The Raynham Channel
Welcome to Raynham Community Access & Media (RAYCAM), where we engage, learn, and create community access media. We are dedicated to providing a platform for all voices to be heard and shared. Join us in creating a vibrant and inclusive media community.
The Raynham Channel
Council on Aging 12/03/2024
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)
Explore the latest insights from the Council on Aging meeting as we unpack the Treasurer's report and reveal details about membership fees and a new waste disposal service. Discover how a fresh newsletter format—complete with advertisements—aims to keep tradition alive while embracing modernity. Get the scoop on popular initiatives like classes and team trivia events, alongside of engaging seniors in weekly Scrabble sessions.
Our discussion dives into the complexities of managing resources, the constraints of funds, and the urgency of signing a crucial contract by year-end. Reflect on past decisions while we share a lighthearted tale about the increasing influence of cell phones—a reminder of how technology reshapes our lives. Learn how enhancing storage solutions could vastly improve accessibility for seniors, paving the way for a more efficient and user-friendly environment.
As we address the pressing needs of senior centers, consider the potential of leveraging volunteers and fundraising to bridge the gap between limited resources and high expectations. Discover strategies for securing more funding through town meetings. We celebrate successful grant applications and explore employment practices in public services. Finally, immerse yourself in the vibrant social fabric of the Senior Center, where communal dining turns strangers into friends, and shared experiences enhance the quality of life in a community that thrives on connection.
https://www.raynhaminfo.com/
Copyright RAYCAM INC. 2025
Council on Aging Meeting Updates
Speaker 1It's called the November 3rd meeting of the Council on Aging to Order at 9.33 . I'm sorry , December 3rd . Like I said , if I don't have my phone , I don't know anything at all . I don't know what I have to do where either . Okay , Call to order . I did .
Speaker 5Who's taking the roll ? Call you ? What's your name , aaron , yeah .
Speaker 1I got to go home and start my day again . A treasurer's report . A treasurer's report . Okay , let's see what we got here . What's Mass Council on Aging 1139 ?
Speaker 6That's the membership for Massachusetts Council on Aging . Oh , we have to pay a membership to that ?
Speaker 1Yeah , I've never known that all these years . Is it based on the number of members ?
Speaker 2we have , I think so Wow . Wow .
Speaker 6What's the solution . What's that ? $1,000 . That's my senior center . My senior center where we keep track of our matters .
Speaker 1Alright , any other than that and I apologize for not knowing about that we're not questioning you it just happened to notice it's right under the top . Anything else special that happened that we had to fix , or whatever ?
Speaker 6No the only change you'll see from here on out is we changed trash . We got rid of wind waste because they just kept going out for price . So now we're with Mayhair Removal and Disposal . So we don't have the dumpster anymore , we have the bins and we also have a recycle bin .
Speaker 1Is that what the bin is out front here we're going to put them in there .
Speaker 6That's like a shed . So we're going to put them in the shed because they keep blowing over , and then there's a recycle one too , so we can recycle them out better .
Speaker 1A lot of people are coming .
Speaker 3We're going to put that shed together .
Speaker 2A lot of people come together together . Um , okay , what's that ? I just be the same .
Speaker 1I know , we're just , we're just , we're just you . What did you say ?
Speaker 6what's going on it great so what else are you starting to say ? I'm sure I interrupted you . The other change that y'all end up seeing on here is what was in , say it in the directors of stuff . We're changing our newsletters , so this month is going to be different newsletters , the format you talking about having it done Is there a story to that .
Speaker 6Well , so there will be ads in it . We're going to have a four page , so you've probably seen these kinds everywhere . Like every other senior center around has these ones . It says the LPI at the bottom . Here there are some ads . But we're not doing eight pages , we're doing four to start out and so it will be in color . It's free . They print it for us , so it will look more like no , I don't have to they do it themselves very good , so there will be one page of ads .
Speaker 1How did you come upon that ?
Speaker 6They reached out , and then I talked to a few others at the conference .
Speaker 1We saw them at some of the places we visited .
Speaker 6They had ads Almost all of them use LPI and they haven't had any issues with them . This is obviously wrong . Very good , this is obviously Brockton , so Very good . But so next month you will see a newsletter like this Now what about the mailing ?
Speaker 3Is it going to ?
Speaker 6So we still pay for our mailing , so we'll still mail them . Will it all be extra ? No , because we're still going to try to do four pages .
Speaker 3Okay , and it will be in the envelope , the same as the envelope .
Speaker 6Yep , so the mailing will be the same , which is we don't have to go . Okay , and it would be in the envelope the same . Yeah , yep , so the mailing will be the same , which is we don't have to pay for that , and there's a schedule on the back .
Speaker 3Yep , we'll still have the schedule . Okay , theirs is different .
Speaker 6Yeah , that's right um , so they have their schedule in here , so they are those who's your staff ? This is . I think this is brockton . Yeah , this is brockton okay , very good so , yeah , we'll still have a schedule page like this . We still have pretty much everything we have , other than we can add some color to it and make it look a little prettier , I hope Moving on up , huh . All right , very good so that will be a change coming in January .
Speaker 1Very good , Erin , very good I hear that . Okay , I'll entertain a motion to accept the treasurer's report . Okay , well , I hear a second . Okay , any discussion hearing none all in favor ? Aye , it is unanimous . Directors report .
Speaker 6What is report ?
Speaker 1So we have Drones .
