The Lewis County Senior Board met on May 3, 2018 at the Twin City Senior Center. The meeting began with Winlock representatives asking for a copy of the prior Minutes and Agenda. President of the Board, Jim Henderson stated, "you don't need any." Eventually the Board provided the agenda. The minutes were approved thereafter but a copy of the minutes was never provided to the representatives.
The board then immediately went into Executive Session for 20 minutes. From conversation during the remaining meeting an assumption was made that in the Executive Session the board discussed the recent resignations of the Winlock representatives: Don Bradshaw, Vice President of the Board, and Louise Winder.
Janet Kramer resigned approximately a month ago and Don Bradshaw and Louise Winder resigned a week ago. The Lewis County Senior Board originally had 18 members and they now have 13. Of the entities represented, Toledo has the majority. Vice President Don Bradshaw left the board due to a conflict with certain Toledo board members.
During the previous meeting, Don Bradshaw asked Executive Director Glenda Forga to start contacting businesses to raise funds for the Board. In an email dated last week, Michelle Whitten asked board members to give Forga the names of potential sponsors they will be contacting but few board members responded.
Board member, Ron Averill, reported he has personally contacted Centralia and Chehalis for contributions. As of the meeting on Thursday night, Forga reported that she, personally, had made no fundraising contacts. The Board does have one fundraiser planned, coffee and cookies at a rest area. There was no mention of any additional fundraising activities.
On the agenda, no item under old business was completed, except one. Ron Averill was the only member who completed his task.
Lynn Ford, who has assisted with the thrift store, gave an excellent report as to what is happening with "A Second Time Around." She stated that there is money in the bank from the senior centers who participated in the opening of the thrift store and that money is being saved for slow months in the Fall.
At the end of the meeting the agenda listed "public comment" but Jim Henderson stated to the audience to "ignore the public comment." He then stated that he would allow questions. When individuals tried to give background information to ask the questions, Jim Henderson stated each time, "Is there a question here?"
An article in Senior Dynamics of May 2018 regarding the Board finances stated, "Expenses exceeds income for senior programs." Treasurer Judy Barr reported income was $29,049 and expenses were $48,820. At the time of the writing of the Senior Dynamics' article, payment from Lewis Mason Thurston Area on Aging had not yet paid.