978 census reflects a loss of 593 students from
the census of 1976. A copy of the complete 1978 census report is available on
:•equest.
The people who take the school census are hired for that purpose by the school
district. Whenever possible, we try to hire people who live in the school
attendance area, are known to the people in the area, and who are interested
in the project'. Often, the people selected are active in a local school's
PTA/PTO.
The instructions for the taking of the school census are fairly detailed and
have remained basically unchanged since at least 1966. A copy of the detailed
instructions are attached.
0
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES I401r1Es
1, `
THE FAMILY SCHO�_ -'CENSUS RECORD - GENER.INSTRUCTI .+NS
An adequate child accounting system begins at birth and continues unlit the
person has reached Lhe age of twenty-one years, at which time the school is no
longer required by law to make opportunity for free public education available .
The Family School Census Record provides a means of enumerating and
collecting data deemad pertinent to education. Data must be collected from the
parents or guardians, who are residents of the Iowa City Community School District,
about the following groups of persons:
1 . All persons from birth to, but not including, twenty-one years of age as of
June 1.
J 2. All blind persons, regardless of age.
j 3. All persons who have reached their fifth birthday, but have not yet reached
their thirty-fifth birthday, as of June 1, having a speech or hearing
handicap.
4. Children requiring Special Education.*
Note: Census worker asks: "Are any of your children handicapped?"
"Do they attend school elsewhere in the state?"
Additional criteria for item 11 (above):
1 . Whether single or married.
2. Including members of the military forces with home addresses in ICCSD.
3. Children melking•their permanent home with relatives or guardians.
4. Resident children attending schools away from home with home addresses
in ICCSD.
b. Inmates of ln,ULULions whose family residences are in ICCSD.
G. 'those not attending school or who are employed.
""Children ri:quirinV Spscial education" mean, persons under twenty-one years
I chilri
of .arae, includin ren undnr five years of age, who are handicapped in obtaining
an education b c.:use o physical,
�lr^ bilitics mental, emotional, communication or learning
or wlv� are ::hrcnica!ly Clisr•uptive, as defined by the rules of the department
of public ins-truCUon.
10
187E
nn
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
t
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TAKING THE SCHOOL CENSUS
1 . Remember that accuracy is absolutely essential to a good census, hence you
are to trust no data given by those who are guessing.
2. In order to find errors immediately in the date of birth given, it is advisible
to first ask how old the child is and then ask for the birth date. You should
then be able to discover whether or not the two statements agree. Check
this information given on old cards. Sometimes you will discover a discrep-
ancy in the birtndates .
3. Keep the exact address where it is not possible to get data. Find out the
name of the family from neighbors, if possible.
4. Use pencil, print plainly and be sure to get all the information requested.
5. L-ist all in the family under 21 years old. Get the name and other inform-
ation of the oldest person under 21 first, then the next oldest, etc.
6. Telephone the Business Office (338-7539) or the principal if you have
question!;.
7. Be patient with those who are unwilling to give information. Explain the
purpose and let them know that the law requires that this information be
given.
B. Don't go in the homes.
9. Keep districts separate. If you have extra cards, these may be put in other
folders, but keep all cards with information on them in the correct folder.
10. Go to all the houses or apartments even though there is not a card for them.
11 , Envelopes should be returned as soon as a district is completed. All census
taking must be finished by the first of June.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECORDING DATA
1 . Enter the full name of father, or mother if father is not living with the family,
or other person having custody of the children. Give name of guardian if
children are not under control of either parent.
2. Post Office address of person named above.
3. For rural residents list township. For school district, list elementary school .
j 4. Omit race and occupation.
i
5. Name of child. Use separate line for each child. Do not skip lines. If the
last name of the child is different than the last name of parent, enter the
child's last name also,
6. Check under "M" for male and "F" for female. This is very important as in
tabulating many times we do not know from the name if it is boy or girl.
I
7. Month, day and year when c'h'ild vas born. For. example April 5, 1970, is
given 4-5-70. It is a good idea tc,re-chccl; the birthdates given on old cards.
(Old card, may show month, clay, year in rr.vorsed order.) SomeLimes the
person who tool< this information 1st lime_ Ins mado an error.
(Sec lri?fL pago)
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Instructions - page 2
Age in years on June 1 . This is very important. If a child becomes six
ears old on June 2 he was only five on June 1 and this is the age to be
recorded. The age of a child who has not reached his first birthday on or
before June 1 is "0". A person who is 21 on June 1 should not be included
in the enumeration. Draw a line through his name so that he won't be
counted.
8. If the person is of school age and not in school, check this column; e.g.
X - '78. Under "handicap" or "remarks" give the reason. Otherwise do
not check this column.
g; Note back of card for handicaps that are necessary to be recorded. In 13
and 14 make note of this so people tabulating will look on back of card. For
each child with a handicap write in column 13 the type of handicap. (Sce
instructions at the bottom of census card.)
MISCELLANEOUS INSTRUCTIONS
1 . Before going out on your route, take the map in your package and visualize where
you are to go and the best and shortest way to cover this given territory. Then
separate your cards according to streets and the way you have decided is best to
cover your territory. A rubber band around different streets helps.
2. Old cards - Add necessary information if new people have been added to family .
3. Do not list any college students living In rooming houses or dormitories. List
only persons under 21 (married or single) whose parents reside in this district.
Information for census cards should always be obtained from parents of all
children 0 to 21 .
4. If no one is home, jot down the address on the scratch paper provided. Get all
the information you can from a neighbor. If you are unable to contact them later,
either by going back or by phone, make a card out for them giving as much in-
formation as you were able to obtain - the principal will try
them. to get in touch with
5. New Cards: Be sure to put district number in upper right hand corner. Get the
name and other information of oldest person under 21 first, then next oldest,
etc. The father or mother remembers birthdates better - if many in the family.
6. If there isn't a column left for current census date, jot information down on old
card but be sure to make out a new card for.thern later. In making out a new
card do not record names of persons 21 years of age or older.
7 . • Moved: Write "moved" diagonally across card so tabulator can see it. If you
get information from people living there or fror. neighbors it will be helpful.
Such as: moved to country, moved out of town, to 406 S . Johnson St.
8. At home when you have completed your district, be sure to sign all current cards
on the back with year, district number, and your name. Please alphabetize all
current cards and secure them with a rubber band. Keep all moved and old cards
(those filled up) together. Be sure they are clearly labeled as such.
12
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AGE GUIDE FOR
1978 CENSUS
BIRTHDAY
FALLS ON OR
BETWEEN
0
June 2, 1977 - June 1, 1978
1
June 2, 1976 - June 1, 1977
2
June 2,
1975 - June 1, 1976
3
June 2,
1974 - June 1,
1975
4
June 2,
1973 - June 1,
1974
5
June 2,
1972 - June 1,
1973
6
June 2,
1971 - June 1 ,
1972
7
June 2,
1970 - June 1,
1971
8
June 2,
1969 - June 1 ,
1970
9
June 2,
1968 - June 1,
1969
10
June 2,
1967 - June 1,
1968
11
June 2,
1966 - June 1,
1967
12
June 2,
1965- June 1 ,
1966
13
June 2,
1964- June 1 ,
1965
14
June 2,
1963 - June 1,
1964
15
June 2,
1962 - June 1 ,
1963
16
June 2,
1961 - June 1 ,
1962
17
June 2,
1960 - June 1 ,
1961
18
June 2,
1959 - June 1 ,
1960
19
June 2,
1958 - June 1 ,
1959
20
June 2;
1957 - June 1 ,
1958
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QUESTION: ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS - METHODOLOGY?
The following is a description of the procedures used by the Grant Wood Area Educa-
tion Agency in making enrollment projections:
The first step is to compare the June census figures and the
September enrollment figures for the kindergarten. Kindergarten enroll-
ment will likely be smaller than given as it is not adjusted to antici-
pate some students attending private schools. On the other hand, there
will be some additional students who will be turning 5 between the June
census and September 15th, so the number could tend to increase. While
a ratio could be developed based on previous enrollment, such ratios
have proven of questionable value and with population leveling off, it
is expected to be of less value. Therefore, actual census figures, the
district's own estimates (when provided), or estimates made at' Grant
Wood, were used to predict kindergarten enrollment.
The second step is to calculate the September Enrollment Change
Percentages. This is done by showing the percentage increase or decrease
for kindergarten with the kindergarten before it. Also, each grade is
compared with the same group from a year before (e.g., grade 4, 1976 with
grade 3, 1975) to show attrition. Then all grades combined are compared
with all grades combined from the previous year.
The formula used is as follows:
R = ((A-0/11) X 100%
where
R = Enrollment Change Percentage Ratio,
B = previous year's enrollment,
A = present year's enrollment.
The third step is to make the nrojections. The enrollment data
is used to provide a ratio for each grade. The ratio is multiplied times
the enrollment of the previous grade for the previous year to estimate
the projected enrollment. That is:
1976, grade 3 = R X (1975, grade 2).
It should be noted that special education and ungraded classes
are not included in projections. To get an accurate estimate of enroll-
ment, these figures must be included. They have been added to the current
year total. Past totals have also been included. For the projections,
the current total is projected as a constant.
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES MOINES
i
QUESTION: ENROLLMENT - GRAND TOTALS?
The enrollment information that we have used to make our projections has been based on
regular program figures rather than grand total figures. There are several reasons for
this tag:
I. Legislation passed in 1975 re special education has resulted in significant increases
in the number of special education programs.
2. The CEEC program has existed since 1976.
i3. The procedure for counting special education students has fluctuated.
4. The number of "nonresident" or students who achieve residency, e.g. Systems Homes,
has increased dramatically in the past few years because of the special education
i
legislation and the district's program responses.
5. It is important to use regular program counts for consistency,
I
The following is a comparison of all enrollment categories since 1973:
15
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Regular
SPECIAL
EDUCATION
OTHER PROGRAMS
Pro ram
Elem.
J.H.
H.S.
