Executive Committee Meeting
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ebruary 27, 2025| In-person/ Teams /10:00 a.m. –11:30 a.m. Members Staff Thelma Drake, President- Absent Deonna Butler- Present Steve Zollos- Ex Officio Amy Pucci, Vice President - Absent Francessca Richardson - Present Chanda Chan, 2nd VP - Absent Greg Grootendorst- Absent John Mihaly, Treasurer - Absent Gary Zalas - Present Sondra Kendrick, Secretary- Present Brigid Miller Wanda Rivers- CFO Charnitta Waters- COO Leila Willis- EA Barbara Booker- Williams- Absent Dick Grice- Absent Pamela Barton – Absent Caryn West - Present Welcome & Call to Order The Executive Committee Meeting was called to order by Secretary, Sondra Kendrick. Consent Agenda Approval Sondra Kendrick requested a motion to approve the consent agenda, which included the Annual Meeting Minutes from 1.24.25. The motion was made by Gary Zalas, and seconded Francessca Richardson, and all were in favor. Public Comments There were no registrations for public comments. Finance Committee - Wanda Rivers
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anda started off the meeting by introducing PB Mares Auditors, Shawn Middleton and Thomas Capstick. Shawn reported that the primary focus of the report to the board is on the audit process rather than the financials. The audit itself went smoothly overall, though there were a few challenges due to several individuals on the PB Mares team being on parental leave. However, the overall audit process was uneventful and successful. Shawn encouraged the organization to critically assess its functional expenses and their allocation over the next few months to a year. While there was a slight increase in M&G this year, Shawn emphasized that it didn’t raise concerns to the level of a formal recommendation. She suggested that Senior Services consider
Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia 2 r eviewing their expense allocation in a committee or other setting, ensuring they are competitive in securing donor dollars. Shawn confirmed a clean audit opinion with minimal adjustments. Financials showed strong liquidity and consistent federal awards. The aging cluster remains the major program with no concerns or findings, and internal controls are fine. Sondra Kendrick requested a motion to accept the audit. The motion was made by Gary Zalas, and seconded Deonna Butler, and all were in favor. Before Wanda presented the January Financials to the Directors, the Directors agreed going forward that any adjustments/discrepancies to the Hayden Financials will need to go before the Executive Committee and then to the Hayden Committee for full approval. Wanda informed the Directors that this will be Brigid Miller’s last Executive Committee meeting as she will be retiring as of 2.28.25. The Committee thanked Brigid for her service and wished her a well on her retirement. Wanda informed the Directors that the Finance Committee accepted the January Financials and there weren’t many changes except for the Linda C Peacock bequest and the donations from the upcoming Gala. She also let the Directors know that they are currently working on the revised budget for 2025 and then will be working on the FY26 budget. Strategic Goal 1: Awareness of Services Leila provided a brief update on the Annual Meeting which took place on January 24th, 2025 at Town Center City Club. The meeting was a success and focused on the impacts Senior Services made in FY24 and celebrating partners and their contributions. Several representatives attended such as Diane Kaufman (Regional director from the US Senators Tim Kaine), Brenda Roberts (District director for US Representative Jen Keegan), and Efraim Anderson (Constituent services representative for us Bobby Scott). Leila also provided an update on the Senior Day on the Hill which was on February 5th, 2025. The Capitol Hill Club and other AAAs went to Richmond to advocate for the 4.35 million budget amendment that invests funds into the older adult community to address their unmet needs. The highlights of the day were meeting Governor Youngkin and SHH Jennifer Kelly, speaking to Delegate Jackie Glass, being introduced in the House/Senate chambers, and attending a lunch meeting with Governor Youngkin’s team. Leila expressed that the trip was both informative and empowering for the seniors, and the Capitol Hill Club hopes to bring an even larger group together next year. Strategic Goal 2: Staff Efficiencies Mike Godwin introduced himself to the Board stating that his company, Principal Strategies, is now the HR outsource provider for Senior Services, offering HR support with a dedicated on-site presence on Mondays and Fridays. His company serves over 20 employees in the area and works with various nonprofits. Mike mentioned that his business, which has been operating for five to six years, is excited to be partnering with Senior Services. He provided an update on the revision of the employee handbook, which is being revised to reflect changes in laws through 2025. The process will take a few months and will go through several phases: a legal update, followed by an operational update, which will involve input from the operational team on policies like paid time off and holidays. After a final review, a draft will be sent to the committee or the full board for approval. 