Speaker 6Alive has been going good . It's been a full class for the two days that we had it here . People seem to like that Team Trivia is picking up . It started with just a few people , but I think last month we had 15 , which was better , and people are already signing up again . So we changed the date from a Tuesday to a Wednesday and it seemed like we could get more people . So we're going to try that . And then our monthly luncheons are becoming popular . On the first one we had 15 . And this one we maxed it at 20 , just because I got nervous about how many pies I could make .
Speaker 1That was just last week , was it ? The lunch was today . It's today , yeah .
Speaker 6So because it's today's chicken pot pie , so , and you made the chicken pot pies , I'm making it . Yeah , I didn't make it next week From scratch , yeah , yeah . And so I got nervous about how many pies it would make , so we cut it at 20 . Plus , I only have a small oven , so so we have a full luncheon today and then weekly Scrabble . We tried , it's still in the newsletter . We're not really getting anybody . Might be a time and place , a day and time thing again , so we're going to evaluate that one .
Speaker 5After the holidays , maybe it'll see us . Yeah , see .
Speaker 2So , that one hasn't really picked up .
Speaker 6Jeff Kelleher was just here for fire prevention on November 19th . We had 35 people for that luncheon with them and it was a good presentation .
Speaker 1Incredible how it brings people out , huh .
Speaker 6And then our support groups are still going . We have bereavement on Thursday , the second , first and third Thursday of the month , and then our caregiver support group . We don't have many for our caregiver support group . I think there's been two .
Speaker 2What support groups are they , our caregiver support group .
Speaker 6Your kid , you can't leave and go to me , yeah , so we're trying , if we can get them there . They do have services for somebody to stay at the house with the person that care for it .
Speaker 5Could you do a virtual yeah , yeah , so maybe we're gonna look the facilities .
Speaker 6Yeah , and she can .
Speaker 6Yeah , so I'm working with the facility to try to get that , because I know there's more need for that group than who's coming out . So I want to work on that group getting it more done . This week , december 5th , she was busy . I'll have the exact number of how many she helped for next month , but definitely it was a lot . Yeah , all the final number . She's still doing open enrollment for Medicare Advantage plans . That goes through March . So yeah , that one's still open . So how many days is she over it ? She's been here three days right now . She might go back down to two after . It depends on how busy she is .
Speaker 1You have a lot of people applying for fuel assistance .
Speaker 6Yes , we have a lot of people applying for fuel assistance . They are backed up , they have not got the money from the state are backed up , they have not got the money from the state . So people are getting approved . The oil companies aren't getting the money . So it's been a lot of calls back and forth um , if it's an emergency they'll bump you to the top of the list , but they still need the funds , essentially from the state , before they'll send anything to the oil company . So we've had um a few make-ups with them this fuel season .
Speaker 6And yeah , a lot of people need the assistance . So St Vincent de Paul's been helping us with the low and emergency cases . They've been at least giving somebody 100 gallons to try to get fuel assistance to get to them .
Speaker 1The weather turned fast on us . I mean , think about three weeks ago . We're wearing t-shirts exactly reason this morning . It's got to be in the 30s .
Speaker 6Yeah , the same thing has been great with helping , yeah in between .
Speaker 6Yeah , they've been good okay , this month we have to put breakfast and Singo on the same day , which could cut down our breakfast numbers , because Singo is very popular and we're not going to come eat breakfast at 9 and then again at 11 . Some might never know , but it was either that or cancel breakfast for the month . But I do know we do get some different people for breakfast and singo . So Because of the Christmas holiday it's on the 25th , so we're closed that Wednesday and the Wednesday after is January 1st . We're also closed then . So is the same day . It's earlier month , so we'll see how it goes . It will be a busy day .
Speaker 5I think we need to ask for help .
Speaker 6Yeah , we can put you in there . Yeah , so that will be a busy day . Pigeon for one and then Same going on breakfast .
Speaker 5Oh , oh , we have our holiday party on December 17th .
Speaker 6That is full . We maxed it out 50 . That's full . We maxed it at 50 . That's full . We have a wait list Wow .
Speaker 7And what is it that you do , december ?
Speaker 617th and we're having Diablo's catering , Turkey potatoes and a meal , and then we have music and raffles , a webinar , Just getting our raffles . Like everybody , when they come in , we'll get a ticket . We'll just pull . I think last year we did 10 or 15 raffles . See that Nice , all right .
Speaker 7Very good . Do you need help with that ?
Speaker 6Probably you need to learn how to ask .
Speaker 3I'm sorry .
Speaker 6So Linda and Sue , I believe , are coming that day , our tax work off , that's his board , if you just let us know .
Speaker 1What day of the week is the ?
Speaker 317th . It's like 15 people .
Speaker 6I can do .
Speaker 7Tuesday what time ?
Speaker 6That is at 12 .
Speaker 7So you want somebody to get before then , yeah , that's the 17th .
Speaker 6We can't get into that room until 9.45 , until about 10.30 , because we have exercise .
Speaker 7So you want me here at 10.30 ? Yeah , 10.30 . Yeah , we turn the room over pretty quick .
Speaker 3That's on the 17th . That's Tuesday , the 17th .
Speaker 5I have my appointment , so I can't help you 10.30 .
Speaker 2Yeah , All I have an appointment so I can't help you .
Speaker 6Alright anything else and Just the holiday hours Yep , just the holidays . So we are open the Monday , we just have the half day the 24th . The Tuesday , wednesday , we're closed , and then we are open Thursday and Friday , and it's the same for both weeks .
