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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/27/2003 - Regular Minutes - Senior Advisory Committee Senior Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Monday, October 27, 2003 College Station Teen Center 1520 Rock Prairie Road 10:00am MINUTES Members Present: E.E. Bums, Frank Camplone, Fred Dollar, Robert Meyer, Raymond Reed, Colleen Risinger, Yvonne Stevens, Betty Wilbom and Joanna Yeager. Members Absent: Laura Holmes, Catherine Lamb, Haskell Monroe, Neal Nutall, Suzanne Reynolds and Dipankar Sen. Staff Present: Marci Rodgers, Senior Services Coordinator I. Call to order. The meeting was called to order by Joanna Yeager, Chairman at 10:02am. IL Hear Visitors. No visitors were prese t. III. Approval of minutes from regular meeting on September 29, 2003. Raymond Reed made the motion that the minutes be approved. Robert Meyer seconded the motion. The motion passed. IV. Approval of minutes from special meeting on October 6, 2003. Raymond Reed made the motion that the minutes be approved. Yvonne Stevens seconded the motion. The motion passed. V. Discussion, consideration and possible action on Program Priorities sub- committee report. Raymond Reed presented schematic drawings of the existing Parks and Recreation Department Headquarters and possible Senior Center. The drawings included both the first and second floor of the building. Dr. Reed said that the first item to consider was to determine which walls were load bearing and which could be removed in order to create large meeting rooms. He included the addition of an elevator in the building. The sub-committee has concluded that this facility and the area surrounding it would be ideal for a senior center. Robert Meyer made the motion the Senior Advisory committee pursue the use of the current Parks and Recreation Headquarters as a senior center if the department moves to the proposed City Center. Yvonne Stevens seconded the motion. The motion passed. VI. Senior Services Coordinator Report. (Report attached) Marci Rodgers thanked Robert Meyer for presenting the goals to the Parks and Recreation Board on October 14th. Mr. Meyer made his report available to the committee. VII. Next meeting date and agenda items. The next meeting of the Senior Advisory Committee will be held on Monday, November 24, 2003 at 10:00am. The next agenda should include a progress report on the goals. VIII. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 10:55am Senior Services Coordinator Report October 2003 Citizens University Academy Applications are now being accepted for the Citizens University Academy. College Station Residents may apply on line for the for the January 2004 class. The website address is htt)://av- .ci.collco-e-station.tx.us/cscu/form.htm or a hard copy application form will be available in the City Council office. Thu cderbirds Aerial demonstration on October 30, 2003 at 10:00am at Texas A&M University. Viewing area for this event will be the grounds of the George ush Library. Ballroom Dance This dance is sponsored by the College Station Parks and Recreation Department and St. Joseph Gold Medallion Club. The dance is scheduled for Thursday, October 30, 2003 at the College Station Conference Center from 7:00pm-9:30pm and the cost is $5.00 per person. Enjoy an evening of dancing and refreshments! Ex0oring College Station History The next lunch lecture is scheduled for Wednesday,November 19th at the College Station Conference Center. Calvin Boykin will be speaking and the luncheon begins at 11:30am Reservations are requested and you may call Katie Elrod at 764-3761 or Marci Rodgers at 764-6371. Ad with tike Eagle —-— = - -4, 4 ''.', .1'^,`-',F:t4S•4;34.4!3;';',",-.4`?:•,t.,'-'7-::-;•,j::.