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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence- #18 Middleton, Samuel From: Victor D Mendez <vicdmendez@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, March 6, 2023 4:48 PM To: Amezcua, Valerie Cc: Lopez, Jessie; Hernandez, Johnathan; Phan, Thai; Penaloza, David; Bacerra, Phil; Vazquez, Benjamin; eComment Subject: Item#18 - Report on Establishing a Senior Commission Attachments: Staff Report-Senior Citizen Comm.pdf, Screenshot_Delgadillo Reply to Victor Mendez.png I have read the captioned report and attached are my critical annotations to the same. The report is riddled with ageism and outdated beliefs on the needs of the 21st Century older adult. The recommendation to appoint two older adults to the Parks and Recreation Commission as a means to ensure the needs of our citizens aged 62 and older are met is effectively useless and reflects outdated thinking from 25 years ago. Today's older adults are facing numerous challenges in the areas of housing, jobs, economic security and access to needed services. I have heard disturbing reports of my fellow older adults being discriminated against and in my own situation verbally abused by a member of the Santa Ana Police Department and effectively called senile (attached) Additionally, it has been widely reported that due to the near end of food stamp "pandemic" supplements from the Federal Government, older adults are facing a food cliff and the philanthropic community will be hit to capacity. In this respect, regrettably the City Council has failed to hold their City Manager accountable for her commitment to provide relief to older citizens (through the second round of Revive Funding). This commitment was made at the November 16, 2021 Council Meeting. To date, nothing has been done. Yet, nearly two years later, the food security for older citizens is in danger of collapsing. There is also a huge body of evidence that indicates that older adults have greater risk of homelessness than other age groups. All of this suggests that the report was poorly prepared, lacked insight, and mypoic. I request that Council direct staff to write a new revised report that provides substance and is grounded in reality, with a meaningful recommendation to structure participation of older adults who live in Santa Ana. VICTOR D MENDEZ r. 2 18. Senior Citizens Commission Informational Report Department(s): Recommended Action: Accept informational report and provide direction to staff. Parks, Recreation, and Community Services www.santa-ana.org/parks Item # 18 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report March 7, 2023 TOPIC: Senior Citizens Commission AGENDA TITLE: Senior Citizens Commission Informational Report RECOMMENDED ACTION: Accept informational report and provide direction to staff. DISCUSSION: Flerhaps a lyetteu working till wa umnight lye the Commission on ackground,...._. .................................................................� the Status of Uder AdUts At the January 17, 2023 City Council meeting, Mayor Amezcua added the following councilmember requested item: Discuss and Consider Directing the City Manager to Direct Staff to Prepare an Ordinance Establishing a Senior Citizen Commission. There was consensus among the City Council to proceed with this item. Accordingly, staff has prepared this report outlining preliminary research of different commission structures, alternatives to a commission, and a draft ordinance establishing a Senior Citizen Commission. id they talk to the County coumrrwrnisson which has been around for decades,? Senior Citizen Commission Like all other boards and commissions, a Senior Citizen Commission is an advisory body that advises the City Council, particularly relating to matters concerning aging and older adults or senior citizens (the terms "older adults", "seniors", and "senior citizens" refer to individuals who are 55 years of age and older, and are used interchangeably in this report). Generally, a Senior Citizen Commission advises the City Council on the following matters: • To act in an advisory capacity to the City Council relating to service delivery pertaining to older adults. • To make recommendations to the City Council relating to services provided by the City to older adults. • To make recommendations to the City Council relating to policies and plans relating to older adults. 5::.. .TIhis is lbased on AN:RFI, The umno appropriate e is 62, FUI a tirernent is 67 Senior Citizens Commission March 7, 2023 The Commission shoUd lye charged ith providing uw Page 2 uwuwuuu 11 report on the status and conditions of o der uuullts each year • To facilitate coordination between the City of Santa Ana and external government agencies that provide services to older adults • To carry out such studies as may be assigned to it by the City Council. • To report to the Mayor and City Council its findings from time to time. Similar to how all other City boards and commissions are established, a Senior Citizen Commission would include seven members, each nominated by a member of the City Council and appointed by a majority vote of the City Council. With the exception of the citywide commissioner seat nominated by the Mayor who would serve a two-year term, each commissioner would serve a term of four years. The Senior Citizen Commission would meet regularly, establish bylaws concerning their scope of work, and report to the City Council from time to time. ordinance establishing a Senior Citizen Commission Exhibit 1 Or u�u draft For discussion only, attached is a dra ylbe, the participants did not lyeHeve their work was lbein ..._ treated serious�y or treated with importance, Staff researched surrounding municipalities with existing or prior Senior Citizen Commissions and found that most Senior Citizen Commissions were disbanded due to 7 time commitment requirements and lack of participation from the community— Alternatives to Establishing a Senior Citizen Commission Below are alternatives to establishing a stand-alone Senior Citizen Commission. Add Two Seats to the Parks and Recreation Commission