Speaker 3There we go .
Speaker 6Wow , I thought , yeah , yeah , so we are open . I know a lot of people were asking this is the middle of the week . Yeah , we closed last Friday , though , right ?
Speaker 1Yes , but that's good . Yeah , the town did , the whole town did , yeah , yeah , so a lot of people were asking to go after .
Speaker 6Christmas , but we are open the Thursday and the Friday . That's good . It's nice to have a little quick answer . Yep , anyway , okay , anything else I've been there .
Speaker 1I think that's it . Any questions for the young lady ? Then I make a motion . We accept the director's report . Do I hear a second Second ? Okay , any further discussion Hearing none . All in favor ? Aye , all opposed Correspondence . It discussion hearing that all in favor ? Aye , all opposed correspondence . It looks like we have something here yes , about the bathroom , it's about the bathroom , so Greg sent out this email yesterday as the bids yesterday .
Speaker 6Should we sign out this email with what happened ?
Speaker 1Yeah , yes , we would . Six people , six bids we had yesterday . It was interesting when you look at the numbers on the next page . You know of $256,000 . All for the same job .
Speaker 6So , they're going with the carbon the lowest ? Yeah , as long as their references check out .
Speaker 1I think that was the guy who was sitting in front of me it was . He looked pretty confident when he heard the numbers . He had a smile about this big yeah they're out of time .
Speaker 6I Facebooked them a little bit last last night they did a lot of stuff from housing authorities . Like Sharon , I think they worked in Millbury , so we definitely do these kinds of projects well , just from what I've looked on Facebook , yeah , so if you put that on , Facebook they do come up , so you can check them out too . I know they're going to call references and stuff like that
Senior Center Renovation Proposal Discussion
Speaker 6.
Speaker 1When we get into old business . We'll talk about everyone I've been talking to . I wish you'd see them doing the work , but about what are we going to do when that's happening , because they're going to be digging up the floors and blasting or whatever ?
Speaker 6There'll be no bathroom .
Speaker 1Yeah , anyhow . Okay , that's very good . I want to tell you that . Put a smile on my face . Oh yeah , the only other thing on this here is I asked how long we had to make the decision . He said 15 days , but he would do it sooner . And obviously , if they've already picked , he did it sooner the day after , which is very good , and when ?
Speaker 6can they stop contract or anybody commits ?
Speaker 2anything please .
Speaker 1The last thing we want to do is say not now no , no , no , besides , yeah , so they'll get a contract and the contract has to be signed by December 31st .
Speaker 1One of the things that's interesting on that is if you remember the amount of money we got from what's the acronym APA , apa , thank you . It's more than what that number is , and his calculation was about $100,000 that we can play with , and I think we as a group should say what other things do we want to do ? We can do a lot of stuff Well . I shouldn't say a lot of stuff , but the cost of everything today .
Speaker 6I believe he paid the siding out of the ARPA funds so we didn't lose that money , but we still have that other $100,000 that we've gone to town meeting before . That's not ARPA funds . We didn't lose that money , but we still have that other hundred thousand that we've gone to town meeting before . That's not .
Speaker 1ARPA yes , that's right , he hasn't touched that . Yeah , so you know , stop thinking on it , we'll see what happens and ARPA money can go to anything ?
Speaker 5Is it all designated for us ?
Speaker 1Yeah it's not specific , if I remember correctly . Right , it's not like the money that we got for the siding said for the siding and renovation , but this money was for the senior center , for improvements or whatever .
Speaker 7So just off the top of my head you had a shed now could we make the shed a little bigger and get rid of all of this storage ?
Speaker 5stuff . You're gonna lose closets . You're gonna need storage .
Speaker 7Like what storage Like what . Like these . You can't use this room for more than this many people , because you have chairs there and you have tables there and chairs there . And half of the chairs are there .
Speaker 1But the only problem is that when you do need them , you won't get them . Easier said than done . Can we call you to go out to the gym and get them ?
Speaker 2That's the problem .
Speaker 1I mean , we are dealing with seniors and I you know . I myself wouldn't want to go out there and get all those chairs . I don't want anybody else . That's my only issue with it . I mean it's a good idea .
Speaker 7Don't get me wrong but this is not a good idea . No , it isn't is and you've lost that old closet the last one , the last one was the coke plus oh yeah , that's
Speaker 1right , we have a problem with storage yeah , yeah , well , we have a problem with space . I know to really I don't know .
Speaker 3Not only the coat . The coat closet is not just for the coats . We have tables in there .
Speaker 1Well , erin's already bought a lot of stuff . Oh , she did . Okay , let me offer a thought here . We saw it at I think it was not Lakeville , I think it might have been a Sona . They got these container type things . They cut a hole in the wall and they put that on the outside .
Speaker 6Oh , it's Freetown .
Speaker 1Was it Freetown ?
Speaker 6I don't know if they finished it .
Speaker 1It was a room or it's a room . It wasn't done at the time . It's a room .
Speaker 4It's a portable room .
Speaker 1Maybe that's the thing we do and it's attached so you can go in and out and get it and so forth . I have no idea what it would cost , but certainly something to look into and I think it's something to buy . You don't rent it because I said you think they were cutting a door in the building , right , and we certainly could go out in that direction , right ?
Speaker 3that's never gonna happen , yeah , when .