-t,'3..,:[i':11;k::-; '''''‘''''''''4 --e4.4'ertNtitAZ:,r,`tvz;vs.,,,,,,,,,,,,t,,v,,-..,--- - - ,,, A,,,,i,„,,,,,,,„,yt_,..,...,,,,,,,E.,,_:.4,,s1 , , . ,. 1 1 NATION -:•,--.44.-4,- ...4...4 ----, .,..-- .00.---try*?..1-11,414 -444 Read,. 7 ,1 ,•,,, , ,,.„ ,, '`..7."'•.....''V. I Set .. ., . ...,, . , ..., - - , - , . , . - , , „,, 't.''':'" , . . _ - , 'A..; ' , , . , :: ', , -, •-:'1,' Fed up with the fast track, people are banding ...... ,-- , together tip find ways to slow things down y SONJA STEPTOE RIDGEWOOD have leftmAspectrumericansfeelingacrossthe In exhausted economic d geographic•'*,'-i FEW WEEKS AGO,AFTER PICKINGhis book Work to. Live:The Guide to Getting --- • ahst Joe Robinson offers up her daughter Renee froma ;,,, i i •-' '!:. school, Donna Olsen corn- ipanLeeiiircdde'eopjtaleoeurnsanodf statistical evidence mitted an act of soccer-mom and evidedperneesesi°ofnrising menheresy. Instead of headirir,to and ecausmedwboyoevnputerworinmore 80%of than soccer practice, Olsen drove 62% of Renee, 10, to the Bookends 40hoursa weekotnerthfor aob.An August 2003 - - bookstore in Ridgewood,N.J., poll for the Center New American where they whiled away n that hours, listen- Dream, an organization based in Takoma •g'`' 1 / ing to Lemony Snicket—Renee's favoriteu - Park, Md., that focuses on q Amer- ;, 1 y-of-life author—read from his new bookand with the ilessauosfeltes,ressavpetaleedthreto work too much,ofataltbough60% more • • gered for an autograph and a,chat with .,.> writer afterward.Then,instead of snatch- thanat52%of them wished for more family e and time s-5 ' ing a fast-food dinner from a drive-throughwould take less money to A ' i window so they could rush off to. their get it, next activity;they drove home and,joined -Americans are reaching a breaking -, ,-l'!„..,, ,• by Renee's older brother Scott, leisurely point:' says John deGraaf,that one of the au- cooked cooked burgers on the family grill "She's thors of Affluenzabook ,aat criticizes ma- •- ,,z'ji. ,,`, only 10,and there are plenty,more years left terialism and overconsumption. What the for soccer:'explains Olsen, 'but not anoth- country needs,be says,is a day off So he has organizedDthsechfierdstuNleadtifeonralo.cTotakn.2e04f,BThatheken ,,,,._, : H77,:oc, ----- ..--- ,, , er opportunity to_rneet Lemony Snicket:' Like moms and dads everywhere, 01- YourTime sen and other Ridgewood parents are worn idea—reallyisdfeorvpeerosiple to take ,,_., out from dragging their kids through. the Ridgewood initiative—is time out to protest what de Graaf and his rk frenzied after-school ritual of dinners on A, the go and crosstown suv shuttvlaeteritnless_ acnohdoortvesreseeheasdui"ailingethpirdeeatmenicipogf000vmemrwirolii. among practices,competitions,private ''''',,•,5 , sons and club meetings. Unlike most par- ties and families." Events ranging from ents, however, the folks in Ridgewood forums on how tothat .;, ,, ,77,,,.:,,,;.,,,,,., creaeteasociety with hfewer time r, - decided to do something about the situa- operatreessattoa splaothweers peaxetolling the virtues ,,... , ,,,,, - '-•-::,.,,,r,.,„,,,...ri.,,,,., ,:i.;.-i-„--':-.-„,----‘4,-i*z.t..,4, ,, tion.Two years ago,leaders in this affiuenat pofreassusimplified life have been planned in commum -- 1 *ty launched Ready, Set, Relax! encouraged frazzled citywide families to put down some speed bumps in their fast paced livesBefore Rea p;ii-rlioc;FArcay Fp151David and BethN. j . Relax!,Donna Olsen says, I might not have 'ElainicRa°5livsePbayrbhclavrng a weekly sit-down dinner made the choice to skip soccer prac • ,, li.their daughter,Roche K - $ Years of multitasking and workaholism -,....