CEEC
Nelson
HosYear
Schoolal
TTuition
Shared
Grand
CEEC Time
Total
1979(l)
8292
43
59
40
16
8
23
g
1978
8377
56
54
42
21
47 12.7
8549.70
1977
8736
15
25
22
11
36
6
31 14.20
8653.20
1976
8914
18
19
52
5
39 13.95
8937.95
1975
8978
12
26
29
21
10
20
51
5
28 14.50
9095.50
1974
8937
15
18
-
23
56
5
'- 6.25
9122.25
1973
9014
18
18
19
-
49
-
-- 16.25
9054.25
--
--
54
_
-- 8.25
9127.25
(1) Official enrollment
from the official enrollment
count
taken
on January
13,
1979. All
other
enrollment data
is
count taken
the second
Friday
in September.
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MICROFILMED BY
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-_�
QUESTION: IMPACT OF ENRG_.AENT DECLINE?
In order to fully comprehend the impact that declining enrollment has on a school
district budget, it is important to understand how schools are financed. A review of
the response on Page 2, which is an explanation of Iowa's School Finance Law,
indicates that the number of students is the basic unit upon which funding depends.
When a district "loses" students, it "loses" budget authority. For example, if
the current school finance law had not been amended for one year, this year, the
district would have had its budget authority reduced by $319,314. Fortunately,
there was legislative relief which resulted in a million dollar allowable growth.
Forecasting the district's budget in the years ahead is difficult because we do not
know at this time the amount of allowable growth. Nevertheless, we feel we have
enough information to offer two estimates:
1. We have made a budget forecast for the next three years for the regular
program budget assuming a 9% allowable growth rate per year and no change
in the foundation plan. See attachment A.
2. We have made a budget forecast for the next three years for the regular
program budget assuming the governor's proposed changes are approved by
the legislature with a 7% allowable qrowth rate. See attachment B.
There are some direct cost savings that are immediately realized from an enrollment
decline. Fewer teachers are employed in the following year and the instructional
supply budgets are reduced proportionally. These savings, however, represent only
a part of the total per pupil cost and the complete adjustment of staff can be
accomplished only over a period of several years. The budgetary implications of a
continuing enrollment decline over a long range such as Iowa City is experiencing
and is projected to experience, dictates an examination of fixed and indirect costs
if the district is to avoid undesired cut backs in staff and program.
Attachments - 2
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MICROFILMED BY
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Regular
Program Budget
Forecast
School Years 1980-81 Through 1982-83
1
• Assuming 9%
Allowable Growth Per Year
1979-80 Regular Program Budget
14,966,182
Allowable Growth in Dollars
1,010,838
Loss of Growth Due to Enrollment Decline
120,890
1980-B1 Regular Program
Enrollment;
September 1978
8,377
September 1979
8,228
Numbar Dc_rease
149
Bonus Enrollment (50%)
75
Adjusted enrollment
8,303
Per Pupil Cost:
1979-80 Regular Program
1,727
Growth Per Pupil
144
1980-81 Regular Program
1,871
Total Budget (8,303 x 1,871)
15,534,913
Allowable Growth in Dollars
568,731
Loss of Growth Due to Enrollment Decline
138,454
1981-82 Regular Program Budget
Enrollment:
'
September 1979
8,228
September 1980
8,058
Number Docrease
170
Bonus Enrollment (50%)
85
Adjusted Enrollment
8,143
Per Pupil Cost:
1980-81 Regular Program
1,871
Growth Per Pupil
157
1981-82 Regular Program
2,028
Total Budget (8,143 x 2,028)
16,514,004
Allowable Growth in Dollars
979,091
Loss of Growth Duo to Enrollment Decline
172,380
1982-83 Regular Program Budget
Enrollment:
September 1980
8,058
Soptomher 1981
7,854
Number Docrcase
204
Bonus Enrollment (5076)
102
Adjusted Enrollment
7,956
Per Pupil Cost:
1981-82 Regular Program
2,028
Growth Per Pupil
172
1982-83 Regular Program
2,200
Total Budget (7,956 x 2,200)
17,503,200
Allowable Growth in Dollars
989,196
Loss of Growth Duo to Enrollment Decline
224,400
Four Year Budget Lou Due to Enrollment Decline
656,124
17
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2
M
CC 3
N 3
W C
Cn d
� LL
C
C, a
2 C
F- -
a
CO
I
o r
M c
a
� a
W -
r s
0
J C
O 4
O
x LL
N t -
H 2
N r
¢
U su,
s r:
CD 2
W C
CD c
M tr
=) V
M C
X: C
O
CD
O
Q
a a
C
C
¢ `o
J V
(D C
W u
1979-80 Regular Program Budg�
Allowable Growth in Dollars
Lou of Growth Due to Enrollment Decline
1980-81 Regular Program Budget
Enrollment:
September 19T1
September 1979
2/3 of Seplmdbrl 1977
2/3 of September 1979
Number Decrease
Bonus Enrollment (50.1L)
Adjusted Enrollm-nt
1/3 of September 1977
2/3 of September 1979
Bonus Enrollment
Total
Per Pupil Cost:
1979-80 Regular Program
Growth Per Pupil
1980-81 Regular Program
Total BudOct(8,567 x 1,839)
Allowable Growth in Dollars
Lou of Growth Due to Emrollment Decline
1981-82 Regular Program Budget
Enrollment:
September 1978
September 1980
2/3 of September 1978
2/3 of September 1980
Number Decrease
Bonus Eniollmcni (50'%)
Adjusted Enrollment
1/3 of Sepienrbe. 1978
2/3 of September 19PO
Bonus Enrollment
Total
Per Pupil Cost:
1980-81 Regular Program
Growth Per Pupil
19111-82 Regular Program
Total Budget (0,270 x 1,959)
Allowable Growth in Dollars
Lou of Growth Due to Enrollment Decline
1982-83 Regular Program Budget
Enrol Imrrnt:
September 1979
September 1981
2/3 of September 1979
2/3 of September 1981
Number Decrease
Bonus Enrolla-ent (50%)
Adjusted Enrollment
1/3 of septrmber 1979
2/3 of Septrnnhcr 1901
Bmsus f 111011rss0nl
Total
8,736
8,228
5,824
5,485
339
170
2,912
5,485
170
8,567
1,727
112
1,839
8,377
8,058
5,584
5,372
212
106
2,792
5,372
106
8,276
1,839
120
1,959
8,228
7,854
5,485
5,236
249
125
2,742
5,236
125
8,103
14,Y66,182/'y
1,010,838
15,754,713
788,531
16,200,930
446,217
Per Pupil Cost;
19111-07 Regulur Program 1,959
Growth Pel Pupil 129
1982-83 Ragulw Plopan, 2,088
Total Budget (0,103 x 2,088) 16,919,064
Allowable Growth in Dollars 718,134
Loss of Growtls Due to Enrollment Decline
Four Year Budget Loss Due to Enrollment Decline
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
120,890
310,791
207,654
258,912
898,247
18
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QUESTION: LEGISLATIVE RELIEF?
i
Although the 1979 Iowa Legislature is in session and several area legislators have
identified the problem of school finance as a priority item, it seems unlikely that
the legislature will be able to provide adequate relief to make economizing measures
unnecessary. This assumption is based in part on the following:
1. The legislature is limited in the amount of money that can be spent on education
if taxes are not raised.
2. Many legislators that were elected and the governor promised not to raise taxes
in their 1978 campaigns.
3. The philosophy of "proposition 13" and "fiscal responsibility" prevails among
legislators.
4. The State Equalization Study is expected to have an impact on the legislature
( see Page 20 ) especially as it relates to providing support to smaller
districts of 300 or fewer students.
5. Enrollment decline in the state is projected to continue through 1982_83 which
is expected to influence the legislature as they consider increases in support
to local school districts.
6. The legislature has received a proposal to consider placing a constitutional
amendment to the vote of the people which would limit government spending.
7. The governor's budget message reflects an effort to cushion the impact of
declining enrollment but our understanding of his proposal suggests it will
fall short of dealing with future budget problems.
19
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QUESTION: STATE EQUALIZATION PROJECT?
This is a federally financed project conducted by the Iowa Department of Public
Instruction (DPI) to study various aspects of educational opportunity in Iowa.
The major studies included in the project: 1) enrollment trends;
2) program equity; 3) expenditure equity; 4) transportation costs; 5) citizen.
attitudes toward the present school foundation formula; 6) case studies of
i reorganization in six Iowa districts. This study has been completed and
recommendations have been made to the State Board and transmitted to the Iowa
Legislature. The recommendations include:
I. Continuation of the pupil count as the funding unit.
2. Retain transportation as a noncategorical funded aspect of the school
finance law.
3. Provide districts with 300 students or less to base their school budgets
on a budget -to -budget procedure.
Each of the recommendations, especially those noted above, would directly impact
the Iowa City Community School District,
20
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES 110 RIES
QUESTION: COMPARISON OF GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES?
One way to understand the impact that Iowa's School Finance Law (see response on Page 2)
has had on the district's budget is to review Iowa City's general fund expenditures
with state average expenditures. As you examine this data, please note the "leveling"
effect that the school foundation formula has had on our budget:
1977-78
•17,48
+99,98
-,24
+2,35
-31.31
+8,56
-14.90
+9.78
lowa city 1,118,87 1,182,23 1,257.86 1,451.72 1,582,38 1,676.22
State 953,34 1,033,06 1,170,59: 1,347.09 1,492,74 1,640,86
Iowa City as Percentage
of State Average 117.36 114.44 107.46 107.77 106.01 102.15
21
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I08A CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT
(Dollars
GENERAL FUND
EXPENDITURE COMPUTATION
above or below state
average of per -pupil cost
based on ADM),
1972-73
1973-74
1974-75
1975-76
1976.77
Administration
-,80
-4,63
=5,74
111.19
-11.50
Instructional Salaries
+149,81
+144.38
+110,57
+117,13
+114,74
Instructional Supplies
+18.87
+19.28
+16,79
+27.67
+9,16
Attendance d Health
+1.71
+,95
+,35
+1,25
+3,04
Transportation
-19,04
-20.72
-26,42
-30,04
-31.43
Fixed Charges
+2,80
+16.35
+7,00
+4,86
+12.55
Operation a Maintenance
+17.59
+9.95
+5,63
+9,58
-4,72
Other
+4.45
+3.88
+3,29
+6.34
+12,81
Community Service
-2.64
-1.77
-2,23
-1.07
.3,16
Capital Outlay
-6,36
-17,75
-21.61
-19,29
-11,32
Debt Service
-.88
-,80
-,37
-,82
-,54
Other (Tuition trans, to other
districts)
TOTAL
+165,53
+149.17
+87,27
+104,42
+89,64
Expenditures per pupil
1977-78
•17,48
+99,98
-,24
+2,35
-31.31
+8,56
-14.90
+9.78
lowa city 1,118,87 1,182,23 1,257.86 1,451.72 1,582,38 1,676.22
State 953,34 1,033,06 1,170,59: 1,347.09 1,492,74 1,640,86
Iowa City as Percentage
of State Average 117.36 114.44 107.46 107.77 106.01 102.15
21
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I.