Speaker 1I think about that going , that's never going to happen yeah , I , I , when I think about that , I think it's going to be a completely different board of directors who deals with that , because it could be way out in the future and , given that we're seniors , anyhow okay , that's correspondence . Correspondence . Anything else prove the minutes . Take a second to read them over . Where is it ? It's under the building .
Speaker 5Under the what Under the building .
Speaker 6Okay , Okay , yeah , Sorry again that last one . Okay , have Sorry again if that lasts more quickly . Okay .
Speaker 3October 1st . I don't have it Right here .
Speaker 1Oh , okay , I'm sorry . Well , I didn't have it . Okay , you don't have my phone , right ?
Speaker 3I don't have my phone . That's scary , john . Your phone has all this stuff , okay .
Speaker 1There's a little . I have my phone , I send it to you . It's a little clip that I got that had all the different categories in life that people spend their time on and it started . It starts with 1930 , I believe , and then it rolls along all the way up to the present , and the number one by a huge , huge margin , by the time you get to 2024 , is the cell phones , the internet and cell phones .
Speaker 2It's incredible . It starts out in the 1930s .
Speaker 1Family is out here and everything else is down here and it slowly it appears all of a sudden because in 1930 there was no internet and it starts calling up and it's out here and everything else is down here . It's incredible . Especially family Blows your mind . Sure it does . We used to get news , now we get opinions . It drives me crazy . It explains a lot . It sure does , sure does . We used to get news , now we get opinions . It drives me crazy Anyhow . Okay , read your minutes .
Speaker 3Wasn't there a meeting in November ?
Speaker 2No , there wasn't , there wasn't a meeting in November .
Speaker 5There's a voting at that pushback .
Speaker 2Oh , okay .
Speaker 1Okay , push back . Oh okay . Whenever you're ready , I'll entertain a motion .
Speaker 5See , I was supposed to go . I guess something came up that day . I don't remember what it was .
Speaker 3I couldn't go to the last meeting .
Speaker 5I thought Well , maybe that was it .
Speaker 1No , I didn't get the agenda she didn't post the agenda sooner enough , so we . Because of the holiday I knew there was something she loves her phone home that day .
Speaker 6Yeah , I called it up plenty of times during the last holiday they made up one .
Speaker 3Do you have the sign of sheep for the ? It doesn't matter , because we come anyway . Sign of sheep for what ?
Speaker 5For the breakfast In single that day and the party what's the date of the breakfast ? Eighteenth and seventeenth is the holiday party , so I think the board should all help work . What day ?
Speaker 1is the eighteenth , I guess again .
Speaker 2I don't know , it's still a Wednesday .
Speaker 1Still can't go to breakfast . I don't know why you've changed it . I enjoyed that breakfast so much .
Speaker 4And what's the other date , the 19th , 17th ?
Speaker 7You can't go to the 17th . This is all day today . No , I can't .
Speaker 5I think you should check with all the people who are here to see if they can help .
Speaker 3That means everyone has to ask .
Speaker 1You want to help on the holiday party ? That's a Tuesday right .
Speaker 5I already said it would be good , yeah , that I could do .
Speaker 2That's the 17th right .
Speaker 5And that's going to be a quick turnover from an exercise class into the thing , so that I'll need help . Alright , when is the next ?
Speaker 6breakfast , the 18th and on .
Speaker 3Okay , the 18th and on , but the 17th is the .
Speaker 4Yeah , that's the yeah .
Speaker 1I have to pay you down for that , and that next CR would be January 7th , right , so can't do this on the way , and under the topic of programs the nerve Not that there is one , but keeping with last month information and I'm disappointed I didn't see any of you there we had our open mic night no please . And Jim Serp and myself were the only ones who sang karaoke all night long . It was fun . She got a machine from Mike Haley and we sang .
Speaker 2It was pretty cool , huh , jim brought drums .
Speaker 1I brought a guitar and we barely used them . It was fun , it was a try , it was a shot . Okay , motion to accept the minutes . Any second Second ? Okay , all in favor . Aye , it is unanimous . Okay , renovation updates . Well , you know what's happening , right .
Speaker 5Yeah , it's been approved the thing is , we come anyway in , but I think what's going on , okay ? Okay , you don't want to , she won't mind , okay that's right , I'm away . That's why , yeah , I'm not away , so I wish I was away .
Speaker 3I'd like to make a suggestion .
Speaker 6I don't think I'm going to take too long we just close for a week , one week and see how much they can get done we're most likely going to have to be closed well , you talked about using the Lions for some .
Speaker 1Yeah , talk to .
Speaker 6Ray on the Lions . He just needs dates . So once we have contract with , some dates with the contract exercise over there , right ?
Speaker 5well , no , yeah is that they're tearing up the flooring and the closets and everything .
Speaker 6Yeah yeah so just the biggest thing that came up to those contractors was staying open during the construction because of liability ? It's just probably not going to work . So Greg left it up to the contractor whether they allow us to stay open or not . So if they don't want us open for a certain time , when we're closing , we'll talk to the Lions Club and it'll go faster .
Speaker 6And you'll open it up . Yeah , it makes a lot of sense . We'll talk to the Lions Club and it'll go faster . And you'll open it up . Yeah , It'll go faster for you .
Speaker 7They don't have to walk around , yeah .
Speaker 6So some things may get canceled within that time , that month or whatever .
Speaker 2But what ?
Speaker 6we can do . We will do at the Lions Club or somewhere else that makes sense . We didn't want to make that like no , we're going to be open , and then we would have lost stay away from being open .