-4 38 Photographs for TIME by Andre Lambertson—Corbis Ail ; , ,. h Y✓»''rr.:; ,z Y,3"x- - - - .-;-`� ,.�.:-, '- --_"�ri,),,,,,,.-e.,- -e... -.• ", Y'*'*t-1 -w- r- ;,,, - t - ,-"•S. - '�" .,s,.,,,_, �. .":' `" """`"':' -- - -. -— 2 i,,,-.'.,,,A. .,,e-.4-,,,,4;v.."tr4s i fs ! -"''''7";;T,,,7 t _ f* -,4 � -.4-='.;',U1'7' y r _-: ig- - ' ;-.442,::. � 4o- '' ' � .`. ,. �.�', _ x y - eu, .k ' �` �` '` =" -s ° '1� - frN�.Lii-'F$f'rf OUT Donna Olsen fi fir,s. kicks back by shooting hoops with '. ' �� : '- - -�„ L her daughter Renee and her son „p ,e: a �,� � .� � ��' � �� ��� �. Scott at-home m Ridgewood { - t74-2::::::'''. _ z4' '-"{ =s^� e'1A -� ..;:i..-tit, ,. - _ '' t f 4' �, velopment, and it's robbing fami- ' F r; lies of time together;'he theorizes, '' � €� S � k�Z-� - adding, "Frantic families equal - z 1 fragile families" 1s That message stirred up par- S 1J. ents in the Twin Cities suburb of � � t Wayzata,Minn.,when Doherty lec- '' tured there five years ago.His talk r. 5 sparked a communitywide initia- & five called Putting Family First.One project:a book,written by Doherty , and coalition organizer Barbara • } Carlson,filled with such advice as= §; "`' � �� making family vacations a priority � 1 g � � � f5 � and strategies for finding time to ;.--",k.'.; ', �= i. �� ' � talk with kids about their day.The 4 r: 4 • � group also launched a website and � �� � �� � �' � ublishedaConsumerllery�or�s-s}��le r i �� 4�# t .C� ${ ��� • guide to local after-school activities, ' , 5 '4 � providing analyses of the time and z y , ;-7 � " • x � � �� � �� -�� travel demands involved in pursu- � t �5 �� � �� � ing each undertaking—not exactly a L y . ;: laid-back approach to overschedul ,, y`;' ing,but at least a nod in that direc- ! s ¢ _ 5„_ t' 1; x a `'• ,4:':::1,: tion. Nearly 5,000 families in the P surrounding eight cit;area snapped �-� '''-.----••,n1;•,-.1 rte' f i 4#' -11 r ��` ,� '` 3 xa r' 1'c Ldp cop1es �� Wi ^ ;d Two years ago, the Wayzata -' prescriptions caught the eye of ` -: ' Marcia Marra, a busy mother of rlt -4 „ t ,`,,:f.,?,...."; three in Ridgewood who works ; t N• "` '` part-time for a local family-services Y i 60 cities, including Boston, Seattle and agency. In professional and personal con 4 Beverly Hills,Calif. versations, Marra had been hearing more f Families started down this road back and more complaints from soccer and in the 1980s,when sociologists said struc- ballet moms about their hectic, joyless tured activities would prevent juvenile lives, and she was having similar misgiv- • - delinquency and keep kids safe, At the ings herself,With the backing of her boss, same time, globalization was heating up, she convened a meeting of parents,clergy and education experts felt that American and community leaders.They shared their „t-''.:;'i:i'L'''' ,r l'',:'s..,:.','.:::::::1:i ti' k schoolchildren needed to work harder to alarm over the growing numbers of ele- 3 ;-21.;,....-. 'k ' compete.The result:a cottage industry of mentary students wearing knee braces be organized after-school pursuits—lessons cause of injured and overused limbs, and tutors and clubs and teams—to baby- the burnout among high school students � K ' -,,,......4,-,. sit and enrich.Then,thanks to overzealous who wanted no part of varsity athletics parents, things got out of hand, says Wil- and the homework load that forced school Liam Doherty a University of Minnesota kids of all ages to lug backpacks heavy � - professor of marriage and family therapy with books. "We're creating a generation ;- .., `.'� x t,= "Adult notions of hypercompetition and that's overscheduled by parents, overtest 4 " .