QUESTION; ROLE OF SCHOOL SIZE AND COST.
Many questions have arisen related to the efficiency of school size. The following
charts are examples of how costs are distributed among our 16 elementary schools. In
each of the charts, the schools are listed from smallest to largest according to the
January 12 enrollment count. Special education students are eliminated from each
school.
CHART A
The following chart reflects only instructional personnel costs. Salaries for each
group included in this chart were averaged to eliminate any building having a dis-
proportionate amount of young or experienced staff members from unduly influencing
the total costs. In averaging principals' salaries, building differentials were not
figured in; however, they were added back in to the appropriate buildings to arrive
at total figures for that building. Included in the professional staff were class-
room teachers, nurses, special teachers (art, music, P.E.), building administrators,
and media specialists. Support staff included all building secretaries and regular
program aides.
The costs are only for actual salary for the 1978-79 school year, no fringe benefits
are included in the figures. Cost attributable to instrumental music, LARS, and
safety patrol are also not included.
# Students as Professional Support Staff Total Per Pupil
SCHOOL of 1/12/79 Staff F.T.E. Cost Cost Cost Cost
Mann 153 10.39 $174,703 $14,134 $188,837 $1,234
Lincoln 156 10.33 163,321 12,340 175,661 1,126
Sabin 169 10.64 178,692. 18,916 197,608 1,169
Hills 196 10.83 181,725 16,084 197,809 1,063
Shimek 198 .11.35 187,579 12,340 199,919 1,010
Longfellow 200 12.01 201,514 12,340 213,854 1,069
Roosevelt 312 17.32 284,861 14,475 299,336 959
Penn 313 17.32 285,499 15,557 301,056 962
Twain 314 17.28 284;660 13,824 298,484 951
Kirkwood 317 17.24 284,222 19,096 303,318 957
Horn 341 17.22 2833,902 20,382 304,284 892
V ville Central 372 20.06 329,227 20,382 349,609 940
Hoover 382 2.1.77 356,516 13,824 370,340 969
Leine 385 19.53 320,768 16,188 336,956 875
Wood 417 23.01 376,106 15,959 392,065 940
Lucas 453 ' 24.71 an3,236 18,068 421,304 930
22 DISTRICT MEAN PER PUPIL COST.... 1,002.75
MICROFILMED BY
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E
Role of School Size and `,!t (cont'd)
CHART 8
This chart reflects operational costs. Utilities include water and sewer, gas,
electricity, and basic phone rates. The costs for these utilities are based on the
total costs for each school during the entire 1977-78 fiscal year. Last year's costs
were used to show costs for the entire year. While we have applied last year's cost
to this year's enrollment, the resulting error will generally be in the direction of
showing lower per pupil costs than are actually occurring. With the exception of
Coralville Central, Horn, Kirkwood, and Lemme, all enrollments are lower than last
year and utility costc are up. Therefore, the per pupil cost will be greater than
that shown when this year's figures are complete. We did maintaintain this year's
enrollment to enable us to combine all costs for total figures.
Operations staff costs included
workers. Skilled employees
only building
and grounds
custodians
employees were
and building food service
not included in these costs.
SCHOOL
N STUDENTS
1/12/79
UTILITIES
OPERATIONS TOTAL PER
STAFF(Food OPERATIONS PUPIL
Serv.,Custod.) COST COST
Mann
l53
$13,816
$24,693
$38,509
$252
Lincoln
156
7 259
18,085
25,344
162
Sabin
169
9,243
19,528
28,771
170
Hills
186
11,291
19,578
30z869
166
Shimek
198
10,941
19,402
30 343
153
Longfellow
200
14,407
24,182
38,589
193
Roosevelt
312
11,931
24,743
36,674
118
Penn
313
9,654
24,630
34,284
110
Twain
314
13,690
24 693
38,383
122
Kirkwood
317
10,049
24,693
34,742
110
Horn
341
13,211
24,743
37,954
111
C_Central
372
12 313
24,668
36.981
99
Hoover
382
11,920
25,154
37 074
97
Lemme
385
11 333
24 693
36,026
94
Wood
417
16 291
24,642
40,933
98
Lucas
453
14,326
24,743
39 069
86
OPERATIONS
MEAN PER PUPIL
COST 134
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23
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES U IBES
24
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
Role of School Size and Cost (cont'd)
CHART C
Chart C simply combines both Chart A and Chart B into a
considering the
major expenses for the buildings.
cost per pupil
per building
SCHOOL k STUDENTS STAFF OPERATIONS
1/12/79
SCHOOL
PER
COSTS COSTSTOTAL
Mann
PUPIL
COST
153 $188,837 $38 ,508
Llncoln
$227,345
$1,486
156 175,661 25,344
Sabin 169201,005
1,288
Hills 186 197,608 28,771
226,379
1,340
192,809 30,869
Shime_198
223,678
1,203
199,919 30,343
Longfellow 200
230,262
1,163
213,854
Roosevelt 38°588
312
252,442
1,262
299,336
Penn 313 36,674
336,010
1,077
301,056 34,284
Twain 314
335,340
1,071
298,484 38,382
Kirkwood 317336,866
1,073
303,318 34,742
Horn
oCentral 341
338,060
1,066
304,284 37,954
372
342,238
1,004
349,609 36,980
Hoover 382
386,589
1,039
Lemme 385 370,340 37,073
407,413
1,067
336,956 36,026
Wood
372,982
969
417 392,065 40,933
Lucas
432,998
1,038
i 453 421,304 39,069
460,373
1,016
i MEAN PER
I
PUPIL COST...
$1,135
i
Examination of each of these charts will reveal that each school
has a per pupil cost above the district
under 300
mean and each school
I per pupil cost below the district
over 300 pupils
population
has
mean.
a
IIt is also obvious that while the relationship between student population
Pupil cost is not absolutely, indirectly
and per
correlated, it is quite close. Furthermore,
the per pupil costs would appear to be somewhat
differences.
significant in the size of
The smallest school cost 131% of the district
I operate, while at Lucas,
the
per
mean. the largest school, per pupil costs
pupil mean
are 89% of the
cost to
district
While the above savings are obvious, it should be pointed out
savings seem to also be
that
some intangible
a realistic consideration. An example would involve media
supplies. Instead of duplication
of certain items at all sixteen
items (magazine subscriptions,for example) duplicated
the same
media centers,
at fewer buildings would allow
dollars presently spent to purchase a richer range
While this type
of
of savings doesn't show in actual dollars, it
of materials selection in
materials for students.
is reflected
each of the remaining schools.
in
quality
24
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
I
There have been several questions raised relative to the administration's estimated
savings to the school district if elementary schools are closed. Our savings estimates
are based on 1978-79 budget costs and do not include savings that may be realized
through attrition of teaching staff. Consequently, the following estimates should be
viewed as conservative:
SAVINGS FROM CLOSING SABIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1978-79 Budgeted Costs
Salaries:
Principal
Secretary
Custodians
Librarian
Library Clerk
Fringe Benefits
Playground & Lunch Supervisors
Safety Patrol
Electricity
Gas
Telephone
Water and Sewer
Total
$22,360
7,340
16,910
6,910
4,560
7,550
1,620
500
4,810
7,770
1,060
410
I
SAVINGS FROM CLOSING LINCOLN ELEM. SCHOOL
1978-79 Budgeted Costs
Salaries:
IN CLOSING
INCREASE
Principal
$12,327
I, Release Time
6,533
Administrative Stipend
11000
Secretary
8,352
Custodians
14,675
Librarian
7,663
Library Clerk
Fringe Benefits
2,421
Playground & Lunch Supervisors
6,886
1,620
Safety Patrol
500
Electricity
4,500
265
Gas
Telephone
4,100
Water and Sewer
2,165
310
Total
72,817
SAVINGS FROM CLOSING MANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1978-79 Budgeted Costs
Salaries:
Principal $24,825
Secretary 6,784
Custodians 18,350
Librarian 6,633
Library Clerk 4,922
Fringe Benefits 7,997,620
Playground & Lunch Supervisors 1
Safety Patrol
Electricity 500
8,500
Gas 8,850
015
Telephone 1,275
Water and Sewer 300
Total 90,071
COST PER YEAR BASED ON 6% ANNUAL INCREASE
School Sabin Mann Lincoln
1978-79 81,800 90,071 72,817
1979-80 86,708 95,475 77,186
1980-81 91,910 101,204 81,817
1981-82 97,425 107,276 86,726
1982-83 103,270 113,713 91,930
1983-84 109,466 116,994 97,446
ACCUMULATED SAVINGS
ASSUMING 6% PER YEAR
IN CLOSING
INCREASE
THREE ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLS
IN EXPENDITURES OVER 1978-79
COSTS
1979-80
1980-81
1981-82
1982-83
1983-84
Plan A 86,708
Plan B
173,416
367,400
561,384
852,814
86,700
173,416
346,430
519,864
810,292
25
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MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -OLS n010ES
i
QULSTIOPI: JRANSPORTAT10Tg7
Iranspor'tdtlm' costs for 1978-79 are based on a flat rate per bus of $9540. The
majority of buses operated by the Iowa City Coach Company are 60 capacity rated.
Currently, 19 of the 48 vehicles used for transportation are assigned to dual
routes.