to Represent Older Adults „",Add two more seats to our current Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission to make a Commission of nine members, whereby the two new members are older adults. Under this model, the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern would each select an additional person to fill the two seats. These two commissioners would provide insight into the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency's service delivery for older adults. Direct Staff to Establish a Senior Committee At the direction of the City Council, staff may establish a Senior Committee — a group of individuals appointed to engage in a short-term study or to advise staff on matters relating to older adults. Direct Staff to Establish a Senior Task Force The City Council may direct staff to form a Task Force to accomplish one or more specific objectives. A Task Force would meet as often as necessary, and would operate in a purely functional capacity. Establish a City Council Standing Subcommittee to Discuss Matters Relating to Older Adults The City Council may establish a standing subcommittee to discuss matters relating to .his is riddlled with ageisrn, .TIhe needs of a 2 Ist century o der aduft goes w6lll beyond getting a uneaa is on whe6s uuunch, then sitting in a park and watchingthe Sunset, The issues of housing,jobs ecouwounic a�ewwebpumrr ent and p ulNic Senior Citizens Commission March 7, 2023 Page 3 older adults. Standing subcommittees are subject to provisions of the Brown Act. City Council Ad-Hoc Committee to Discuss Matters Relating to Older Adults As an alternative to a standing subcommittee, the Mayor may establish an ad hoc committee ad hoc committee to discuss matters relating to older adults. The ad hoc committee would generally serve only a limited or single purpose, would not be perpetual, and would dissolve when its specific task is completed. Recommendation At this time, staff recommends adding two more seats to the existing Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission to make a Commission of nine members to include older adults who would serve on the Commission provide insight into the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency's service delivery for older adults. FISCAL IMPACT why? what type of input did they gnat lbefore rnaking this a eterrmnination? . .his can IIbe achieved There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. through the corn mrr ent period r CouncHi rnnwanwatings or Icy coumrrwumn unity umrrweetings for when CouncHil EXHIBIT(S) engages with the senior citizen coumrrwumn unity. 1. Draft ordinance for discussion only Submitted By: Hawk Scott, Executive Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services Approved By: Kristine Ridge, City Manager DIVISION X. - SENIOR CITIZENS COMMISSION Sec. X-XXX. — Establishment and purpose. There is hereby established a Senior Citizens Commission (hereinafter referred to as the "Commission"). The purpose of the commission shall be to advise the City Council on matters relating to service delivery pertaining to older adults. Sec. X-XXX. — Senior Citizens Commission membership and term. The Commission shall be composed of seven (7) members who shall be residents of the city. The provisions of section 2-326 of this Code shall govern the appointment, removal, vacancies, and term of members of the commission. Sec. X-XXX. — Qualifications of commissioners. Each member of the commission shall be at least 55 years of age. Sec. X-XXX. - Meetings. The commission shall meet at dates and times set forth in the bylaws of the commission. The bylaws shall be approved by the City Council. Sec. X-XXX. — Organization The Senior Citizens Commission shall elect from its members a chairperson and vice chairperson, each of whom shall serve in such position for the term of one (1) year. No member shall serve in the position of chairperson for more than one (1) term. Sec. X-XXX. - Responsibilities and duties of commission. The Senior Citizens Commission shall have the following responsibilities and duties: a. To act in an advisory capacity to the City Council relating to service delivery pertaining to older adults. b. To make recommendations to the City Council relating to services provided by the City to older adults. C. To make recommendations to the City Council relating to policies and plans relating to older adults. d. To facilitate coordination between the City of Santa Ana and external government agencies that provide services to older adults e. To carry out such studies as may be assigned to it by the City Council. f. To report to the Mayor and City Council its findings from time to time. Manuel it Reply h,J,o,a'd , l( b y ! , 2(")2 ..i aid, 13 1 F M Victor Mendez, sJiceto hear from thefailed politician! Let mime assist you in clearing map YOUr misguided ed information ion abOUt M oosi i n, Downtown usim ess Liaison i r, again. My soft positions per your cornment was assigned to mime by 'ormer police Chief Carlos Rojas. This was after working approximately 20 yseas on Ipatrol because this is how I D lieved the citizens of Santa Ana wo�uldbe served best. My question to you is have you ever had job? rrecti mm , my overtimesalary, I do earn a base salary life all officers and I work plentyovertime ecause i s, available. There is mention in you conimentI is overtime being a r mom° I salary., Once again this is ncorrect. The City of Santa Ana has roman rnany events through thecity. : arged for police service. his overtime is "VIENDOR PAID." 1 is overtime does not come out of the City af Santa Ana budgiet. I had to explain this overtime to two councilman, m I will not name. So once again you re speaking out from the 7th planetour solar system. For, your imp i mm all public employee salaries are on Transparent California. ,Reference the RECALL: Omer' SAPOA has paid $25,000 look at ourm s ilin on-line. How much lid e spend on Council Woman Ceti Iglesias just to stroke his ? That is precious member mber money. Is this Ift.oincidence orJustme? V im o w.- "After Contract Battle, Santa AnaPolice m i m aum ches Council Recall