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09-15-2021 Senior Advisory Comm PacketCITY OF . Federal Way Centered on Opportunity SENIOR ADVISORY COMMISSION Remote Meeting September 15, 2021 — 2:00 PM Notice: Due to rising cases of COVID-19 in King County and the region and pursuant to Governor Inslee's Proclamation 20-28, all city meetings will be held remotely until further notice. The Mayor and Council encourage you use one of the following ways to participate in the meeting: Click Here to submit written comments to the Senior Advisory Commission Listen to the live meeting: (888) 788-0099 or 253-215-8782 Meeting ID: 967 3314 8653 Watch from the Zoom mobile app with meeting: 967 3314 8653 and password: 640094 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. CITIZEN COMMENT a. (Comment limit— 3 minutes) 3. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS 4. COMMISSION BUSINESS Topic Action Est. Presenter or Info Time A. Welcome new Commissioner Info 5 Min Chair Harvey B. Approval of 5/19/2021 meeting minutes Action 5 Min Chair Harvey C. South County Senior Centers & Resources Info 15 Min Sarah Butler Willis D. Pamphlet —Update and Purchase Action 20Min Chair Harvey E. How Can We Support the FW Senior Center Action 20 Min Vice Chair Bostic F. Post Pandemic — What does it mean to Seniors? Info 30 Min Chair Harvey G. Cancelation of November 17, 2021 meeting Action 5 Min Chair Harvey 5. STAFF REPORT None. 6. NEXT MEETING November 17, 2021 @ 2:OOPM 7. ADJOURN Jeri -Lynn Clark, Executive Assistant to Council, 253-835-2401 Council President Susan Honda, 253-835-2401 CITY OF Federal Way Centered on Opportunity SENIOR ADVISORY COMMISSION SUMMARY May 19, 2021 @ 2:OOPM Hylebos Conference Room Commissioners Present: Vice Chair Lana Bostic, Sue Ellebrecht, Lynette Karasuda, Kevin King, Catherine North, Cheryl Volheim, Frank Fields, Ken Pratt & Absent: Chair Debbie Harvey, Commissioners Hope Elder & Dora "Pal" Leonard (Alternate) Staff Present: Council President Susan Honda & Jeri -Lynn Clark, Executive Assistant Citizens Present: Rev. Colleen Chinen (Assoc. Pastor from Steel Lake Presbyterian Church) 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. 2. CITIZEN COMMENTS Terri Cleveland Meridian Court apartments are newly renovated and are available at low rent costs. Thank you for all of the work the Commission does for the Community. They are located at 31420 23rd Ave S, Federal Way, WA 98003, near Steel Lake Park. Commissioner Fields asked how often is rent raised at Meridian Court. Ms. Cleveland shared that they are a Housing Tax Credit low income property and have to follow procedures and will do not raise the rent during the term of their lease. Example of an income limit for 1 person is $48,000 annually and the applicant will need to prove a gross monthly income 2x the monthly rent. Apartment rates are 50%-60% below market value of similar units. If anyone has more questions, please feel free to contact Meridian Court Apartments. 3. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Fields would like to thank Chair Harvey for accepting the Proclamation for Senior Adult Month and for sharing what the Senior Advisory Commission is working on. Vice Chair Bostic shared that Olivia Sullivan did an interview with Chair Harvey, Council President Honda, Ms. Clark and herself. There will be an article in the Federal Way Mirror in the next few weeks about the Senior Advisory Commission and encourages everyone to read it. Vice Chair Bostic has a friend who works with HUMANA and that she found our brochures and loved them! She would like to offer her help in the future if anyone has any questions Page 1 of 4 about HUMANA. The Farmer's Market is open, if anyone is available to drop off brochures, please let her know. 4. COMMISSION BUSINESS A. APPROVAL OF 3/17/2021 MEETING MINUTES MOTION TO APPROVE THE 3/17/2021 MEETING MINUTES BY VICE CHAIR BOSTIC, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER NORTH. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. B. UTILITY TAX REBATE — FEDRAC FOLLOW UP Ade' Ariwoola, Finance Director shared information about the Utility Tax rebate program and asked if the Commission could provide their input on the program. Currently applicants (low income seniors and disabled persons) have to supply all of their utility bills (PSE, Lakehaven, Waste Management, Cell phone and Cable) for the prior year. Some applicants in prior years have received anywhere from $40 up to $300. Applicants are only reimbursed on what bills that they submit. If they have any missing months, they would not reimbursed for those charges resulting in a lower refund. Another challenge for applicants is they would have to make copies of all of their documents that they do now want the city to keep; that creates a cost burden on the applicant and extra work for staff. Finance is proposing a flat rate of $100 per applicant per year they apply. They would not be required to supply all of their