The following is an estimate of the maximum increases in transportation costs if
Plan A or Plan B were implemented('):
1979-80 1980-81 1981-82
1982-83 1983-84
Plan A
-0- -0- 12,695 13,965 45,720
Plan B -0- -0-
25,390 27,930 45,720
j The following is an estimate of the maximum accumulated transportation costs if
Plan A or Plan B were implemented:
1979-80 1980-81 1981-82 1982-83
j Plan A 1983-84
{ -0- -0- 12,695 26,660(2)
Plan B 72,380
f -0- -0- 25,390 53,320
99,040
1
� 1 A -
( ) Assumes no efficiency savings, e.g, dual routes. Also assumes a 10% increase
in costs per year.
(2) We are confident that the maximum transportation costs can be reduced significantly.
For example: given the present conditions, we would be able to expand a dual route and
eliminate the need for an additional bus in 1981-82, 1982-83, and 1983-84 for Mann
students (Plan A), thereby reducing the maximum accumulated transportation costs by
$42,021. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect the maximum accumulated transportation
costs if Plan A were implemented to be $30,359.
i
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
1
QUESTION: SALE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY?
In discussing the possible sale of school property and the use of the proceeds there of, it is
necessary to distinguish between governmental and non-governmental buyers. Under the
provisions of Chapter 28E and Section 297.22 of The Code of Iowa, the district can sell
property to another governmental agency without a vote of the people. Proceeds from the
sale must be placed in the schoolhouse fund and use of the money would be restricted to the
some purposesas that permitted for the 67J cent levy and the site funds
The sale of any school district property of a value in excess of $10,000 to a non-governmental
buyer requires the approval of the electorate as provided in Code Section 278.1(2). In addi-
tion to directing the sale, lease, or other disposition of any schoolhouse, site, or other
property belonging to the district, the voters may also direct the application to be made of the
proceeds thereof. This apparently would include placement in the general fund where it could
then be used for regular operating expenses.
27
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RANDS -DES 1101RCS
QUESTION: USE OF THE 671- CENT I EVV9
In September 1974 the voters in the Iowa City school election approved for a ten year period a
levy of not to exceed 67� cents per $1,000 of taxable valuation.
renewed and expanded authority was used was fiscal year 1975-76 the first year in which the
this tax vote will be 1984-85. The amount the le The last effective year of
ncrea
change in valuations. For next year it will be in excess of $500,pO0ses each year with the
The levy is not automatic. The Board of Directors must certify the levy each year when they
adopt the budget. They may certify all of it, a part of it or none of it. Unexpended funds
I may be carried forward from year to year. However, in any year the Board should decide to
not use the authority or not levy the maximum amount then that degree of authority would be
lost forever.
The 671 cent levy money is a part of the schoolhouse fund. In accordance with Section 278.1(7)
of The Code of Iowa, it may be used for the purchase of grounds, construction of schoolhouses
or buildings, the payment of debts contracted for the erection or construction of schoolhouses or
buildings, not including interest on bonds. For the procurement or acquisition of libraries, for
opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings, for the purchase of buildings ore ui
ings or schoolhouses and for the purpose of repairing, remodelinreconstruction, S pmimp for build -
expanding the schoolhouses or buildings for the school district. It may beused to land Cape,roVin or
pave, or improve the schoolhouses or building grounds, or for the rental of facilities from other
governmental bodies. Interest earned from investment of these funds maybe used for the
Purposes voted.
M
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•Dr.S MOINES
'-1
QUESTION: ENRICHMENT TAX?
Section 442.14, Code of Iowa, does permit a local Board of Education to
raise the district's budget a maximum of 5% through an "enrichment" tax.
This additional tax does have to be approved by the voters and can be
approved for a maximum of five years. The tax may be used only for
"educational research, curriculum maintenance or development, or
innovative programs."
29
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MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DES 140INES
QUESTION: IMPACT ON TITLE I FUNDS?
Will the school district lose any Federal funds such as Title I, ESEA, if one or
more schools qualifying for Title I programs are closed? The answer is "no." The
state educational agency notifys each school district of the Title I allocation for
each fiscal year, which is based on the number of children from low income families
living within the school district. It is the responsibility of the school district
to submit programs for approval that will be offered at schools where children can
best be served and in schools that have the greatest need.
30
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DES MOINES
i QUESTION: REALLOCATION - PRIORITY ITEMS?
If a school building were closed thus freeing resources to make improvements in the
district, what would these improvements be? The following priorities have been
recommended:
1. INSTRUCTIONAL BUDGET
The buildings' ilistructional supply budgets have not been increased in the past
i
four (4) years. These amounts per pupil are:
i
Elementary $44.20
Junior High 53.50
Senior High 60.50
I would hope to provide at least a $5 per pupil increase effective in 1979/80:
Elementary $23,865 increase
Junior High 9,600 increase
Senior High 9,510 increase
$42,975
2. GIFTED AND TALENTED
A priority established for this year was the determination of guidelines for a
district gifted and talented program. Although these guidelines are still being
developed, it is anticipated that we will need funds to provide the programming
desired. The following is a tentative budget for 1979/80:
Coordination (half-time) $ 91000
Materials for classrooms 5,000
Inservice 2,000
Pilot Programs 5,000
Saturday class
Summer school
Individual assistance
One-week programs (fall/spring)
Identification/evaluation 11000
$22,000
3. JUNIOR HIGH READING PROGRAM
We would like to supplement the developmental reading program at the junior high
level by the addition of a LARS staff position that would serve the three schools:
Junior High LARS $17,000
31
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DES NOIRES
L
REALL....ATION - PRIORITY ITEMS P.2
4. MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS
.There is need to increase the number of people in the physical plant to deal with
maintenance problems. Additional help is especially needed in our carpenter shop
and in our paint crew:
Increased Maintenance and Operations $22,000
i
In addition to these priorities, we expect to need additional money in the maintenance
and operations area to buffer the impact of inflation.
ii
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MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOIIIES
UESTION: ALTERNATIVE USES F K BUILDINGS CLOSED?
A final decision regarding the alternative uses for buildings that are closed has not been
made. In developing a recommendation for Board consideration, the following will be taken
into account:
I
I. The district currently spends $46,620 yearly for rental property to house the follow-
ing programs:
Administrative Building Month Year
j C.E.E.C. TT40 17,280*
P.S. 94 600 7,200
Auto Mechanics 625 7,500
Physical Plant Building 550 6,600
Rent 460 5,520
*Plus Annual Property TTax lIncrease
44,100
2,520
TOTAL 46,620
2. The compatibility of the program with the vacated school site must be considered.
3. The location of the school vacated and its proximity to other district facilities.
One recommendation consistent with Plan A or B, would result in P.S.
relocated in Sabin School. If this were to happen, the result
occur: N4 and CI pact being
following financial impact would
I. Savings from closing Sabin Elementary School (refer to Page 9 for more
detailed information):
Total $81,800
2• Savings if CEEC and PSN4 occupied the building:
Rent 14,700
Electricity 1,265
Gas 2,160
Custodian 720
Total 18,845
3. Added cost if CEEC and PSy4 occupied the building:
Custodian 4,100
Electricity 4,810
Gas 7,770
Water & Sewer 410
Total 17,090
4. Net savings with CEEC and PSN4 in the building:
TOTAL $83,555
This savings affects the accumulated savings (see page 9). No major renovation
is needed to house CEEC and PSy4 in Sabin School.
33
IIICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 14011JES
I
j
I Revised 10/18
I
QUESTION: SCHOOL CAPACITY OF EACH SCHOOL?
The capacity of each school was updated in November 1978.
This data reveals that the district has a maximum capacity
for over 6,000 elementary students. This compares with the
1978 elementary enrollment of 4717 students and the projected
elementary enrollment for 1983 of approximately 3900 students.
The following is the classroom space analysis for the district:
CLASSROOM SPACE AIIALYS15
SCHOOL _
C (ty. Iltgh ,
1
No. of
Per1rancnt
Classrooms
or Clusters
2 14
1 No. of Total No.
PO ab of
Class- Class-
rooms rooms
I _T_'__6
Square I't. Square Ft.
Ar -a cf Area of
Permanent Portable.
Classrooms Classrooms
Total Sq.
Ft. Area
of All
Clasyrooms
7
Enrollaent
9/19
840
—F—
Maximum
Enrol lnunt
with No
lrm nraries
850
Maximum
Enrollment
with Present
TenuLinrpr1c2
950
37 5 42 34.554 3,388
37,942
lleit_tli'h_,_
Central Jr. Iii
57
20
1
6
58
26I17
54,516
071
486
5.096
55 002
22,161
996
393
1,200
350
_
_1,200
500
Nnrtliwest Jr. Ili
32
3
35
36,556
2160
38,71G
790
175
050
South East Jr.lii
C'ville Central
26
19
10
0
36
19
26,351
15.304 _
7_061
0
33,412 _
737
700_
940
15 304
392
_
450
Hills
13
0
13
12.357
0
12.357
161
300
Hoover
20
0
20
16,600
0
16 600
386
475
Horn
16
1
17.
12,300
700
13,000
347
375
400
Kirkwood
15,
0
15
11.900
0
11 900
316
350
Lemnc__
5 Dods
2
17
15 0001
200
16,200
383
475
1 500
Lincoln
9
1
10
10,507
600
11,107
165
240
1 265
Loegfcllow
]a
0
18
15 135
0
�-135 _
222
425_
Lucas
.
17 pus
1 cluster
2
_23
10,689
1,480
_ -
_20
0
_2016,308
_ 0
_ 16 300 _
__1 4
450
Leen_
_15
0
15
13.560
0
13.560
305
350__
_
Romcvelt
17
0
17
11.400
0
11.400
319
_
375_
Sabin
11 1
0
11
9,240
0
9,240
175
_
260
Shimek . _
_ 9
0
9
9 225
0
9 225
197
140
Twain
20
0
20
18.583
0
18.588
323
440
Wood
2K +
4 pods
3
14
16.411
2,100
18,511
416
450
_
525
34
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
QUESTION: SCHOOL SIZE?