Speaker 7Yeah , I agree , hopefully liability alone .
Speaker 1Yeah hopefully it wouldn't . Be ideal is if they could start . Yeah , you know right away and get this done during the winter jobs well I'm sure they do , I'm sure they do , but they do , as I said , hopefully and so most likely , we will have to end up closing for a week or so whatever it comes to .
Speaker 7If they did , then in the spring we could have an open house to you know you have to be here , though anyway , if you're closed , you have to be here . Well , if we're across the street at the Lions Club With the phone , with the phone .
Speaker 5Then you know she would be there or this time call and then give someone a cell phone , can you transfer the calls there ?
Speaker 3Is that what you're saying ? Or you can call Give a cell phone number yeah , without any emergencies .
Speaker 1We'll figure that out . She's capable . She'll figure it out . No , no , she's curious . We'll figure it all out . I know she'll figure it out . She's good at that . Okay , so that's the updates and once again , I'm very happy . The siding took us five years . How long did this ? This took us two years , right , Right , Anyway , okay . Room dividers .
Speaker 6Oh , it's here .
Speaker 1Here . Oh good , so if you want to , peek at it .
Speaker 2Is they assembled them for ?
Speaker 4you .
Speaker 6It is assembled . Yes , they help you move it in . They delivered it outside yesterday . Ty way helped me move it inside .
Speaker 1Very good .
Speaker 6I haven't pulled it apart , I haven't tried it .
Speaker 1Any other old business . It's there now no other old business . Okay , moving on to new business . There was something I just had and I forgot to use . Oh boy , all that because you don't have your phone . Yeah , that's .
Speaker 1I know that's called each yeah , I just see all the yeah , we'll forget how much my wife's neurologist says you do as much good with that as you do with an aspirin anyway , a new business , new trash and recycling . You told us about that , monthly luncheons yeah , that's it . I'm glad we were able to do that as I said something else .
Speaker 5I think we should give you help , yeah absolutely absolutely . I mean , we can sign it for that too .
Speaker 3Yeah .
Speaker 5Yeah .
Speaker 7Because , while we're on , the subject of .
Speaker 6I wish that it just conflicted .
Speaker 3Like usually , I play Mahjong , which is like 10 to 12 .
Speaker 2Yeah , lunch is 11 .
Speaker 5No , I said I wish it didn't conflict . That's all I said . It's not going to conflict with us . Everything's going to conflict with us At some point .
Speaker 3That's why different people sign up for different things . Did you notice different people on that list ?
Speaker 6Well , it's always been the board that shows up . It's always been the board that shows up .
Speaker 1It's always been the board that shows up .
Speaker 5John , did you sign up ?
Speaker 7No , so tell me something . If somebody says I'm coming home , Did I sign up for breakfast ?
Speaker 1No , I'll . I used to do the cooking at breakfast when it was on a Monday . No , I'm not there .
Speaker 7But I volunteer every year at the soup kitchen on Wednesday mornings . So I can't do .
Speaker 1Wednesday . As a matter of fact , I used to volunteer . Then I used to eat the breakfast . I enjoyed the breakfast . That's my favorite meal of the day , but I can't do it on a Wednesday . This Wednesday by the way , if you're hungry , I'm making shepherd's pie Wednesday at the town area community tables . They're all welcome , it's free .
Senior Center Staffing and Grants Discussion
Speaker 7You know , can I just say something ? We're talking about all this help that . Aaron needs . When are we going to get Aaron some help for real ?
Speaker 1You mean in terms of personnel ?
Speaker 7Yes , you went to how many senior centers ? Six .
Speaker 1Did any of them just have a director and a secretary . No , no , no , some of them had a director , two secretaries , an activities person .
Speaker 7Alright . So I mean because you're always saying we've got to do more , we've got to do more , which would be great to do more and more If we had the people . If we had the people to do it . She can't do it .
Speaker 2And the space Space is the people to do it in the space again and she's done that before .
Speaker 1We have other places we can use .
Speaker 5There's the lines that she's used the uh , south school , uh , you know the things that someone should be able to go over there .
Speaker 6Well , okay , there's uh yeah , we use the tax work off people as we can Right , but that's not enough and they run out .
Speaker 5I know there's a freeze on . I know there's money short . I've heard of that . They've got a hundred thousand dollars , there's a salary plus .
Speaker 1Well , there's a town meeting . The annual town meeting is put in an article . Huh , put it in an article for .
Speaker 7Well , who puts it in the COA ? Huh , we can put it in . We can write it in , okay .
Speaker 1John , we can have someone you know the wording on those things is tricky . If you don't do it right , they turn it down , and then they well , it doesn't say that whatever , but sure .
Speaker 5Greg or someone will help us with it . Could you do that ? Since you know it , I can do the draft of it .
Speaker 7Yeah , but I still like somebody to check it to make sure I put the right words in there , but and I'm sure Greg would do that- Well , I was going to say Greg did half way and just , oh , absolutely , I'll tell you myself .
Speaker 1I'm very pleased with Greg . I think he's on the ball . He's got a lot on his plate . He does a lot . I think eventually he gets to us . It may take a while but eventually he gets it done and he did .
Speaker 2When did he ?
Speaker 7start .
Speaker 1When did he start working here ? I don't know . He's got to be in either his second or third year .
