Executive Committee Meeting Mon, June 30th, 2025| In-person/ Teams /10:00 a.m. –11:30 a.m.
Members Staff Thelma Drake, President- Present Deonna Butler- Present Steve Zollos- Ex Officio Amy Pucci, Vice President - Present Francessca Richardson - Present Wanda Rivers - CFO Chanda Chan, 2nd VP - Absent Greg Grootendorst- Absent Charnitta Waters – COO John Mihaly, Treasurer - Present Gary Zalas - Absent Leila Willis - EA Sondra Kendrick, Secretary- Absent Jane Constantineau- Dir. Of Marketing Barbara Booker- Williams- Absent Mike Godwin, Principle Strategies Dick Grice- Absent Pamela Barton – Absent Caryn West - Present
Welcome & Call to Order The Executive Committee Meeting was called to order by President, Thelma Drake. Consent Agenda Approval Thelma Drake requested a motion to approve the consent agenda, which included the Executive Committee Meeting Minutes from 5.22.25. The motion was made by John Mihaly, and seconded Amy Pucci and all were in favor. Public Comments There were no registrations for public comments.
Finance Committee – John Mihaly John informed the Board that the April financials were under review and provided a summary of key updates. Under revenue, he noted that SCP funds for both March and April were posted in April due to timing delays. Additionally, the agency advanced federal, state, and general funds from DARS, and reimbursement from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is still pending. On the expense side, insurance costs increased by 23%, largely due to rising healthcare expenses. There were no claims driving the increase, and staff will explore cost comparisons and consider alternative insurance models, such as partially self-insured or level-
Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia
2 funded plans. John also noted an increase in monthly rent beginning in April 2025, with exact figures available in the financial statements. Thelma Drake requested a motion to accept the April Financials. The motion was made by Caryn West, seconded by Deonna Butler , and all were in favor. John then informed the Board that the May 2025 financials were under review and noted a single update under revenue. The agency received a delayed reimbursement from October for the Veterans Directed Care (VDC) program. He explained that while the program generates strong revenue, reimbursements—processed through Bay Aging—have been significantly delayed. As a result, the agency has had to float the program’s expenses for extended periods. To address this, Steve has reached out to Kathy V., who oversees Bay Aing, to discuss establishing a more reasonable reimbursement timeline. Thelma Drake requested a motion to accept the May Financials. The motion was made by Caryn West, seconded by Deonna Butler , and all were in favor. Lastly, Steve provided an update on staffing and budgeting transitions. With Brigid’s departure and Wanda stepping into the CFO role, a new controller has been hired, though both transitions are taking longer than expected. He and Charnitta have been meeting with departments to finalize revised FY25 budgets, which are now in use. The new budget software, Martus, is being adopted agency-wide, with full implementation set for October 1. FY26 budgets are being entered into Martus and will be presented to the Finance Committee and Board along with the Area Plan. Steve also noted the Grants Administrator has left, and the agency is actively hiring for the position. Strategic Goal 1: Awareness of Services Jane reported a busy period in marketing with several active initiatives. The Veterans Transportation program is being promoted through direct mail to 4,000 low-income veterans, pharmacy bag ads, and vehicle decals due to flyer restrictions at V A clinics. The elder abuse awareness campaign includes three billboards, digital ads, educational events, and promotion of the APS hotline and online portal. The Windsor I-Ride campaign continues with billboards, digital and print ads, and has led to a threefold increase in ridership. The Spring direct mail appeal shows strong early results, with final numbers expected in July. Following the Grants Administrator’s departure, the agency is exploring internal and outsourced solutions, with Jane currently managing grants. V olunteer recruitment is strong for roles in meals, reception, counseling, tech coaching, and ombudsman support, and the agency is expanding internship opportunities through local colleges. Leila reported that the Public Hearing was held on Thursday, June 12th, both in person and virtually via Facebook Live and Teams. Steve presented on agency impacts, services, and the growing demand among older adults, followed by a 30–45-minute Q&A session. With the Public Hearing finished, feedback from the hearing will be used to help improve and directly influence the final Area Plan. As for the status of the Area Plan, departments were given a July 15th deadline to complete their sections, and the full plan will be sent to the Service Advisory Council for required input before being submitted to the Board for approval. Leila assured the Directors that the Area Plan is nearing its finish and will be submitted by the August 1 st deadline. . Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia
3 Strategic Goal 2: Staff Efficiencies Mike Godwin reported that the updated employee handbook was finalized, distributed in May, and is now being acknowledged by staff via Paylocity, with a few follow-ups still in progress. Performance evaluations for all staff are also underway, launched through Paylocity with completed templates and processes in place. Mike also raised the need to begin Steve’s annual evaluation. In the past, this started with a SurveyMonkey questionnaire sent to the full Board, with the Executive Committee compiling the feedback and meeting with Steve to review the results and offer input. The process will be kept the same this year with only a few revisions to the questionnaire. With the process being agreed upon, Mike and team will start the process of coordinating Steve’s evaluation with the Board. Next, Charnitta informed the Board that as of May 31, 2025, the agency had completed 150,585 units of service across all programs, including meals, trips, sessions, and contacts. This marks a decrease from 244,000 units during the same period in FY24. The drop was expected due to the expiration of ARPA funding on September 30, 2024, which previously supported numerous programs and allowed for higher service volumes. Despite this, the agency has adjusted goals accordingly and maintained strong performance amid staffing shortages and project delays. In Transportation, a new system called RideCo was launched in June 2024, replacing RouteMatch. This upgrade has improved operational efficiency and tracking. Charnitta presented a detailed comparison of trips completed by program type—such as congregate, medical, social, adult day care, veterans, and Windsor fixed route—between FY24 and FY25. Monthly data showed consistent improvements, with November up by 4%, December by 33%, and a total of 3,767 one-way trips completed in May 2025—outpacing the same month in FY24. Despite ongoing driver shortages, the transportation team has effectively adapted to meet growing demand. Charnitta reported that the Transportation team is operating with four vacant driver positions, limiting the number of trips they can fulfill despite high demand. Notably, the team still has 17 drivers, the same as in May 2024, but thanks to efficiencies gained through the RideCo system, total driver hours increased significantly— from 1,126 hours in May 2024 to 1,908 in May 2025, averaging 112 hours per driver. Charnitta commended the team for their productivity and collaboration across departments. Charnitta also addressed transportation call volume and staffing. In May, over 3,000 calls came through the transportation lines, with roughly 1,000 abandoned (calls not answered live). After working a full dispatch shift, Charnitta identified ways to reduce call time to 3–5 minutes and minimize dropped calls by using call parking features. The agency plans to consult with regional partners like ForKids to adopt the best practices for managing high-volume call systems, aiming to improve responsiveness and reduce missed opportunities to assist clients in need. Finally, Charnitta gave an update on Silver Surfers, the agency’s technology coaching program for older adults. The program received a Community Development Block Grant extension through September 30th from the City of Norfolk. It is also leveraging local jurisdiction funding due to the growing need for digital literacy across all programs. Silver Surfers is collaborating with Norfolk State University to develop a senior-focused technology curriculum, which will be promoted on the university’s website.
Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia
4 Strategic Goal 3: Board Effectiveness Leila informed the Board that the upcoming Board of Directors retreat will take place on August 7th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The retreat will focus on the agency’s foundation, board development, and include a tour, lunch, and time with staff and residents at Hayden. Leila also announced the addition of three new board members, bringing the total to 17. These include Colleen Flick from Southampton (jurisdictional appointee), Kathleen Cullen from Portsmouth (jurisdictional appointee), and James Overton from Portsmouth, whose appointment is in progress and will be sent to the Board for approval. Once confirmed, new members will be onboarded and welcomed with a lunch meeting. Strategic Goal 4: Sustainability Steve informed the Board that discussions has begun regarding the use of a $1.7 million bequest form the Linda C Peaccock estate. While the funds are secure, no decision has been made about their long-term placement or use. Steve emphasized that any decision would require full board input due to its significant implications. Conversations have been held with four potential fund managers: Hampton Roads Community Foundation, United Way, Merrill Lynch, and Dominion Investments. Of these, United Way appears to offer the greatest flexibility and return based on current information. Steve reviewed a foundation concept document with the Board, outlining various areas the foundation could support, including senior housing, transportation, and other mission-aligned initiatives to strengthen the agency’s impact. Another concept shows how revenue-generating programs could potentially operate under a Foundation LLC structure to create additional funding streams beyond interest earnings. Steve emphasized the importance of developing a clear strategy for the foundation, noting that while there are strong potential supporters in the community, successful implementation will require thoughtful planning. He encouraged the Board to review the materials provided, which include marketing considerations and the next steps. He noted that external experts strongly advised against folding the funds into general operations, instead urging the agency to seize this opportunity to build something sustainable. Initial investment would likely be less than the full $2 million to allow for startup costs, staffing, and maintaining liquidity. Finally, Steve shared an update on the Collective Impact Program, which aims to expand meal delivery from five to seven days a week. The program is a collaboration between Norfolk State, Food Bank, and Youth Earn and Lean. A pilot is planned to launch in January for 10 older adults in Norfolk. After some uncertainty, the program now appears to be moving forward, and the Board will receive further updates as it progresses. With no further questions or business, Chanda Chan requested a motion to adjourn. The motion was made by Amy Pucci, seconded by John Mihaly , and all were in favor. Respectfully submitted by Leila Willis 07/23/25