The question of the ideal size for schools has been debated for decades. During this
period of rising school costs and declining school enrollments, the discussiop f this
question has increased. The following information from an ERS Research Briefll� is
germane to our interest in this question in Iowa City:
"Much of the research on school and school district size has been based on the
premise that there is an optimum or ideal size for schools and districts. Most
investigators have looked for an ideal size in terms of quality of program and/or
economy of costs." (p.l)
it
A research study leading to the tecommen-
dation that schools enrolling fewer than 300
Pupils should be eliminated was conducted by
the Montgomery County (Maryland) School System
in 1973. A task force of 23 schoolmen, laymen,
and government officials reviewed available
literature, held discussions with teachers and
principals, surveyed the community and selected
Junior high school students, examined school -
wide achievement test data, and analyzed cost
data. The discussions with teachers and prin-
cipals yielded the following list of advantages
and disadvantages of small elementary schools
(schools with less than 300 pupils):
Advantages
• The small school, especially one
with declining enrollment and
uneven distribution of children
in grades, is more likely to
utilize innovative teaching
methods and to encourage indi-
vidual teaching and open class-
room situations with working
groups that cut across grade levels.
(1) A SUMMARY OF RESEARCH ON SIZE OF
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS
(ERS 1974 Research Brief)
35
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 1101NES
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• The small school is more likely
to develop an "emerging staff,"
that is, one that reaches out to
take on adminlstrative responsi-
bilities and has a voice in run-
ning the school.
• Small schools provide a "family
atmosphere" in which teachers
can know all of the children in
the school and many of their
parents and develop close, sup-
portive relationships with both
groups.
a The community has a close rela-
tionship to the school and is
likely to provide volunteers
rgndother support to the school,
wh.i�.h may serve as a community
center.
• The principal knows the staff
well and can make maximum use
of individual talents.
• Staff members are aware of hap-
penings in the entire school
and feel a part of it; a child
may know students on more grade
levels than would be the case
in a larger school, thereby
contributing to overall social
development.
• Present staffing policies allot
a full-time principal regard-
less of school size and an addi-
tional teaching position to
elementary schools of less than
300 students with the result
that more professional staff is
available per pupil.
Dlxndvant,•gjvs
• Staffing n small school can some-
times be. difficult. When enroll-
ment is declining and pupils are
not evenly distributed by grade,
allocating staff may result in
awkward combinations.
• If there is only one teacher per
grade (or grouping), little choice
of teacher or teaching method is
available to tho student.
• A smaller professional staff has
proportionally fewer diverse
approaches and specialties to
offer; staff members have fewer
colleagues with whom to share
ideas and experiences,
• Children are limited in contacts
with. others because the student
body of a small school is more
likely to be homogeneous than
that of a larger school, as it
may draw from a smaller geo-
graphic area.
• In small schools, specialists
have less opportunity to group
children with related problems.
Since the specialist has to
divide time between several small
schools, time is lost in travel,
and there is less opportunity to
know the students.
• Since funds for books and materials
are supplied on a uniform dollar
per pupil formula for all schools,
small schools are able to purchase
fewer items and thus offer less
variety of books, materials, and
equipment. '
The task force drew the following con-
clusions:
• As school size decreases, per -
pupil costs gradually increase
until the school size reaches
300-500. At that point, the
costs start to increase more
sharply so that a school with
36 about 200 students will cost,
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
:4
k
1
_n the average, 20 per cent more
Ter student than a school with
300 students, and 25 per cent
more than a school with 500-600
students.
• The variation in per -pupil costs
for schools of the same size is
comparable with variations in
average cost for schools of dif-
ferent alze. For example, an
"inexpensive" school wlth 250
Pupils costs as little per -pupil
as a typical school with 300 to
325 students and less than an
expensive school with 350 or more
students.
• About two-thirds of the increased
cost of small schools is attrib-
utable to cost of professional
staff. Specifically, (1) current
practices call for one principal
for a school regardless of size;
and (2) an additional teacher is
allocated to small schools in
order to avoid large classes and
to provide flexibility for special
situations.
• The second major factor accounting
for the increased cost of small
schools is the added costs of
other staff: secretaries, aides,
and building services employees. 1)
(p• 8-9-11)
A summary of other recommendations found in a survey of professional literature
regarding the size of elementary schools includes:
Source Recommendation
American Federation of 500 pupils optimum
Teachers, 1974 800 pupils maximum
Montgomery County(Maryland) 300 pupils minimum
Small Schools Task Force, 1973
Maltby, et al, 1972 400-600 pupils optimum
Whitt, 1978 Minimu f 300 5
m o - 00 pupils in K-6;
Maximum of 900
Purdy, 1968 Minimum of 300; optimum of 500;
Maximum of 750 (K-8)
Morphet, Johns, and Reller(1967) 200-700 pupils in K-6
George Peabody College Minimum 240; optimum 500-720 (3 sections)
for Teachers, 1965
37
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLHR
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
It is my opinion that an optimum size for elementary schools in Iowa City, given the
present conditiorvand what we expect in the future, would be 300-500 pupils. This
does not imply that I think schools are ineffective if a school is smaller than
300 pupils. It does mean that I believe there are certain advantages to a school
of this size including:
1.) Staffing a small school can be difficult. When enrollment is declining and
pupils are noc evenly distributed by grade, allocating staff can result
in undesirable combinations. Often combinations are created for efficiency
rather than effective reasons.
2.) Instructional funds for books and materials are provided schools on a
uniform dollar amount per pupil. Small schools are able to purchase
fewer items and thus, offer less variety of books, materials, and equip-
ment. The library area is an excellent example of this problem.
3.) If there is only one teacher per grade (or grouping), little choice of
teacher or teaching method is available to the student and/or parent.
4.) The staff of a small school has proportionally fewer diverse approaches
and specialties to offer. The teachers have fewer colleagues with whom to
share ideas and experiences.
5.) In small schools, children have limited contacts with others because the
student body of a small school is more likely to be homogeneous.
6.) In small schools, the specialists have less opportunity to become part of
the staff and to integrate their specialty into the regular school program.
In addition, the specialists have to divide their time between other schools
and time is lost in travel that could be available for students.
Input from principals regarding the questions of efficiency and effectiveness as they
relate to "size" was sought. In a three-part exercise, the principals were asked:
1) to identify advantages and disadvantages of maintaining ALL ATTENDANCE CENTERS;
2) to individually prioritize the advantages and disadvantages listed; and 3) to
reach a group consensus on a priority ranking of the advantages and disadvantages.
The results of this exercise clearly indicate that from the building principals'
perceptives, maintaining all attendance centers will: reduce program opportunities
and produce ineffective student placement (effectiveness reasons); and produce
higher operational costs and unnecessary duplication of costs (efficiency reasons).
Attachments - 2
Ki
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES HOMES
4
;lC"v
UJ 0
10/78
RE: MAINTAIN ALL ATTENDANCE CENTERS
t_5_
Increased opportunity for participation in schoolactivities for students and parents.
Fewer discipline problems due to increased supervis'ic
Neighborhood schools closer to students' homes.
Increased camaraderie and individual attention becaus
"everyone knows everyone."
Improved cooperation with less competition.
Easier to schedule/arrange for special activities,
e.g. field trips.
Facilities with less than maximum capacity have space
available for special projects and programs.
_Keeping all schools open will help maintain
community harmony.
=Smaller classes are possible if staffing subsidies
were available to maintain self-contained classes.
No principal RIF necessary if all buildings
maintained.
additional busing would be required.
additional buildings need to be built.
RESULTS OF INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
BY BUILDING PRINCIPALS.
DISADVANTAGES
/ Program opportunities will be* reduced.
_Difficult to maintain quality of performance groups.
Increased travel for staff:tearhers shared by two
or more buildings.
_Staffing because of expediency rather than qualificat-
s Specials e.g. P.E., become fractional staff and not a
real part of a school team.
Multiage grouping and/or combination classes may no*ft
a desirable alternative.
J. Limited resources will result in fewer courses at the
secondary level.
=Neighborhood schools are not always a cross section
of students.
Single section schools too sma;l.
=Too small schools pose scheduling problems.
—A_Ineffective student placement/groupings: no choice.
S�Inefficient class sizes, e.g. 14 and 15 students per
section.
17Increased staff travel costs: mileage and time lost.
_LHigher operational costs, e.g. maintenance, energy!
3 District is paying unnecessary rental., e.g. board `
office, CEEC, PSN4.
.5_Less flexibility in use of resources, e.g. program
development, Title IV.
.t Unnecessary duplication of costs: administration,
special education, equipment, etc.
—± -Per pupil costs are higher in small buildings.
Co -curricular programs more costly on per pupil basis.
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 110IIIEs
1
10/78
RE: MAINTAIN ALL ATTENDANCE CENTERS
RESULTS OF GROUP CONSENSUS RANKINGS
BY BUILDING PRINCIPALS.
MUM111nuc
DISADVANTAGES
'Increased opportunity for participation in school.
v Program opportunities will be reduced.
activities for students and parents.
Fewer discipline problems due to increased supervision
Difficult to maintain quality of performance groups. _
Increased
_Neighborhood schools closer to students' homes.
travel for staff:teachers shared by two
or more buildings.
,Increased camaraderie and individual attention because
"everyone
Staffing because of expediency rather than qualificat,
knows everyone.
cooperation with less competition.
_Specials e.g. P.E., become fractional staff and not a
_Improved
Easier to schedule/arrange for special activities,
real part of a school team.
✓ Multiage grouping and/or combination classes may not I
e.g. field trips.
'Facilities with less than maximum capacity have space
a desirable alternative.
_Limited resources will result in fewer courses �'
available for special projects and programs.
at
secondary level.
Keeping all schools open will help maintain
community harmony.
schools are not always a cross section
Smaller classes are possible if staffing subsidies
of
of students.
Single section schools too small.
were available to maintain self-contained classes.
No principal RIF
Too small schools pose scheduling problems.
necessary if all buildings
maintained:
✓ Ineffective student placement/groupings: no choice.
—
A
O
additional busing would be required.
additional buildings need to be built.
_Inefficient class sizes, e.g. 14 and 15 students per
section.
Increased staff travel costs: mileage and time lost.
v Higher operational costs, e.g. maintenance, energy.—
District is paying unnecessary rental,, e.g. board
office, CEEC, PSN4.