3 Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia Mike also announced that employee evaluations timeframe has been shifted to align with pay changes. Previously, evaluations were held in March, but this will now occur around July or August. This change allows any pay adjustments to take effect in October, at the start of the fiscal year, creating a more efficient process. Next, Charnitta informed the Directors that a new vendor for home-delivered meals for Virginia Beach was being brought on, with services starting in March. Senior Services will no longer conduct comfort calls for Virginia Beach residents but will continue to provide quality level of service to clients. Additionally, there is still a waitlist for home-delivered meals due to high demand and food insecurity in the Western Tidewater region. However, efforts are being made to fill vacancies. The team is actively working to find resources and close gaps in service. Transportation is now approaching its one-year mark with the RideCo software. The demand continues to grow, though driver vacancies are being addressed. The Veterans Directed Care program is expanding rapidly, with 216 active enrollees and 15 waiting. A new options counselor has been hired. The Managed Care Organization program is shifting to a new model, with sustainability to be assessed in the future. Lastly, the Silver Surfers program, which teaches technology to older adults, is progressing with a new program manager and new cohorts. Strategic Goal 3: Board Effectiveness Steve explained to the Directors that appointed board members play a crucial role in establishing connections with their jurisdictions. The goal is for appointed board members to take the lead in building relationships, presenting budget requests, and working with Senior Services to communicate how the request aligns with the year's goals. The hope is that this method will bring awareness to local jurisdictions about the importance of seniors and addressing their unmet needs. Next, Jane Constantineau informed the committee that the upcoming Senior Services Gala is on track to have 17 sponsorships sold, totaling $69,300, with 45 tickets sold in addition to those included in sponsorships. Gala donations have reached $21,338, bringing total ticket sales to 170, with 160 guests expected. The revenue is at $97,088, though numbers are still pending. A silent auction and raffle will provide additional revenue, and final numbers will be shared after the event. The main entertainment includes a magician for cocktail hour and a piano performance by Felix and Fingers. Strategic Goal 4: Sustainability Steve announced that the $4.35 million budget amendment from the V4A ask went through various changes. On the Senate side, the budget amendment did not pass, while on the House side, it was communicated as a $1.5 million ask, which did pass. However, this amount is for all 25 Area Agencies on Aging, meaning the organization would only receive between $70-80 thousand, which, while helpful, falls short of what’s needed. Steve stated that Senior Services is currently rethinking the strategy and collaborating with others to plan the next steps. 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teve informed the committee that he has delayed several projects, including the Collective Impact project which focuses on providing additional food to older adults on the weekends, due to conflicts with timeframes. Next, Steve discussed a potential housing project for affordable senior housing in Norfolk for seniors. The project is in the early stages, and it’s uncertain if the city will approve it, as other proposals may be considered for the same plot. If the proposal moves forward, Steve will present it to the board in more detail for consideration. Steve also stated the Board has highlighted the need to diversify revenue sources and break away from reliance on federal and state funds. He is considering building a fee-for-service model for services in departments like Transportation and Meals to generate revenue. With the necessary expertise, software, and staffing, the aim is to drive revenue that can be reinvested into the community. Steve shared a Foundation Update where Senior Services is currently waiting for a final $100,000 from Chartway, with the rest of the $1.4 million secured and only $30,000 remains in probate. Steve has met with various experts to determine how to manage the funds. Steve hopes to present a draft proposal at the next Executive Committee meeting for feedback and then a finalized plan to the full board by April. Steve also explained that the mission and vision statement revision is currently on hold, and they will continue with the existing mission and vision for now. He also mentioned that Senior Services received a $12,000 check received from Rivers Casino in September from the change that customers donated. There is potential for this to become an annual contribution and opportunity to build a relationship with them. Lastly, Leila gave an update on the Senior Services and Hampton Roads Workforce Council meetings where the goal is to help seniors in reenter the job market and secure meaningful employment. As of right now, there is a meeting scheduled next week on the next steps with the HRWC. Leila will give a full update once the meeting is held and welcome any Director to join if interested. With no further questions or business, Sondra Kendrick requested a motion to adjourn. The motion was made by Gary Zalas, seconded by Francessca Richardson, and all were in favor. Respectfully submitted by Leila Willis 3/19/2025 Approved