President Pat Rudolph called the regular meeting of the Residents’ Council [the Council] to order at 7:00 pm on December 7, 2021. The following members of the Council were present: Anna Marie Ciarrocchi, Ron DeAbreu, Diana Dunaway, David Elder, Eugenie High, Merci Izquierdo-Whitaker, Mimi O’Donnell, Justine Parezo, Pat Payne, Gordon Piché, John Remias, Mike Rose, Pat Rudolph, Mary Lee Seaman, John Yoder. Absent members were Rosemary Eck, Betty Elder, Walt Howe, and Carol Eshelman.

64 Association members attended. Visitors included residents, Pat Kasuda and Naomi McAfee, members of the Board of Directors, and Don Grove, Associate Executive Director.

The Council observed a moment of silence for those who have passed away.

Minutes for the November 2, 2021, Residents’ Council, distributed before the meeting, needed amendments. The amendments included adding a name missing from the Communication Committee report, correcting numbers in the Treasurer’s report, and correcting the date for the Benevolent Fund Committee.  A motion was made and seconded to approve the amended minutes. The vote was unanimous.

President Rudolph presented the Mission Moments.

President Pat called on the following officers and committee chairs for reports; the text of those reports appears following the formal minutes:

• Pat Rudolph, President
• Merci Izquierdo-Whitaker, Vice President
• Mimi O’Donnell, Secretary
• Ron DeAbreu, Treasurer
• Eugenia High, Chair of the Benevolent Care Committee
• Dick Crebs/David Elder, Co-Chairs of the Communications Committee
• Anna Marie Ciarrocchi, Chair of the Conservation Committee
• Ron McNab/Mary Lee Seaman, Co-Chairs of the Dining Committee
• John Yoder, Chair of the Finance Committee
• Mike Rose, Chair of the Grounds Committee
• Carol Eshelman, Chair of the Health Services Committee
• Sebastian Petix, Chair of the Housekeeping Committee
• Pat Payne, Chair of the Legislative/Political Committee
• Gordon Piché, Chair of the Maintenance & Engineering Committee
• John Remias/Rosemary Eck, Co-Chairs of the Resident Life Committee
• Justine Parezo, Chair of the Safety & Security Committee
• Pat Payne, Chair of the Nominating & Elections Committee

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None

NEW BUSINESS: None

WORDS FROM MANAGEMENT
Don Grove presented “Words from Management” summarized below for those residents interested in reading the full text of the message.

ADJOURN
President Rudolph adjourned the formal meeting at 7:44 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Mimi O’Donnell
Residents’ Council Secretary

REPORTS—EXECUTIVE TEAM

MISSION MOMENTS (Presented by Pat Rudolph)
Wendel Thompson nominated Jacquelyn McLellan for December’s Mission Moment. Her response to the theft of a statue of an African drummer that she displayed on her shelf is the compassionate response we all can affirm. Jackie prayed this prayer and made it public outside her apartment:

“LOVING GOD Grant me the SERENITY to accept that my statue is gone, the MORAL FIBER to forgive the one(s) who took it, and the GRACE to move on without it. Amen.”

Then, hearing from friends about the loss, she put this note on her shelf, “Dear Neighbors and Staff: thank you for your many acts and expressions of kindness in the loss of my African statue. I never knew its beauty brought joy to so many.  Peace, to you.”

This response to loss shows Integrity, Respect, and Caring.

More than one reason led Pat Rudolph to recommend Gloria Palladi for Mission Moment recognition. Many people know Gloria’s wonderful smile and cheery greeting.  Whether she is organizing books in the Fountain Hill card room or helping out a neighbor in need, she is always cheerful and upbeat.  However, you may not know that Gloria is meticulous and tenacious as well.  We all know how difficult it is for newcomers and delivery people to find their way through our maze of corridors.  We have signs but many are confusing or misleading. Gloria has made it her mission to identify those confusing or misleading signs, document the problems, and bring those issues to the attention of the Administration.  She has become the signs lady, who knows what the problems are, where they are, and she works to get them fixed.   Gloria personifies the Erickson Way values of Excellence and Responsibility as well as Friendliness and Enthusiasm.

When you observe or hear about residents who strive for Harmonious Community Living beyond their own concerns, please recommend these residents for recognition as Mission Moments by letting Phyl Lansing know at phyllansing@yahoo.com or CT403.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/ PRESIDENT’S REPORT (Pat Rudolph, President):
The holidays are upon us.  Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza or the Winter Solstice, this is the time when the depressing move to shorter days turns around and, ever so gradually, the days begin to get longer. Humankind has celebrated this turn around for thousands of years.   All of these holidays are beacons of light in the cold, dark days of winter.  We have been through some dark times in the past 18 months.  I hope that we can use these holidays of light to bring joy to our lives.  I know that while, for many the holidays are a time of joy, for others, they are a source of sadness.  Losses are felt more keenly.  High expectations are not met.   I find the greatest joy in connecting with others. I don’t need to urge most of you to connect with your families – you will do that without my urging.  I do urge you to connect with other members of the community.  Remember there are some who do not have family or cannot be with family.  Many of us chose Charlestown because of the sense of community and caring.  Let’s celebrate these holidays by reaching out to each other.