_Less flexibility in use of resources, e.g. program
development, Title IV.
VUnnecessary duplication of costs: administration,
special education, equipment, etc.
Per pupil costs are higher in small buildings.
Co -curricular programs more costly on per pupil basis.
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
1
QUESTION: CONSIDERATIONS( USED WHEN DETERMINING WHICH BUILDINGS TO CLOSE?
Many factors enter into the decision to close a school. Deciding to close a school is
only the first step; which school to close is the second. Universally accepted
criteria(2) for determining which building(s) will be closed do not exist. However,
it does appear that the final determination of which building(s) will be closed
revolves around efficiency factors and politics.
The administration identified the following considerations when determining which
buildings would be recommended for closure:
1. The enrollment and projected enrollment for each building.
2. The physical features of each building, e.g. site, playground, etc.
3. The proximity to another school.
4. The impact on the neighborhood/community if the building were to close.
5. Program effectiveness resulting from part-time staff, e.g. specials.
6. Program efficiency resulting from unnecessary duplication, e.g. media resources.
7. The impact on the educational opportunities available in the district.
Each school was compared with the other six smallest schools and a numerical value
was assigned to each school for each consideration. The following numerical values
were applied:
Consideration #.
I Rank Order
School 1(3) 2 3 4 5 6(4) 7 Total to Close
Hills 5/2 6 6 6 4 1 1 29/26 6
Lincoln 2/5 3 5 3 2 1 1 17/20 3
Longfellow 6/6 4 3 5 6 1 1 26/26 5
Mann 1/4 2 2 4 1 1 1 12/15 2
Sabin 4/1 1 1 1 3 1 2 13/10 1
Shimek 3/3 5 4 2 5 1 1 21/24 4
I
The use of this system of assigning numerical values for each consideration for each
school was intended to help make a rational decision about a highly emotional topic.
As you review this data, it is important to remember that a qualitative analysis of
categorical considerations is relative, not absolute.
(1) Consideration for this response is defined as a circumstance to be taken into account,
to think about, examine mentally, keep in mind.
(2) Criteria for this response is defined as a standard by which a correct judgement
can be made, a measure for distinguishing between perfect or imperfect.
(3) The first number represents a comparison of projected enrollment for 1983-84 school
year, while the second number represents a comparison of the number of students
able to walk to the assigned school.
(4) No significant difference, e.g. all six schools have .5 media.
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4Ut3IIUw: rtnIUnt3 WUNU IN tLtu tlInm 3tnUUL3:
A question has been raised regarding which elementary schools have certain features found at Sabin
Elementary as a part of their school "program." The following information from elementary
principals is a response to this question:
"FEATURES"
1. Multi-age grouping.
2. Ability streaming, subject by subject.
3. Individualized instruction for students with problems in particular subjects or
with socialization disabilities.
4. Peer teaching (older students helping teams of younger kids).
5. Regular experiential learning experiences within the community.
6. Intensive instruction in overnight experiences.
7. Open learning centers/open classrooms.
8. Individual study programs demanding children learn research skills not only
in media centers but outside the school as well, giving students large scale
nonfiction writing instruction.
9. Fiction reading programs which stress "deep -structure."
10. Cultural enrichment programs, schoolwide, such as Sabin's "Music Days" and
"International Days."
11. Preschool program (at least recreation, preferably instruction and hobby
clubs as well).
12. Non -A ERP after-school programs (at least instruction, preferably with
outdoor/environmental segments as well).
13. Direct parental involvement in specialized instruction.
14. Direct community resource personnel involvement in specialized instruction.
15. Title I buildings which have at least some of these features.
"FEATURES"
SCHOOL 1 7 3 a r r 7 v n in 11 in ,� ,. 11
C'_ville Cent.
X
X
XX
X
X
X
IT
X
IJ
X
Hills
X
X
X
X
Hoover
X
X
X
X
X
Horn
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Kirkwood
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Lemme
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Lincoln
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Lon fellow
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Lucas
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Mann
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Penn
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Roosevelt
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Shimek
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Twain
X
X
X
X
X
EX
X
X
Wood
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
42
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIOS•DES rioluEs
QUESTION: ELEMENTARY STUDENTS BUSED?
'I The pupil transportation policy for the district is detailed in
Board Policy 702.1. Essentially, this
elementary�; Policy provides that
P pits shall be entitled to transportation only if they
live more than two (2) miles from the school designated for
attendance. Exceptions are made
for education and when safety conditions warrant,
n requiring special
In the 1978-79 school year, 855 elementary students are provided
transportation to the following schools:
School Number of Students Bused
C'ville Central
Hills 93
Kirkwood 139
Lemme 49
Lucas 3176
Mann
Penn 19
Roosevelt 190
Shimek 97
Twain 85
76
Total 855
The University finances the cost in providing two buses from the
University Motor Pool to transport approximately 100 students living
in Hawkeye Drive, Hawkeye Court, and Hawkeye Park to and from
Coralville Central.
43
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES PIOINES
1
UESTION: OPEN ENROLLMENT POLICY?
The school district allows for "open enrollment" in accordance
with Board Policy 501.6. In 1978-79 there are 676 students attending
schools other than their assigned school. The following chart details
this information:
1978-79
NUMBER OF TRANSFER STUDENTS ATTENDING
'
SCHOOLS OTHER THAN ASSIGNED ATTENDANCE CENTER
tCC
TRANSFER TOj
o
u
5
Lm
c
Ec
b
B
- - Assigned
Center V _
_
.;
•, 2:`= J
3
L
J J J•• ga,
E In N ,
Coralvllle Cen.
1
16 25 2$41
Hills
B 14 2 2
1
73
Hoover
2
1
4 3
7
18
7 4HornKlritwood
11
1
12t
Lemma
1
15
Lincoln
Oz
LL
1
2
8 1
1
13
1
2 2
3
Long(ctivw
6
13 1
3 1 1 2 2
3 56 2 4
87
Lucas
Mann
4
4 2 2
2 3 2
5
24
$�
1
2
3 q
2 15 Il
36
Penn
F
q
2 3 2 1 1
I 11
1
27•
Roosevelt
Sabin
17 1 2
11 1 2
2
34 .
Shimok
i
5
4
3
Twein
1
••
2
6
Wood
1
1
4S rr--3
1 1
17
7
36
I
1 3
_ 5 1 7
20
Totals
17 0 126
38 33 14 2 23 17 16 1
30 139 34 21
28
437
•
(Enrollment Goin from Other Center;)
CJH
NW SE
CH Will
- Control
3U 13 City illoh
71
Nortimcit
10
•3
Watt High
74
• South East
27
9
•
—
—
(Goin)
TOTALS
37
39 16
(Goin)
.
TOTAL I:-12 -
676
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44
FIICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOVIES
QUESTION: EFFECT ON STAFFING/CLASS SIZE?
The closing of one or more elementary schools will not affect the way schools are
staffed. This means that we hope (budget permitting) to retain our present staffing
ratio of 19.9 to 1 for elementary schools. Also, we hope to be able to provide
i
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staffing supplements (budget permitting) as the need arises.
45
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MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES tI01HEs
QUESTION: ACCESSIBILITY TO SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR THE HANDICAPPED?
The two .recently enacted laws dealing with education for the handicapped are:
P.L.94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975; and Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These two laws are frequently considered one and
the same; actually, they are two separate laws that are closely related. Facility
accessibility is specifically a part of Section 504:
1. Section 504 addresses itself to providing greater opportunity for the physically
and mentally handicapped to have access to and participate in activities that
are accepted by the majority of our citizens as unquestionable rights.
2. This law was designed to change those situations where equal opportunity is not
afforded to handicapped individuals by altering the discriminating conditions.
Specifically, these regulations address issues of primary importance to the
well-being of handicapped individuals - issues of education, employment, access
to and use of facilities, and social services.
3. The laws are complex and detailed, but, as of this date, we are working toward
full compliance with all rules and regulations.
4. Certain attendance centers in the school district have been designated to accommo-
date the needs of the physically handicapped student. These schools are Kirkwood Elem.,
Northwest Junior High, West High, Longfellow Elementary (hearing impaired), and
j the Nelson Developmental Center. All school facilities do not need to be
barrier -free or accessible if an alternative arrangement can provide equal
opportunities.
46
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DES 110I11ES
1
QUESTION: 1978/79 KINDERbARTEN FREEZE?
In April, 1978, following the district's kindergarten roundup activities, it became
apparent that the district was going to experience a significant enrollment decrease
in kindergarten for the 1978-79 school year. In fact, in April 1978, it appeared
that the district could have fewer than 600 kindergarten students when school
started the following fall. Once this problem became apparent, a temporary "hold"
was placed on all transfer requests for kindergarten students. Parents were told
that notification of approval of 1978-79 kindergarten transfer requests would be
made prior to the end of the school year, but until follow-up activities related to
kindergarten roundup were complete, no transfers were going to be approved. This
temporary hold on kindergarten transfers was necessary to avoid staffing problems
and to ensure conformity with Board Policy 501.3. The "freeze" on kindergarten
transfers was lifted in May, 1978.
During the time the hold/freeze was in effect, those parents wishing to enroll
their children in kindergarten at Sabin were placed on a waiting list. Once the
freeze was lifted, their requests for a transfer were approved. Prior to the I
April "freeze" preliminary plans had been made to hold one section of kindergarten f
at Sabin. A tentative maximum enrollment of 22 students was established. In my
opinion the temporary hold on kindergarten transfers had a negligible impact i
because the official enrollment for Sabin's kindergarten was 19 students.
I
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MICROFILMED BY
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ba
QUESTION: OPTIONS FOR POTENTIALLY OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS?
The problem of population shifts affects four elementary school
attendance areas which have been identified as having a great
potential to become overcrowded during the next five years.
The following contingency plans deal with the problem:
School Contingency Plan
Lucas Redirect bus route from Lucas to Hoover or
another school.
Penn Identify a part of River Heights that would be
assigned to another school
Horn Redefine Horn's boundaries and assign students
from newly developed areas south and west of
Horn (TynCae and Bryn Manor) to another school.
Restrict transfers into Horn.