Speaker 7I would say two years . I mean he has gotten . We waited five years for the siding and he got it done . You know when he got here , or you know close to it . Maybe you know , we just Maybe you can get us a person . Maybe we just be so nice to him he just yeah , he does a good job .
Speaker 1as I said , we're lucky . Okay , that's the monthly lunches we talked about that . Friends , we've got a meeting coming up . It's in my calendar and I've fallen .
Speaker 6So they are . Wanda is a client . She's sending in all the paperwork . We have the , the directors and everything , the president and all that signed up , so we're just waiting for her to get the paperwork back .
Speaker 1I saw two emails , somebody from Taunton .
Speaker 6Somebody from Taunton . She was living in Reinhardt . She just moved to Taunawk . She just moved . Oh , oh , oh Sorry , but she still wants to be on a part of the Friends group . Yeah , I don't know who she is , but I do , yeah .
Speaker 5She was in my yoga program .
Speaker 6Yeah , and so , yeah , we're just waiting for the paperwork back from the state to say that we're in 501C3 , and then we'll go from there . Sure , yeah , and then we'll be able to collect dues and continue .
Speaker 5We can't do much right now . Aside , you know , we played cards with a woman from Tennessee and her senior center refuses to apply for grants and they pay $65 a year each to use the senior center .
Speaker 3Which is cheap . It is .
Speaker 5But the concept that you just didn't want to apply for a grant .
Speaker 4Well , that's wrong because that's a good and that cuts off a lot of people that are on a long-term income . My auntie couldn't do it .
Speaker 1Yeah , speaking of that , and I keep forgetting to maybe you keep forgetting the name of the lady in Dighton that we met .
Speaker 6Oh , that one , the grant you need her contact right ?
Speaker 1Yeah , I'd like to give her contact to the people at the community table . This woman was amazing . She showed us a patio that was in process . It was a $100,000 grant that she got . I said where did you find that ? She said I was a $100,000 grant that she got . I said where did you find that ? She said oh , I look around .
Speaker 2And she had another grant for there .
Speaker 1She had grants going on . That was her life . In the Senior Center you talked about , is there just a director and nobody else . This woman did nothing but come up with funds and they were building like crazy everywhere . I think that's where we first saw the drums alive , wasn't it ? Wasn't it there ?
Speaker 6No , it was at Somerset .
Speaker 1But yeah , give me that contact information .
Speaker 6Yeah , that was . I think it was after the meeting we got not to digress but at the kitchen we got money from the city .
Speaker 1We had a brand new stove and two refrigerators , because what was in there was what was it with the building ages ago and so forth ? Then feeding , putting out 100 meals a week , a day , rather that's how I feel about a five-hour person
Senior Center Meal Services Discussion
Speaker 1here .
Speaker 5That's not a huge expense in terms of the whole town budget and I don't think we're asking for a lot right , even though there's a freeze on them . But I mean , you can't nickel and dime it too ?
Speaker 1And even if we have to start with part-time .
Speaker 4Right , yeah , that's where I would start .
Speaker 1A little part-time and then most part-time jobs end up as full-time jobs .
Speaker 5Let's ask for full-time and see what happens .
Speaker 1Yeah , but then we might have to wait a whole cycle to get to part part-time . I still can't go over the fact that , for this sake of $28 a year for the first year and then reducing every year , they didn't give us the money for the yeah for the expansion at $28 think about it , and I know he was something like $30 or something like that a year and that would go away . What is it ?
Speaker 4The .
Speaker 5BP cost for school and some people walk into a voting booth and say I'm not going to go for anything that raises my taxes , right , no , I agree .
Speaker 1Well , you know you can't blame them . Times are tough in terms of money and every year , you know you come up with oh well , the tax rate's gone down . And then they raise the valuation of the houses . The taxes never go down , never , ever go down . And it's tough . I mean , I have a four-bedroom cape , okay , I pay almost $8,000 a year in taxes . It's outrageous To me anyway , I think it's outrageous .
Speaker 7It's a lot of money . What are you going to do ? Well , what ? Are you going to get for that ? I mean , you don't get , you know .
Speaker 1Well , I mean , we have an excellent police force who the town grossly understaffs . As far as I'm concerned , I mean they spend again . I'm giving you my opinion , and I probably shouldn't , especially with the camera on .
Speaker 2So anybody who's listening .
Speaker 1I'm sorry , but it's just my opinion . These poor guys , we have accidents all over this town . We have two major roads running through our town . Those guys are I mean , I hear the sirens all the time . They're on 138 , they're on Carver Street , they're on 44 . It's crazy , these guys . I don't know . I think we could fund three more policemen if we put some kind of traffic control to stop cars or for running lights and that kind of stuff . But whatever , just the tickets . Anyhow . That's just my opinion and my frustration with the town .
Speaker 7Maybe we should make the alarm different than when you have an accident or you have a citation . You lose your license from ayou might . Stop and think , struggle , think . Maybe I shouldn't drivea meal , only drive seven . No , when it goes to court .
Speaker 1We don't have a lot to say with it . You know things like that . We know it's a clock , but I mean speeding tickets , running red lights . Those are all things that we can do and you know that if you did , I haven't done it . I didn't do it this year , but last year when we met the chief and I was a shit to was the new chief .
Speaker 1I talked with some of the guys . They all say the same thing there's not enough of us to cover every , every place , everything it should be covered . It's just not enough people . But it's where it is and , like you said , we've got a lot on our plate , money wise this time , the BP thing , the building across the street , gardner Street , going on over there , they're working on Mill Street again today .
