Executive Committee Meeting March 27, 2025| In-person/ Teams /10:00 a.m. –11:30 a.m. Staff Deonna Butler- Absent Steve Zollos- Ex Officio Wanda Rivers- Controller Charnitta Waters- COO Francessca Richardson - Present Greg Grootendorst- Present Gary Zalas - Absent Leila Willis- EA Members Thelma Drake, President- Absent Amy Pucci, Vice President - Absent Chanda Chan, 2nd VP - Present John Mihaly, Treasurer - Present Sondra Kendrick, Secretary- Present Barbara Booker- Williams- Absent Dick Grice- Present Pamela Barton – Absent Caryn West - Absent Welco me & Call to Order The Executive Committee Meeting was called to order by 2nd Vice President, Chanda Chann. Consent Agenda Approval Chanda Chann requested a motion to approve the consent agenda, which included the Executive Committee Meeting Minutes from 2.27.25. The motion was made by Sondra Kendrick, and seconded by Francessca Richardson, and all were in favor. Public Comments There were no registrations for public comments. Fin ance Committee - Wanda Rivers Wanda provided an update to the Committee, noting that February salaries were slightly below budget due to several open positions. The Linda C Peacock has been received and is being processed, contributing to a large increase in funds. Additional funding has come in from local jurisdictions, specifically from the cities of Virginia Beach, Suffolk, and IOW, while funding from Norfolk is still pending. Although not all revenue has been posted yet, March is expected to reflect a substantial increase, including contributions to the Development Fund from a recent investment. Overall, finances are on target. John Mihaly added that, due to the lack of a
Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia
2 quorum, the February financials couldn’t be officially accepted, but the meeting included great discussion. Looking ahead, the team may explore new funding sources once staffing gaps are filled. Strategic Goal 1: Awareness of Services Steve expressed to the Committee that the Gala raised approximately $109,000, exceeding the $100,000 goal. After event expenses of around $30,000, the net amount raised was about $70,000. Steve requested feedback from the Directors on the venue and overall experience; responses were mixed—some attendees enjoyed both, while others felt the venue was underwhelming. A question was asked about the event’s duration and entertainment, stating that guests tend to leave once the band begins playing. Steve explained that for next year, the team is considering shifting from a “buy a table/seat” model to a free-entry approach with key players, which could help attract the right audience and encourage bigger donations. Leila provided an Advocacy update, beginning with a Capitol Hill Club meeting held on March 12th. Leila gave a presentation on the history and importance of the Older Americans Act, encouraging attendees to contact their legislators ahead of its reauthorization on March 14th. She also provided election information, highlighting the upcoming primaries on June 17 and Election Day on November 4, along with materials to help seniors learn more about the candidates. The group also recapped Senior Day on the Hill, which was well received. The Capitol Hill Club members appreciated the chance to meet state officials and are already looking forward to next year’s event. Leila also shared that from March 30 to April 1, she would be attending the U.S. Aging Policy Briefing in Washington, D.C., focused on the Older Americans Act. She has confirmed meetings with key policy staff in offices like Senator Kaine and Congresswoman Kiggans to discuss legislative priorities related to Senior Services. Leila also provided a Marketing update highlighting Steve’s Op-Ed titled, Food Is Medicine, will be published in The Virginia-Pilot in April and is already featured on the organization’s website. Senior Services has placed both a back cover and inside ad in the current issue of Senior Living Guide. In April, a postcard will be mailed to residents in Franklin and surrounding areas to promote Hayden Village Center as both an event venue and a community center. A campaign has also been launched to promote the fixed-route bus service in Windsor, funded by Isle of Wight jurisdictional support. This campaign includes a billboard on Route 460, geotargeted digital ads to Windsor, print ads in Windsor Weekly, and postcards mailed to all residents. Additionally, for the spring direct mail campaign supporting home-delivered meals, the team will partner with a new vendor to create refreshed, more engaging materials aimed at increasing donations, to be sent in late April or early May. Strategic Goal 2: Staff Efficiencies Mike Godwin provided a Human Resources update stating that there are currently five open positions, including the role of Controller. The Committee is encouraged to refer qualified candidates, particularly for the Controller role, which is challenging to fill due to high demand. The role has been posted on platforms like LinkedIn and through resume databases. A staff engagement survey, developed by the Principle Strategies senior team, will be distributed in the upcoming weeks to establish a baseline for employee satisfaction, with plans to survey every six months. Additionally, work has begun on updating the employee handbook to reflect recent legislative changes, with the goal of completing it before the May DARS audit. Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia
3 The Employee Handbook will include revisions to policies such as paid time off and recognized holidays. Additionally, a Fair Labor Standards Act audit was conducted to ensure proper job classification for all positions. A few roles will be reclassified, primarily from salaried to hourly. Affected staff will be notified in April, with changes taking effect May 1, along with necessary training on timekeeping procedures. Next, Steve provided a Business Development update, noting that the Managed Care Organization project will conclude on April 30. There is also potential for expanding the Care Transitions Intervention program. As for grants, DHCD FY 26 Housing Trust Award doubled from $168K to $286K compared to last year, allowing exploration into rapid rehousing services for homeless older adults, including supportive care. However, the City of Norfolk community development block grant HUD dollars was not renewed for either project for FY26. A debriefing has been requested, with the belief that reduced HUD funding and new Federal administrative changes contributed to the decision. These funds our Silver Surfers and HOA partially. Steve added that Senior Services is currently pursuing the Spectrum grant worth $50,000 to help cover the Silver Surfers program. Steve also mentioned that Senior Services is scheduled to have a DARS monitoring between May 5 th – 7th. The departments are currently preparing for monitoring and are keeping watch on any updated information that DARS sends. Additionally, efforts are underway to provide technology coaching across the region in coordination with local Adult Protective Services (APS) teams. The Elder Abuse Prevention Project, which gives up to $100k for each AAA will include education and training scholarships to conference , breakfast summit , and direct support.
Strategic Goal 3: Board Effectiveness Steve started the discussion by announcing to the Committee that a new appointee from the City of Chesapeake, Lisa Dixon, has been approved to join the board and will attend the next meeting in April. Steve and Thelma will be taking Lisa out for Lunch to help familiarize her with board expectations and procedures. She will serve as an appointed board member representing the city of Chesapeake, and the team is looking forward to welcoming her. Sondra reminded the Committee that board members are expected to attend at least 75% of all board meetings, with exceptions allowed for illness or unavoidable circumstances. In such cases, members are encouraged to submit a voting proxy. Failure to meet attendance requirements may result in the removal by the board. For Planning District Commission board members, at least one of the two appointees must attend each full board meeting and 75% of assigned committee meetings. Planning District Commission members may coordinate attendance between themselves. Steve voiced that October has been designated as the month for board members to make their financial contributions. While there is no required dollar amount, members are encouraged to give a meaningful, sacrificial gift based on their capacity. Steve emphasized the importance of 100% board participation and encouraged anyone who hasn’t contributed yet to do so. Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia
4 Next, Steve informed the committee that Amy Pucci is currently on a sabbatical from the board due to personal circumstances. Though she is taking a break, her contributions as an active and valued member are very much appreciated. Lastly, Steve updated the committee that we currently have 5 board openings: 2 Southampton, 2 Franklin, and 1 Portsmouth. The directors are encouraged to suggest potential candidates, especially candidates that have a passion for serving older adults and relevant expertise.
Strategic Goal 4: Sustainability Steve started the discussion by mentioning Joshua Place as a potential housing opportunity in Norfolk. Conversations are underway with Michael Glenn, who previously helped with the Hayden project, and Diane Collins, who is leading the vision for the development of the property. Steve emphasized that while no commitment has been made, there are both reasons to be involved and reasons to proceed with caution, and he is carefully examining Senior Service’s role. Next, Steve discussed the Collective Impact, a project with plans to extend weekend meals to homebound older adults. The pilot program is still being finalized, with a target launch between October and January next year. However, key things to take note of include securing funding for the pilot and ensuring it has a scalable plan for future expansion to the broader community. A meeting with Sherry Norquist, Dr Dungee-Anderson, and Chris Tan is scheduled for April 7th to finalize details. Finally, Steve informed the Committee that all expected funds from the Foundation have now been received. Totaling about 1.7 million dollars, which creates a strong opportunity to move forward with establishing a foundation. To support this, an ad hoc advisory group (7 to 10 individuals) is being formed, led by Suzanne Puryear, who has agreed to facilitate a series of three meetings for the group. The goal is to gain insight and potentially secure early support from those inspired by the vision. After these meetings, recommendations will be brought to the Executive Committee and the Full Board for a decision on whether to proceed. Board members are encouraged to stay informed, do light research on foundations if possible, and be prepared for discussion. With no further questions or business, Chanda Chann requested a motion to adjourn. The motion was made by John Mihaly, seconded by Francesca Richardson, and all were in favor. Respectfully submitted by Leila Willis 04/10/2025