-7 parer heduling have created a culture of ed by teachers and overtrained by coaches;' - parenting that's more akin to product de Garland Allen, director of wellness for 60%OF AMERICANS FEEL PRESSURE TO WORK TOO MUCH, r4 W MORE THAN 80%WISH FOR MORE FAMILY TIME,AND 52% i-y OF THEM WOULD TAKE LESS MONEY TO GET IT '" - , . �a c TIME,OCTOBER 27,2003 39 ' -- z"� ` - ` fir". 1 I NATION V. F, i 1 '-" ing the threat that your kid won't make the ,',.:,-„,..4-!, gs.,,E. team;'says Frank Giordano,a past presi- 1 . ' dent of the town sports council. Still,if the Ridgewood experience is any � �� - ' � � indication,taking back your time is going to 4 take more effort than it would seem at first. Even the BaRosses have found it hard to 44 4 ti* �� 1-,,P; T , , S 4 r 7 slow down.David admits that leaving work 41,I 7- , A=... early adds stress because it puts him under .,,,vt z x , ' the gun to finish his undone tasks and new , 1 ,„,,,,,,--.,,L,,, ,,, , ..,,,,,...?„,.w..„.,,,,,:__:„ ,„,,v,.t,..., ,.. projects on time in order to avoid a poor 1t . t performance evaluation. "I'd love to cut , 4 ',x' , • back,'he says."But I also want to maintain - % 4"' ' � '"' t the lifestyle we have." Outside considera- S4-" 'I.:, � ,r , tions are on Rochelle's mind too. A few �^ r - weeks ago,she announced that she had de tided to run for eighth grade vice president. mows } �. b , ... � . The campaign, she explained, would look good on her college applications. b , 2= � ` � � ,. a ' Teenagers have been the most reluc 1 tant to slow down.A crammed schedule is "atu � j a; a badge of honor at Ridgewood High,and , � � Ready, Set, Relax! is considered kid stuff. I 1 ` ` "My friends and I don't feel overwhelmed," ` �x . ky. °4 ° #a r ,.1` -w"jT'1_,T''Is ' te ys'4 w ,,, y ,3,rat ki0L0 to Determined to get into an Ivy eague college,,Marielle W�,00ds,17,refuses says Ethan Frenchman,a busy senior with -[,',',-,,,:_--i t to stow her Pace and juggles about a dozen extracurricular activitiestplushomework ' pals on the varsity sports squads."You just i ,'., ,..._ ...�„ i``,, .;_,,,- .a .�.;. ``r.�,, P3.6 t.ii,f `:.�ss=fieA4'L. ' . have to set up a schedule and stick to it." IR 3 =f � r.4- His classmate Marielle Woods says she Ridgewood schools, told the attendees. was a sanity check for us;' says David would love a night off,but that doesn't fit in The group developed the first Ready, BaRoss,a manager at a big telecommunica- with her plans to get into a top college.Last Set,Relax!project for March 26,2002.The tions company who habitually worked year on Ready,Set,Relax!night,she drove concept was straightforward. Elementary late and missed dinner with his wife Beth to New York City to audition for a gig as the _ ,- and middle schools would not assign home- and daughters Kelsey, 11, and Rochelle, voice-over narrator on a radio commercial. Fir work. Youth sports teams would cancel 14. David and Beth, a former commuter That's just one of about a dozen extra- practice. Clubs and tutors would sched- mom who now works closer to home,have curricular activities she juggles while main- -c ule no meetings or lessons. And parents placed a cap on extracurricular activities for taining a 4.0 grade-point average.After a would come home from work in time to the girls and have made spending free time day of advanced-placement and honors have dinner with their kids and focus on together a priority. "We just couldn't keep classes, she spends two hours at tennis- - ,F' family matters."A lot of people were grap- going and going and piling on more;'says team practice.And if she doesn't have an pling with these issues,but no one was sure Beth."We were missing out on life." evening rehearsal or