Speaker 5They've got Mill Street closed and the money's there for Gardner .
Speaker 1Oh , I understand , but that got passed and so forth , but nevertheless it's still money that they have to come up with all the time . And every time it's a debt exclusion , there goes the taxes again . You know , although BP let me say yesterday they had to come up with another million dollars for the BP- project it's huge . You can see from the highway but it's so needed .
Speaker 5Oh , I know so needed .
Speaker 1Oh , there's a question about that we were just commenting on the size . You go by , the lights are on and that put that thing all the time . Oh my , the first time I was on the highway in Saran I'm like what are they building ? Oh my gosh , it's just BP , just BP . The thing is massive , it needs to be , it's overdue . Yeah , they're doing the same thing . A huge building as well in Fall River , diamond Diamond's going to build on the athletic fields and then make what the old building was the athletic fields . That's what they did in Somerset . I don't know if they're doing that at BP . They probably are , because where else would you build ?
Speaker 1That's the other biggest space that you have in a school system or a school area . But anyway , okay , so I've got . You might want to put that . Make sure it's in the minutes . I got the con to Put something together for the next spring's town meeting about getting her . Well , stop with . I really think we ought to start with a part-time , so that you know , because I worry that if we go in for a full time and it gets shut down , then we'll have to go the whole cycle all over again .
Speaker 5I'd like to see the person get benefits and you have to work 20 hours a week to get benefits .
Speaker 220 hours 20 hours is about to .
Speaker 5Yeah , as long as it's a 20 hour position .
Speaker 1Well , again , that won't be up to us , we'll try .
Speaker 7That happened at the library .
Speaker 5That happened at the library but no one was getting benefits because they were on a rotation where they were kept below 20 hours and I think that's so wrong . I did that in teaching . They did it at the hospital .
Speaker 7They do it anywhere . They can get you , they'll get you .
Speaker 1The thing is when it comes to benefits . If you're making $10 an hour and I give you benefits now , it's costing me $20 an hour .
Speaker 7But nobody gets paid $10 an hour anymore . No , I understand .
Speaker 1It's just usually those numbers in an exam .
Speaker 5But the thing is , no one can afford in this day and age not to have insurance .
Speaker 2Oh absolutely .
Speaker 4The only way you can get it is if your spouse has the benefits and you don't need it .
Speaker 1Ideally , you know , a school teacher who's retired at 58 or something like that or a part-time job , doesn't need benefits because they're getting them from their previous job . We get our health insurance through the school system because my wife worked there and you know that's the ideal person for a job like that .
Speaker 5But that's not the kind of person that needs the job the most . Oh , I understand .
Speaker 1In terms of need , that's a whole different story . But hey , there's a lot of jobs out there , cheryl , a lot of jobs . I've yet to go into a restaurant that doesn't have a help wanted sign on it .
Speaker 7I understand that I'm not going to go carrying trays at my age either . You know where .
Speaker 3I was carrying the trays .
Speaker 1I've been in one place all this time , but you're not 58 anymore either , are you ?
Speaker 7No , I'm not , but of time , but you're not 58 anymore either . Okay , I just think that I could do a job like to sit down , that's not all right any other things on the new business and , as I said , I had something .
Speaker 1It completely left me as I go up on my tirade of understanding .
Speaker 6I don't know if you want to bring it up the to-go like meals , people taking meals to-go , they haven't been allowed . If you sit and take a meal here and you can't eat it all , you're not allowed to take your portion to-go yeah , we haven't been letting anybody take it to-go because we don't want them to leave it in the car or anything and then be liable for it .
Speaker 1That's a good point I talked to the Board of Health .
Speaker 6She said we can write up waivers that people can sign if they take the end of their meal . That's interesting . Nobody can take leftovers Right , if we have leftover meals .
Speaker 4If you go to a restaurant , you take your meal and these ladies are bringing their own containers from home . You're not even putting a container there . This woman had her own container and she was stopped from putting her own lunch .
Speaker 1That's interesting . This week I'll ask the director because half of them , I tell you , we put out 100 meals a day . Half of them are to go .
Speaker 4Yeah , half of them to go , yeah , yeah , well , and we go to st Thomas's Thursday lunch senior luncheon and every single one of those people have to go containers and oh yeah , we have people , do the people get ?
Speaker 1usually the to go is a different meal because right , this is changes are costing us a fortune . Yeah , we couldn't keep up with the container , so to go is usually a sandwich and something else like that . But the people who sit for the hot meals , they can't finish it all . They have containers , Tupperware or whatever you call it , and they take it home . They all do . I don't know how they get by that not worrying about it , Maybe because it's a non-profit , but we are too no-transcript You're supposed to go to the fire department .
Speaker 1Don't we do that anymore .
Speaker 7We serve the food and then , after we're done serving everybody , Aaron says anybody that wants to go up for seconds can go . Do you want to eat that food after everybody's been at it then Because ?
Speaker 4I don't , but I mean , we're not , we're giving it to the firemen .
Speaker 7That's fine . We package it and give it to the firemen . We don't have people .
Speaker 5We know that they have a place to put a refrigerator .
Speaker 4But the health department is saying that food needs to be thrown out .
Speaker 1Probably because of that reason that other people are well . That's because you're saying that everybody's been at it . That's because we let them go and serve themselves .
Speaker 6I suppose we could make that problem go away very easily by one of us going up there and serving so our board of health said to come up with a policy on what we want to do .
