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Home My WebLink About2-20-2025 Commission packetIf you will need disability related accommodations to participate in this program or event, please contact LaTasha DeLoach at latasha-deloach@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5225. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. Senior Center Commission Thursday, February 20, 2025 4 PM Iowa City Senior Center Agenda 1. Introductions/Welcome—J. Gilchrist 2. Minutes (January 16, 2025) 3. Public Discussion for items not on the agenda 4. Operational Overview—L. DeLoach  Senior Center programming update  Senior Center facility update  21 S Linn St update 5. Commission Discussion— J. Gilchrist  Senior Center master plan discussion  21 S Linn St discussion  Commissioner’s report of community correspondence  Future agenda Items 6. Adjourn **Next meeting is Thursday, March 20, at 4 PM ** Meeting Packet Contents: 1. Agenda: Thursday, February 20, 2024 2. Minutes: Senior Center Commission, Thursday, January 16, 2025 Preliminary Minutes January 16, 2025 1 MINUTES SENIOR CENTER COMMISSION January 16, 2025 Room 311, Iowa City Senior Center Members Present: Nancy Ostrognai, Betty Rosse, Jay Gilchrist, Mary McCall, Kate Milster Members Absent: Lee McKnight, Warren Paris Staff Present: LaTasha DeLoach, Kristin Kromray Others Present: None CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Gilchrist at 4:00 PM. RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL: None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBRER 19, 2024 MEETING: Motion: To accept the minutes from the December 19, 2024 meeting. Motion carried on a 5/0 vote. McCall/Ostrognai PUBLIC DISCUSSION: None. OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW: Edrington reported on two services the Senior Center provides, SHIIP counseling and the AARP Tax Aide Program. She gave statistics to emphasize the impact that these services have on community members. In the 2024 tax season, 375 tax returns were filed. The majority were for people over the age of 65 with incomes lower than $39,000. In 2024 the SHIIP program had 1813 client contacts. The majority of those were during open enrollment when 1094 clients were seen. The Senior Center has 13 SHIIP counselors at 3 locations as well as remote appointments. The documented cost savings via medical insurance enrollments was $578,689. Edrington noted that the Senior Center switched how it is sending out email newsletters about a year ago and has increase email subscribers to 5645. Preliminary Minutes January 16, 2025 2 currently. Enrollment in January and February classes is going well with many programs filling up. TRAIL has relocated to room G03. The Visiting Nurses Association had been housed in that space until about a year ago when they lost grant funding for community clinics. Table to Table food deliveries are still occurring on Monday mornings. Between 40-60 people come weekly for free groceries. Table 2 Table is also going to donate a freezer to the Senior center for overflow groceries. Edrington has been doing some offsite programming in North Liberty including Walk with Ease and Qi Gong. Ostrognai expressed her thanks for having pictures of Senior Center members in the latest program guide. DeLoach reminded commissioners that they Black History Ball will be on February 8th. This year’s theme is The Elegance of the Harlem Renaissance and will feature Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey, poetry, a fashion show, jazz music and traditional African American food. There are also some tickets available for low-income seniors. The Original Mature Groovers are planning another Soul Train Dance Party in May and a field trip to the Figge Museum in Davenport. The 3rd floor of City Hall is being renovated and some of the Enginering Department will be relocated to the Senior Center for the duration of that project. HVAC issues continue to be a challenge while still hoping for upcoming solutions. Rosse noted that she was told it has been cold in some classrooms. The window and door project is still planned for this year, as well as interior design. A new awning has been installed at the Washington St entrance. The Senior Center is partnering with a University of Iowa climate change initiative where they are hoping to get 5000 climate change promises. The bulletin board on the ground floor has details. COMMISSION DISCUSSION: Commissioners discussed the slate of executive officers. Gilchrist would be willing to serve as chair, Ostrognai as Secretary, and Paris had stated last month he would be willing to be Vice Chair. Motion: To appoint the following slate of executive officers. Chair: Jay Gilchrist Vice Chair: Warren Paris Secretary: Nancy Ostrognai Motion carried on a 5/0 vote. Milster/McCall McCall runs the caregiver support group at the Senior Cener. She is exploring options for having caregivers bring their person with them and for respite care to happen onsite during their meetings. She is looking into options including a Preliminary Minutes January 16, 2025 3 partnership with nursing students. Milster noted the silver cord program that gives provides volunteer opportunities to high school students. Future agenda items include inviting the new director of TRAIL and additional reports from staff members. Meeting Adjourned. Preliminary Minutes January 16, 2025 4 Senior Center Commission Attendance Record Name Term Expires 2/15/24 3/21/24 4/18/24 5/16/24 6/20/24 7/18/24 8/15/24 9/19/24 10/17/22 4 11/21/ 24 12/19/ 24 1/16/25 Betty Rosse 12/31/26 -- X X X NM NM O/E X X X O/E X Jay Gilchrist 12/31/25 X X X X NM NM X X O/E X X X Mary McCall 12/31/27 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X Angela McConville 12/31/24 X X X O/E NM NM X X X O/E X -- Lee McKnight 12/31/27 X X O/E X NM NM X X X O/E O/E O/E Kathryn Milster 12/31/27 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X Nancy Ostrognai 12/31/26 X X X X NM NM X X X X X X Ross Taylor 12/31/24 -- -- -- -- -- -- O X O O O -- Warren Paris 12/31/25 O X X X NM NM O X O X X O/E Key: X =Present O =Absent O/E =Absent/Excused NM =No meeting -- = Not a member