performance with how or where to cut back because no one David still works late a lot, but now the school wind ensemble,she tackles her wanted to risk having their kids miss out or the BaRosses set aside one duties as a yearbook editor, lose their place academically or athletically," night a week for family 80%OF MEN AND the sailing-club president ` says Marra. "It was just one night,but we get-togethers that feature ® OF WOMEN or the head of a charity for wanted to send a message.If parents want- either a restaurant outing 0 the homeless she founded— ed to give something up,Ready,Set,Relax! and a movie or a themed POT IN MORE THAN before turning to home- `40 let them know it's G.K. to follow your in- dinner at home followed by work. "There are times 40 HOURS A WEEK k, stincts.Your kids won't suffer,and most im- board games. David has a when I'm up late with my portantly, the community values that perfect attendance record. ON THE JOB textbooks with so much to decision:' There have been institu- do, so little time and my `• w No one knows how many of the town's tional changes around the town as well. head in my hands,wondering how I'm go- targeted 2,400 families with children in Wellness director Allen is urging community- ing to get it all done;'admits Marielle, an grades K through 8 participated,but nearly league coaches who use school facilities to early-decision applicant to an Ivy League 500 of them sent back surveys saying they give youngsters some time just to have fun. school. "But I'm doing stuff I enjoy, and enjoyed the experience. By the time the Parents,meanwhile,are being encouraged that's almost as good as relaxing for me:'In second event rolled around last March, to stand their ground against demanding a tacit admission of just how hard it is to get Mayor Jane Reilly says,it seemed as much coaches, and coaches are being told to be off the hypercompetitive track,next year's a local tradition as the Christmas-tree light- more empathetic. "If you don't want your Ready,Set,Relax!night in Ridgewood has ing and the Fourth of July parade.And there child on a traveling team, or if your child been scheduled for March 22. It's a date are signs that some families consider the doesn't want to play the same sport year that won't conflict with the season's high effort to slow down something more than round,you should be able to approach the school academic competitions, sports just a once-a-year affair."Ready,Set,Relax! coach about it without being told no,or fac- events and student theater productions. TIME,OCTOBER 27,2003 41 _ ___ _ _ __ __--__� _ a� � ,,:-\\----\\ \--„, :\''''''''---„,,_ , g 1 „:-/1) ., 33., "3„,„, i -',„ Kg.2971„433.,252,/ 3,S., II 1 I\ \ $$, kks STREET If ��/ _, _� , r . / , , , , , „ ..,,, _ , , _, ,, , ,....,, ) „,./..... ,, ,,,„, _...,/ .... / ../, / , , .... . . s ,,,,,,,, (----, / ts ,ai.,-,_,.....„.._ ... „,,,,,,..„,,,,,,,,...,„,,, __, , /,. / / / ,,,,,.. c „ ,, , / , -, ,,...____ ., ,. ,.„,- -----------„, , „,..__, .0, , 'DE ENTIONr0EA / \.."1 ) -7— / f i ite — ,1 ,---;-1---; I ..5..-- --,-55-A . -5,'"\,-, , ','"-. .1'`""- -''''' ..1''''''... -V60600-4WA, ti— ZONE:-C-1"" .DVAINTION : +_ SEPTEMBER.2003 TEX ea us EMI = �°°.�= �=� ���~~- i COLLEGE ��� ~�^=^'��~�� '�=~ � --' 'r� ����~~~~ -�� ���~ =~ w^~�� ~~~~~~~~-- Kris Lehde- Requested AbsencePage 1 From: Glenn Schroeder <gschroeder©aggiecatholic.org> To: ""klehde@cstx.gov"' <klehde@cstx.gov> Date: 11/4/03 4:49PM Subject: Requested Absence Hi Kris, Please pass this request for excused absence on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for action. I will be unable to attend this evenings meeting due to a prior commitment. Thanks, Glenn