Speaker 5Well , I , think that's the way it is .
Speaker 6But we can't have everybody taking their plates home . We can't just have them just taking their plates home .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 6No , well , if they know they'll bring a little container , and then they can't go up and take , then they're going to go up and just fill their container .
Speaker 1I know .
Speaker 6It's going to be a whole thing If you're going to throw it out .
Speaker 4give it to the people that need it the old people .
Speaker 7Myself , I don't like the idea of taking it could be a real scene up there with 12 people trying to get this many eggs that are left .
Speaker 6Or filling up their plate to then just put it in their to-go container . It's just .
Speaker 1For whatever it's worth , it's too much . You come here for the meal , you eat the meal here and you go home .
Speaker 7It's five dollars . You can't get breakfast for five dollars anywhere right .
Speaker 1you're lucky to get a soda for five dollars exactly , or a cup of coffee 4.99 at some places . It's we , we do breakfast every week , but there's a group of us , okay , and we do Alice's in Dighton , we do the milk bottle , we do Davila's . I think that's how it's pronounced .
Speaker 1Diavola's , diavola's , thank you . Sometimes we do . Mel's , alice's has the cheapest . It's unbelievable . My wife has the same thing every week Two slices of French toast . The prices range from $1.99 for two slices to $3.85 for the same two slices of toast . It's absolutely incredible , that's just the time . It doesn't count the drinks and the tip and all that stuff . You're right , you can't get a breakfast for her . She's on the low end , I mean in terms of what she has for breakfast . She eats like a bird .
Speaker 1I just don't like the idea of taking her home , because next thing , you know , if they don't bring a container , then they're looking for containers from us . And I'm telling you .
Speaker 2We don't want to be in that business .
Speaker 1We went from paying $25 for 100 containers to $40 for the same 100 containers we had to stop it .
Speaker 6Once one person sees somebody bringing a container , they're all going to do it .
Speaker 1Because we used to let them take hot meals home . But now , if you want a hot meal , you've got to sit down there and eat it . If you want a meal to go , we'll give you everything but the hot meal , and in place of that you'll get sandwiches .
Speaker 4There's just one other thing that with your luncheons there's no hot beverages , and a bunch of the older ladies from when I know is forming a letter to the selectmen saying that they can't get hot coffee or tea .
Speaker 7Well , maybe if Erin had help making coffee and tea , if you just had help making coffee and tea .
Speaker 4If you just put a coffee station there and let them serve themselves .
Speaker 7Let them serve themselves , yeah , and they burn themselves .
Speaker 1Wait a minute . We don't pour their coffee for them . They serve themselves at the table .
Speaker 2We don't pour coffee .
Speaker 1So we just have soda and water out right now and they don't want to bring it to that tea bag last time but if breakfast we have the coffee , water and coffee out at breakfast we give the book but the point is , aaron needs more help at the lunches . I agree wholeheartedly with that but I'm just addressing the issue of you know , right , that's what they're gonna .
Speaker 4Come on with coffee and tea Auntie went and bought herself a thermos .
Speaker 1So let them bring their own thermos then .
Speaker 7Well , I mean , you know , five dollars for lunch . That's about .
Speaker 4I'm just saying there's gonna be a letter to the selectmen about what hockey team you saw the patent wonder .
Speaker 1It's coming okay , any other new business you can think of you like to talk about it . Is it depressing ?
Speaker 5I think , I think we just have to use the Board of Health's guidelines .
Speaker 1Because , it will mushroom If some people start bringing in containers it will mushroom and it will become a nightmare , that's why I think you come here and you eat , because part of the whole experience of the Senior Center is the group , it's socializing , and you've
Community Socializing and Connections
Speaker 1been here during the pandemic , but that was the thing . Center is the group Socializing . It's socializing , and you would have heard during pandemic , but that was the thing that everybody complained about . So we started meeting out here on the lawn .
Speaker 1We put chairs in a row because people wanted to be with their peers and talk and so forth , Taking the bag of Tupperware or a plastic paper bag they eat here . Simple as that .
Speaker 7There was a woman that came to breakfast and she sat on the last table in the first chair and she would say hi to people and you know , I'd say hi to her . And now she has a friend who sits opposite her and it's like it's growing .
Speaker 5This little you know .
Speaker 7So you're right , you need the social .
Speaker 6Yeah , we even have some people from one of our support groups now .
Speaker 5They come together to sing a little lunch and sing , or they come to other events that's nice , because they do make friends at breakfast , because they're sitting with new people every time . Yeah , that's just good . It's like a cruise ship . Is there anything ?
Speaker 6else , because they do make friends at breakfast .
Speaker 7Right Because they're sitting with new people every time , right , that's just good , it's like a cruise ship , okay .
Speaker 1Is there anything else ? Yeah , okay . Now , before we end , I'd like to say to the world out there my opinions on the police department or anything else in town is strictly my opinion . It doesn't reflect the opinion of the Council on Aging board of directors or the administrators of the town is strictly my opinion on the whole matter and I meant no offense to anyone or criticism of anyone . It's just my opinion on as I see things being . I've been in this town . I'm sure some of you been longer than that , but I've lived in this town for 41 years and that's my opinions . That's my opinion of the whole thing . I'm sure you do , but I came home with an infant , 41 years is a long time .
Speaker 1All right , nothing else . I make a motion that we adjourn a second . Okay , all in favor . Aye , thank you folks .