Wood Redefine Wood's boundaries and assign students
from newly developed areas west of Wood (Pepper -
wood) to another school. Restrict transfers into
Wood.
aN
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MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RANDS -DES MOINES
�I
QUESTION: IMPORTANCE OF A FEBRUARY DECISION?
i
It is important for the Board to make any decisions regarding boundary
adjustments, school closings, and relocation of programs as close to
February 1 as possible. A decision is needed because of the impact on
I budget decisions, staffing considerations, and planning for a smooth
opening for the next school year.
i
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I�
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1 �-
RE: FACILITY UTILIZATION STUDY - ORDER OF EVENTS
November 1, 1977
A special meeting of the Board was held and dirtrict enrollment and facility
utilization problems were discussed. The Board directed the administration
to develop alternatives for dealing with the problemthat was identified, and
established cer':ain constraints that were to be considered when developing
alternatives. These included:
1 1. Present school facilities are to be kept open.
2. Bussing is to be utilized as opposed to building new schools.
3. School enrollment is to be balanced.
4. Present and future special education needs are to be considered.
I 5. The open enrollment policy is to remain in effect.
6. In attempting to provide greater utilization of classroom space in
individual schools, bussing students who are already being bused is
to be considered.
7. Data regarding adjustments in the enrollment for elementary and
secondary schools is to be provided.
8. Data regarding each school's utilization of space for regular and
j special programs and services is to be included in the report.
It was stated that the goal was to complete the study in sufficient time for
the Board to make a decision before February 1, 1978.
November 22, 1977
The Board was advised that a meeting had been held with Dr. Rex Honey, GeogrE:phy
Department, University of iowa, relative to the development of alternatives For
dealing with the facility utilization problem.
January13, 1978
A special meeting was held at which Dr. Honey presented several alternatives
for dealing with the Facility Utilization Study for Board consideration. The
Board agreed to study the materials and to further discuss the information a+:
their January 24, 1978, meeting.
January 24, 1978
The Board discussed the alternatives prepared by Dr. Honey which were pre-
sented to them on January 19. The administration was directed to further
refine Plan A, and to develop a Plan C using parts of Plans A and B, taking
into consideraticn the current and future space needs for special education
and bussing costs. It was also recommended that the administration explore
the possibility of building an overhead walkway over the Highway 6 By -Pass.
50
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MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOINES
Pape 2
Fa ity Utilization Study Update
February 14, 1978
Alternatives identified as Plan A and Plan C were reviewed, and suggested
ways for housing special education classes were discussed. A number of concerns
were expressed anci requests were made for additional information, including:
1. The projected enrollment in each school for Plan C.
2. Need for increasing enrollment in current low enrollment schools.
3. More information on bussing alternatives and costs.
4. Consideration of possible closing of one or more schools.
5. Staffing and academic program for regular and special education students
where adjustments in enrollment are made.
February 28, 1978
The Board agreed to delay implementation of a comprehensive redistricting plsn
until the fall of 1979. This decision was based on the fact that several Board
members felt that more time was needed to study the options that were presented
The Board directed the Administration to prepare for the March 14 meeting, a
recommendation to alleviate the overcrowded condition at Penn Elementary School
for the 1978-79 school year.
March 14, 1978
The Board approved an administrative recommendation that changed the attendance
boundaries between Kirkwood Elementary School and Penn Elementary School.
Students living north of I-80 (12th Avenue north to Holiday Road, east on
Holiday Road to 1st Avenue, including Lakewood Village) will be assigned to
Kirkwood Elementary School commencing with the 1978-79 school year. This change
is expected to prevent the enrollment of Penn Elementary School from exceeding
the building capacity.
October 17. 1978
Special meeting to provide an update for the Board, especially the two new Bolyd
members. Update included a review of fall enrollments and 1978 census data. At
this meeting, the Board indicated their desire to continue to work toward a
five-year plan with a decision by December 31, 1978
51
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. uy
Facility Utilization Study Update
November 28, 1978
Special facility utilization study worksession, the purpose of which was for the
Board to establish the direction that the administrative staff should take in
developing specific plans for the next five years that involve keeping all schools
open or closing or converting to alternative uses, one or more attendance centers.
Two options were presented: Option A - Maintain all attendance centers; and
Option B - Close one or more attendance centers.
The Board directed the administration to develop a series of alternatives for
Option B: Close one or more attendance centers.
December 18, 1978
Special facility utilization study worksession, the purpose of which was for the
Board to loot: at the proposals which had been developed for closing elementary
schools.
The Board directed the administration to schedule public meetings during the 1'lonth
of January 1979, at the three schools considerea for closing and that materials
pertinent to the proposals be made available to the public.
January 17-24-29, 1979
Parent Input Meetings.
February 10, 1979
fI Board worksession to discuss input received and administrative responses.
52
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 110 RIES
MINUTES
CITY -UNIVERSITY MEETING
CITY MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM
JANUARY 26, 1979
PERSONS PRESENT: Dennis Kraft, Ray Mossman, Dick Plastino, and Pat Boutelle
Urban Renewal
Mr. Mossman indicated that the University presently has the money for the Belle and
Short property and they are ready to purchase at such time as the City completes all
the necessary legal requirements. Mr. Kraft indicated that at the present time the
City is waiting for an abstract and that at such time as that is received it will be
transmitted to the University and the property will subsequently be conveyed.
Streetscape Project, Part II
Ms. Boutelle indicated that recently there was a meeting held between the University's
consultant and the City's consultant on this project and that the University will
not be commenting until such time as the elevations are received from the City's
landscape consultant, Jack Leaman. Mr. Plastino indicated that this could perhaps
take a period of time because Mr. Leaman is extremely busy doing work for the City
relative to the Block 84 parking ramp design. Ms. Boutelle indicated that the
University is extremely concerned about the elevations of the streets around Blocks
83 and 84.
River Corridor Sewer
Mr. Mossman indicated that the Board of Regents did approve the easement for the
river corridor sewer at their December meeting and that this has not yet gone to the
State Executive Council but that he did not anticipate any problems on this at
this particular time. Mr. Mossman also indicated that at the present time the agree-
ment on services is still pending, although at the present time apparently tentative
agreement has been reached. In any instance, no major problems have been perceived.
Mr. Mossman also indicated that the University does have some questions about the
offset of Madison Street in the vicinity of the Iowa Memorial Union. Mr. Plastino
indicated that Madison Street north of the Market Street intersection will be
narrowed by approximately 10 feet. Ms. Boutelle questioned what would be done
relative to the traffic turning northward off of Market Street. Mr. Plastino in-
dicated that he would review the plans for this project and will check the radius
of the northeast corner of the intersection of Market and Madison.
Melrose Court Closure
Mr. Kraft indicated that a recommendation has just been made from the Planning and
Zoning Commission to the City Council relative to the closure of Melrose Court.
Specifically, the Planning and Zoning Commission is recommending that the street
not be closed until such time as several other actions are taken. Mr. Plastino
indicated that this item will be on the City Council agenda next Tuesday but with
no action scheduled. Mr. Plastino also indicated that this year's City Capital
Improvements Program has allocated an amount of $10,000 for the purpose of improving
the Byington Street -Grand Avenue intersection. Specifically, the southeast corner
DEMO
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES t10InEs
City -University Minutes
January 26, 1979
Page 2
will be widened so as to provide for two lanes from Dyington eastward toward River-
side Drive.
Mr. Mossman indicated that the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended a walk
cycle at the intersection of Melrose and Woolf Avenues. It was stated that there
is a need to evaluate the impact of this on vehicular traffic prior to any action
being taken.
Harrison Street Vacation
Mr. Plastino indicated that all land and easements will go to the University as part
of this transfer. Mr. Mossman indicated that there is still some question relative
to the status of utility easements and the houses served by the utilities in these
easements. He also indicated that further work is being done on this at this time.
Mr. Mossman then indicated that the present schedule indicates that the vacation and
change of title will occur on April 1. He further indicated that if this is delayed
by the State Executive Council, then the April 1 deadline will have to be moved
back.
Respectfully submitted,
AL,
/ \
Dennis R. Kraft
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES IIDINES
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS•DES t40INCs
AGENDA
IOWA CITY PARKS AND RECREATION
COMMISSION
RECREATION CENTER ROOM
8
FEBRUARY 14, 1979 - 7:30
P.M.
7:30
- 7:35
p.m.
-- Approval of the minutes of the January 10, 1979, meeting.
7:35
- 7:45
p.m. --
Public discussion.
7:45
- 8:00
p.m. --
C.I.P. update - Showalter.
8:00
j
- 8:10
p.m. --
Cou nittee reports.
8:10
- 8:50
p.m. --
Commission time - this is the
time to discuss any item
you wish to discuss.
8:50
- 8:55
p.m. --
Chairperson's report.
8:55
- 9:00
p.m. --
Director's report.
9:00
p.m. --
Adjournment.
MICROFILMED BY
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DES t40INCs
Iowa City Human Rights Commission Orientation Session
City Manager's Conference Room
Sunday, February 11, 1979 2:00 PM
Civic Center
Agenda
Human Rights Commission Structure:
A. Historical perspective.
B. Organization.
I. Membership.
2. Ad hoc committee structure.
3. Projects completed.
4. Relationship with City Council.
C. Goals and Objectives FY79.
D. Complaint process.
I. Steps involved.
2. Interrelationship with other enforcement agencies.
E. Staff report.
3 zo
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CEDAR RAPIDS•DLS IIOIDLS
Informal Agenda
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 12, 1979 --- 7:30 p.m.
City Manager's Conference Room
A. Call to Order.
I
B. Public discussion of any item not included on the agenda,
j C. Consideration of the minutes of the meetings of January 29 (informal meeting)
and February 1, 1979.
i
D. Zoning Item:
1. Z-7901. Public discussion of an application submitted by American College
Testing Program, Inc., to rezone a 12 -acre tract of land from a CO Zone
(Commercial Office) to an ORP Zone (Office, Research Park), located northwest
of Highway 1, south of Interstate 80 and westerly of Howard Johnson's;
45 -day limitation period: 3/7/79.
