May 15, 2025 Minutes

Weld Area Agency on Aging - Advisory Board Meeting Minutes

Meeting Location: In Person Only – University of Northern Colorado, Tobey Kendel Hall 1901 9th Avenue Greeley, Colorado 
Meeting: Thursday, May 15, 2025 (Thursday) 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

  1. Roll Call:

    • Board Members 
      • Attended: Kay Broderius, Susan Collins, DeAnn Cure, Chair-Nancy Haffner, Vice-Chair Dr. Alan Kress, Ruth Leitel, Valeria Ortiz, Aaron Sanchez, Anne Curry Sanchez, Gillian Smith, Lynn Young
      • Absent: Father Steve Karcher, Commissioner Peppler, Jami Shepherd, Diana Vasquez
    • AAA Staff
      • Attended:
        • Kelly Morrison, Home & Community Supports Division Director
        • Meredith Skoglund, Community Outreach Manager
        • Michelle Roper, Administrative Assistant
    Guests:
    • Tracy Arpin – Program Reimbursement Specialist, Human Services, Weld County
    • Donnica Fagan – AAA Senior Nutrition Supervisor, Human Services, Weld County

  2. Approval of Minutes:

    Motion made by Chair Haffner to approve the minutes from April 10, 2025. Member Cure made first approval and Member Curry-Sanchez made second approval. All approved.

  3. Program:

    • A. Tour of University of Northern Colorado kitchen and dining facility proceeded by lunch service.
    • B. Review of Reimbursement Program, Tracy Arpin
    • Q: Member Leitel – Does your position manage the pots of money for AAA?
    • A: Guest Arpin – Works with AAA to determine how money received from the state is allocated.
    • Q: Member Sanchez – How has AAA been affected by the recent cuts.
    • A: Guest Arpin – What has been relayed to the board by AAA is what Fiscal is aware of.
    • A: Director Morrison – Have only heard of suggested cuts at this time, nothing is definite. AAA continues to have conversations about priorities. The meal program is at the top of the list as well as in-home services and respite. Signed the new contract with University of Northern Colorado for meal preparation and the cost will go up slightly. Internal and external programs will not be affected this year. Emails have been sent to all core providers about budget cuts. Some of those providers have other funding they can rely on.
    • Q: Member Smith – How long does it take to receive reimbursement from the state?
    • A: Guest Arpin – About 30-60 days from submitting the expense to receiving the reimbursement.
    • Q: Member Collins – Will staffing be affected?
    • A: Director Morrison – No plans for staff reduction.
    • Q: Member Sanchez – What are internal and external providers?
    • A: Staff Skoglund – External are Meals on Wheels, Colorado Legal Services, North Range Behavioral Health, 60+ Transportation and Catholic Charities. Internal providers are In-Home Care, Caregiver Respite, Nutrition, Dental/Vision/Hearing, Hearing Impaired and Chore. There is a resource coming to Weld County in October that provides free dental service which we can refer people to and then we can move some money from dental to vision.
    • Q: Vice-Chair Dr. Kress – People confuse Long Term Care thinking it’s at a facility, is there a way to rephrase it?
    • A: Director Morrison – The department was renamed to Home and Community Supports Division with the goal to keep people in their homes.
    • Q: Member Ortiz – Could funds be reallocated for more referrals to SHIP?
    • A: Director Morrison – The rule is that certain amount of funding must go to a specific program.
    • Q: Director Morrison – Any suggestions on what programs we provide that are the top priorities?
    • A: Member Leitel – Meals
    • A: Member Collins – Transportation and chore program because it helps people stay in their home.
    • Q: Member Leitel – Does the Home and Community Supports Division have a volunteer coordinator?
    • A: Director Morrison – There is not a specific position for that but through ADRC and Catholic Charities we are able to recommend the services that they need.
    • Q: Vice-Chair Dr. Kress – Good Health Will in Greeley is a great resource for medical supplies. Would there be an option to have a voucher for this service?
    • A: Director Morrison – Will look into seeing if that can be done in the future.
    • Q: Chair Haffner – Vice-Chair Kress, would you present more information about Good Health Will at a future meeting?
    • A: Vice-Chair Dr. Kress – Yes!

  4. Committee Overview, Sign-up, and Committee Reports:

    • Nutrition:
      • Staff Member Fagan – Meal program is going great, and the numbers are growing. The cost for meals is increasing as of July 1, 2025. Working on getting supply costs down.
      • Q: Chair Haffner – Are the donations tracked?
      • A: Staff Member Fagan – No, all donations are anonymous and can be in any amount that the person can afford. All donations go back to the program. Having volunteers run the sites also helps to keep the costs down.
      • Q: Member Quade – Is there an average donation per meal?
      • A: Staff Member Fagan – $2.73 per meal is the average.
      • Q: Member Quade – Is there a cost to use the meal sites?
      • A: Staff Member Fagan – There is only a rental cost for Mead, but Weld County pays it.
      • Q: Member Collins – Are there a lot of drive through to go orders?
      • A: Staff Member Fagan – Some sites do have a lot of to go orders, but those numbers have decreased since Covid.

  5. Committee Reports:

    • ADRC:
      • Staff Member Skoglund – Meeting quarterly, nothing to report on currently.
    • Fraud Updates:
      • Member Sanchez – 60-minutes did an excellent show on May 11th.
      • Member Smith – Invoice fraud is starting to look more legitimate.
    • Legislative & CCA:
      • Refer to email updates from Member Shepherd.
    • 50+ Art Show:
      • Chair Haffner – Greeley Place will be providing food. Will be doing a mini description of what the artwork is and what inspired it.
    • Beyond 60
      • Staff Member Skoglund – Still looking for articles. Runs weekly and articles can be up to 400 words with a focus on community and older adults.
    • Monitoring, Oversight, Request for Proposal
      • Staff Member Skoglund – Contract signed with University of Northern Colorado for 2026.

  6. Board Participation Reports:

    • Nothing at this time

  7. General Agency Updates:

    • Staff Member Skoglund – Evans meal site has been featured on the Weld County Facebook page. The Weld County Communication department is promoting AAA.
    • Staff Member Skoglund – The Anschutz program that was recommended by Member Sanchez has been scheduled at the LINC Library on August 15, 2025. More details to follow.
    • Staff Member Skoglund – Three volunteers are being recognized at the upcoming Greeley/Weld Senior Foundation event and a humanitarian award will be presented.

    Upcoming Events:
    • Greeley/Weld Senior Foundation: May 28, 2025
    • 50+ Art Show: September 24, 2025
    • Senior Symposium: October 2, 2025
    • Project Connect: October 16, 2025
    • Caregiver Appreciation Day November 7, 2025

  8. Adjournment:

    Motion to adjourn meeting. All agreed.

Next meeting: Thursday, June 12, 2025, from 9am-11am

 

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