utility bills from the previous year. They would need to provide their photo ID, copy of SSI or DSHS annual payments and a bill showing that they live in Federal Way. The Finance Department will make sure they are following the Washington State guidelines. The Commission discussed the different options and agreed that it would be easier for everyone to go with the flat rate of $100 per applicant. C. LOBBYIST DIRECTION Ms. Clark shared Chair Harvey wanted to see how we could work with the state Lobbyist. Council President Honda asked if there was anything specific that they would like the Federal and State Lobbyists to work on. Vice Chair Bostic would like to make sure there is Medicare for all and would like to the lobbyist to work on Medicare for all bills. Council President Honda said that she would share the list of ideas with the Mayor and both Lobbyists. Vice Chair Bostic shared that if anyone would like more information on the Medicare for all, please contact her. Commissioner King asked if there were any asks that they could help support? Council President Honda shared that we are trying to get new fields and scoreboards. Next year there will be Federal funding available for sport fields. We are also asking to help with the purchase of electric vehicles, COVID relief and a few more items. Page 2 of 4 Commissioner Volheim asked if the Federal government could get funding to help with the Senior Center purchase food. Council President said that food banks are getting different types of funding from them. Commissioner Volheim would like to see them get designated funds so you get more than just cheese. Council President Honda will share the idea with them. Commissioner King would like to see what the American Recovery Act has to help seniors. Council President Honda shared that at the first meeting in June will be a presentation on the American Recovery Act. Ms. Clark shared Tim Johnson, Economic Development Director is working on an update to present the commission. D. SUBCOMMITEE UPDATES Brochure Distribution — Commissioner North shared that all of the SHAG housing locations, William J Woods and Korean housing have the brochures. They have left them in the Senior Lounge at the Community Center, Senior Center and with all of the bags for Meals on Wheels. Due to COVID is hard to get places to take them. The library is holding them on quarantine and then will put them out. What do we want the brochure to say? Do we want the date July 2020-August 2021? Do we want to change the title and just have a published date on the bottom of the document? We will need to go through and make sure all of the businesses are still in business. Commissioner Pratt offered to review and make sure all of the businesses are still open. If anyone knows of any new businesses that we didn't add last time, now is the time to send in the information to Ms. Clark. Tax & Discounts for Seniors — Commissioner Ellebrecht reached out to all of the local representatives, senators, etc. and she has not heard back from anyone, but will not give up until she hears back. Ms. Clark asked if the Commission would like to wait until everything opens back up? Commissioner Ellebrecht shared that it has been very hard during COVID to contact anyone during this time. We will do a check in July to see how things are going if they State has reopened and if things are the same we can wait until September. Rent Controls — Vice Chair Bostic shared that not much can be found since rent can't be increased during this time due to COVID. Commissioner Pratt looked online and there isn't much we can do to make private owners not raise their rent. Commissioner Volheim would like to share this request to our State lobbyist to work on next session. Vice Chair Bostic would like to table this topic until the pandemic is over. Ms. Clark inquired what the Commission would like to work on that is not a part of the original goals? Commissioner North would like to see a Senior Fair and invite healthcare partners, senior housing, etc. Commissioner Volheim likes the idea and possibly provide transportation for seniors to attend. Page 3 of 4 Ms. Clark asked for everyone to think about when they would want to hold the event in 2022. It does take time to plan the event and will can discuss more details and vision at the July meeting. Vice Chair Bostic suggested discussion post COVID goals at the July meeting. She suggested that we could go to different places (e,g, Village Green) to see what they need or how we can help them. Ms. Clark suggested going to the Senior Center and having a Senior Forum and that could possibly help us know what businesses to have at the Senior Fair. Email Ms. Clark all of your ideas to share at the next meeting. S. STAFF REPORT None. 6. NEXT MEETING Wednesday, September 15, 2021 @2:00 PM. 7. ADJOURN - The meeting adjourned at 3:21 p.m. Attest: Jeri -Lynn Clark, Exec. Assistant to Council Approved by Senior Advisory Commission: Page 4 of 4