E. Comprehensive Plan Item:
1. Public hearing on an'amendment to change the Comprehensive Land Use Plan
from Office Commercial to Research Park for an area located northwest of
Highway 1, south of Interstate 80, and westerly of Howard Johnson's.
'F. Subdivision Item:
1. S-7903. Public discussion of the final plat of Lyn -Den Heights, Part 2,
located one mile north of Interstate 80 and one-quarter mile east on
Rapid Creek Road and south one-quarter mile.
G. Adjournment.
Regular meeting -- February 15, 1979
32/
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES MOIREs
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Agenda
Board of Adjustment
February 15, 1979 -- 4:30 p.m.
Civic Center Council Chambers
A. Call to Order by Chairperson.
B. Roll Call.
C. Approval of the minutes of the meeting of November 16, 1978.
D. Variance Item:
1. V-7901. Public hearing on an application submitted by Richard Kerber for
a variance in Section 8.10.23A of the Zoning Ordinance (Front Yard) to
permit construction of a single family structure on a lot in the 400 block
of Bayard Street.
2. V-7902. Public hearing on an application.submitted by American College
Testing Program, Inc., for a variance in Sections 8.10.23A (Front Yard),
8.10.18A (Screening), and to allow a lot to be developed without frontage
on a public street for property located at Highway 1 and I-80, westerly
of Howard Johnson's.
E. Other Business.
F. Adjournment.
Next regular meeting -- not scheduled
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MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 1101? S
City of Iowa Ci y'
MEMORANDUM
Date: January 25, 1979
To: Council of Elders
From: Bette Meisel, Program Development Specialist
Re: February Meeting of Council of Elders
Council of Elders
February 14, 1979 1:30 PM
Recreation Center, Meeting Room B
AGENDA
1. Minutes.
2. Formal adoption of standing rules.
3. Collection and discussion of Senior Center survey.
4. Discussion of a possible Older Americans' Day.
5. Election of nominating committee.
6. Review preliminary City budget and space planning for Senior
Center.
7. Update on Ecumenical Housing.
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r \ NO DMEEL MONTHLY RETORT
OUTREACH program moved to indoor locations this =n"The focus of the outreach rogr city The total number of youth served increased by 11; however r clients
accouatdd for the entire increase. The number of county, clients remained
the game. It should be noted that there was a significant increase in
the number of contacts with parents (increased 24r approx.3Wo) and the
number of school -related conflicts (increased 58r aPProx•25%). The
letter statistic is consistent with previous years' experience for this
time of year.
Three referrals were accepted from the Johnson County Court Diversion
program. Susan Duwa has also been involved with some particularly
difficult
trying toycases aesist inaloc tingt have e evaluatsulted ion Juvenile
sources Court
hatiwould
intervention,
allow the young people involved to remain in the community aa as alter-
native to being placed at Toledo.
Craig Bagel has been actively participating in a number of activities
at.West High and has requested that some of his hours at U.A.Y. be
reduced.
In addition to the Young Women's group at U.A,Y.r Susan is developing
a group in Lone Tree. This was in response to a number of requests to explore
up something similar at Northwest. from
clientsofficials.
setting up
Larry and Jim spent more time at the Coralville Recreation Center as
an outreach site. It is not clear at this time whether we can be an
effective resource there. Our impression is that the need to be involved
there in lees than what is needed at.the Iowa City Recreation Center,
SYNTHESIS
Tho Arte Workshop opened officially November n both studios
with a board -
sponsored open house. About 50 pestopped
stopped
during the afternoon and evening, including representatives
tatives from the
Board of Supervisors, Eastern Iowa Area Crime Commiesionr UnitedWeaciee
and Iowa City Schools. Several people from other youth-eervingfiagencies
also attended as well as parents and young people, Although y
open, a substantial amount of w opernttheYfecticalyfacility is still
required before the program
Ten young people were enrolled in the program during the month, which
was the limit the staff had set. Four are participating in the sounudiond
studiop two in the weaving studio only, two in the weaving
guitar lessonsto
l are
involved oneguitars
Sevral young people have alsoand xpressaninterest in
the program,
We hope to enroll an additional ten students in the program
during December.
Mach theatre to the young people and volunteers who helped in the renovation
and open house preparation.
united action for youthI¢
alternatives for young people
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DES 1701RES
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Monthly Report
November '78
_2—
U.A.Y.
The City Budget Proposal for Fy80 was submitted at the end of the month,
after being reviewed at a special budget meeting of the U.A.Y. board.
MOW is being requested from the Aid—to—Agency budget.
U.A.Y. will be featured in the first newsletter of the Iowa Network of
Community Youth Services. Mike Turner, Network Coordinator, spent two
days at U.A.Y. talking to staff, cliental and boerd members about U.A.Y.'s
operation.
Jim Swaim was appointed Chairperson of the state's Juvenile Jaetice
tteep
s November 12.
Thencommitting teephasrovveersightresponsibility for ich met ithemIowa Juvenile Justice
State Plan and reviews all juvenile Justice programs funded by the
Iowa Crime Commission,
Jim also met this month with Eldon Eldeen, chair of the Johnson County
vandalism prevention committee, to explore possibilities for U.A.Y,'a
involvement in their committee's prevention efforts,
NOVRMER, STATISTICSs
Outreach
Crisis Interventions,--,,..,,, .... A2
Referrals
Referrals Out ........................ 32
Youth Served .........................85
Tutor Matches ........................ 3
Dreg Seminars., ... ...... 2
Total Contacts .....................1188
synthesis
Students enrolled....................10
Student projects conpleted....... #... 0
Nesber of Agency Referrals Accepted.. 3
(8 for tutoring)
(27 county)
Lunited action for youth
alternatives for young people
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MONTHLY REPORT
DECEKMo 1978
OOTMCH
December was essentially a three-week month for the outreach program,
Larry, Susan, Ethan, Craig, and Vicky were all given a week off between
Christmas and New Years. Jim kept the office open and Theresa helped
with answering the phone (which rang twice). Many clients were out of
town for the holidays and most youth agencies operated at a slow pace
that week. The statistics reflect the lack of activity in that there
were nearly 2%4o fewer total contacts. The number of youth served
remained essentially the same however, with nearly 36% of those served
being county clients.
Susan's involvement with juvenile court truancy cases was particularly
frustrating. The outcome of the proceedings resulted in two young women
being place in Toledo rather than remaining in the community. In processing
what happened the staff came to the realization that greater flexibility
in school programs and more resources available as educational options
for young people are needed. Also needed is a recognition by school
officials that attendance should not be the sole criteria used for
evaluating a student's response to a particular education program. It
is truly a shame that in light of the evidence about the harmful effects
of institutional treatment of youth that we send young people away for
such non -criminal offenses as truancy.
Susan has submitted her resignation to become effective in March. She
will be leaving Iowa City this summer and felt that it would facilitate
a smoother transition in training her replacement this spring. She
will continue to facilitate the Young Women's Program as a volunteer
during the spring. Susan has been an extraordinary outreach counselor
and played the most significant role in successfully expanding the outreach
program to all of Johnson County. She has truly earned the respect of
others in the community and will especially, be missed by the young people
she has worked with.
Craig Engel has been granted a temporary leave of absence. Craig's
schedule at West High was consuming all of his time and the staff felt
a leave was appropriate. He will continue to meet with Larry weekly
and will resume his duties as Outreach Aide when basketball season ends
at West.
SYNTHESIS
Ten new students were accepted into the program this month, throe at
the 311 studio and seven at Center East. Three students wore placed on
an inactive status, one because of other commitments and two who are
runaways. This month we began the pre -testing that was developed by
Polly Arp. Eleven were completed and the response by students was good.
We are still working out the tooting process. We want to do pre -testa
at the point where a student indicates a commitment to enroll, but are
considering doing them sooner. It will probably take a few weeks of
united action for youth
alternatives for young people
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CEDAR RAPIDS -DCS Nolrlrs
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December Report
-2-
trial and error before the "bugs" in the process are worked out.
The video equipment was delivered and we expect to make extensive use
of it beginning next month. On loan from the Univerisity of Iowa is
a Tecktronics oscilliscope with a variety of amps and a four -harness
loom. Also loaned to the program are a Fender Electric guitar amp,
2 guitars, a Wurlitzer electric piano, an REID microphone, a dehumid-
ifier, and a turntable. Donations this month included a close-up camera,
a disabled color T.V., a phone cartridge, carpet squares, and a large
carpet.
Howard Weinberg resigned effective the end of December, because of the
demands required by his graduate work at the University. The staff has
arranged guitar lessons for Howard's students with a number of volunteers.
An arrangement has been made with C.E.C. to use their darkroom after
school hours in exchange for giving their students access to the sound
studio.
U,A.Y.
U.A.Y. joined the Iowa Network of Coo uity
is held, Larry and JiYouth Services, Larry has
been appointed to their Board of Dire=
until an election of officers
m also spent one day at the State Drug Abuse Confer-
ence in Des Moines, They met with representatives of I.D.S,A, regarding
U•A.Y.'s grant application for substance abuse funds,
Neal Morris was appointed to the.U.A.Y, board to fill the city vacancy.
He was welcomed at the annual board/staff Christmas potluck,
Ethan spent a week in Washington D.C. at the National Conference of
the Runaway Youth Network,
on file at U.A.Y. He has a written report on the conference
Because of his leadership skills, he was asked to be
considered for membership on two national boards, He also helped author
a national youth participation grant with one other young person -at the
conference,
Scott Hayward and Nona gave birth to a healthy eon, Amos Maxwell,
Congratulations,
Beet wdahes for the New Year from all of the staff at U.A.Y.
OUTREACH STATISTICS:
Youth Served ............. 8129 county
Referrals In.,...,.,,... G (2 for tutoring)
Referrals Out........... 12
Tutor Matches........... 0
Drag Seminars........... 4
Total Contacts ......... 853
Crisis Intercentions.... 17
SYNTHESIS STATISTICS:
Student enrollment ..... 17
Completed student projects „ 0
inactive students ....... 3
agency referral accepted ... 3
student applications ....... 20
united action for youth
alternatives for young people
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB
CEDAR RAPIDS -Drs MoirIES
MICROFILMED BY
JORM MICROLAB