Vice President’s Report (Merci Izquierdo-Whitaker, Vice President)
I want to thank all those who have submitted their comments and complaints via the Council Communications Form available on CCiCharlestown.org or at each of the buildings’ front desks.  I have forwarded the forms to the appropriate committees for their review, and I do hope that all problems identified have been resolved to your satisfaction. If not, please let me know.

The one issue which has been identified by several residents, only we as residents can resolve. Many times, some residents have used the common tables at each of the elevator entrances to discard unwanted items, such as shoes, clothes, knickknacks and even filled food containers. This is not only unsightly but unhealthy.  Please, if you have anything to give away, give it directly to the desired person.  We want our campus to be as attractive as possible to us and to those who come to visit and or planning to move here.

Thank you for your consideration and may you all have a wonderful holiday season.

Treasurer’s Report (Ron DeAbreu, Treasurer)

The Council’s account balance at the end of October was $3,997.51. The Council had no income in November. Expenditures for the month totaled $500.00. Thus, the Council’s account balance at the end of November was $3,497.51.

Secretary’s Report (Mimi O’Donnell, Secretary)

The Staff Appreciation Fund Campaign ended today when the Staff received their share of the collected funds. 71.7% residents gave $275,552. Thank you to all of the generous residents, the efforts of the Staff Appreciation Committee, and the efforts of Emily Fowler, Lisa Zehring, and Patti Santoni from the Philanthropy Office. Thanks also to Brittany Owens, Publisher of the Sunburst, for giving the program a front-page report.

Benevolent Care (Eugenia High, Chair)
The Benevolent Care Fund Committee did not meet in November. There will be no meeting in December.  Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 26, 2022 at 2:00 pm in CTS116.

Communications (Dick Crebs/David Elder, Co-Chair)
Don Grove, Mary Evans, Greg Johnson, and Brittany Owens were the staff in attendance. We had 14 members in attendance.

The Website subcommittee shared the following:

1. Dining – Current changes to dining are reflected on ccicharlestown.org.
2. Connector newsletter issues and their content are now available via search and via the sitemap.
3. An updated campus map from Wayne Smith has been added to the website.

There was a discussion of the ComcastThe Charlestown Comcast bulk service contract provides basic HD television in the apartments. Address your concerns to General Services. See more information about apartment television and television connections. READ MORE information on the website. The Comcast phone number is on the television page. It is now set to be searchable.

Charlie Eichenlaub provided an update on Evergreen topics. Evergreen topics are those that come up time and time again.

1. A discussion was held about the Wi-FiWi-Fi is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for wireless networking and allow nearby devices to exchange data by radio waves. Wireless local area networks (WLAN) are widely used in the world to link laptop computers, tablet co... READ MORE upgrade.

As always, residents are urged to call 1-800-677-0211 to report problems. Don Grove shared that we seem to have plenty of capacity.  We are using 2 lanes of a 5-lane highway.

2. Questions were raised about the Resident Directory and those who want to be included/excluded. This is a work in progress.
3. An increase in Spam Calls was noted. Don will research reducing spam calls on in-house telephone lines.

New Business:

1. The new AlertMedia emergency alert system can be more directed and hence more useful.
2. Comcast is our Television and internet provider. We have a “bulk” account.  Apparently, an upgrade to the cable box is available which would allow the ability to record 5 shows versus 2.

The Communications Committee will hold our next meeting on December 27 at 2:00pm by Zoom.

Conservation (Anna Marie Ciarrocchi, Chair)
The Committee met with seven residents on November 21, 2021.

The group shared reactions to the “Climate Summit” in Glasgow including disappointment in the weak resolutions regarding fossil fuels and the failure of wealthier countries to deliver promised funds to developing nations in need of assistance to combat climate change.  The committee decided to ask Eric Ebersole to recommend a member of the Maryland House of Delegates to contact regarding climate change legislation. Subsequently he recommended Dana Stein.

The group believes that the infrastructure bill could provide funds to increase the feasibility of solar panel installation on our campus.  Two members will meet with Nathan Bloomberg who will pursue such issues for Erickson Living in his new job.

The group continues to educate residents through the scroll, posters in the dining rooms, the recent cubby stuffer flyer, the Sunburst and the Voices of the Council program regarding items that can and cannot be recycled.  It was also clarified that Baltimore County picks up all trash and recycles grease and cardboard from our restaurants.  Waste Management processes all resident recycling which we pick up in our Charlestown truck.

It was also noted that volunteers will pick up bags of paper bags from dining placed on shelves on recycling days.  Other volunteers pick up cans left on shelves on recycling days.  So far, $130 has been collected for the Benevolent Fund.

The next meeting of the Conservation Committee will be on January 18^th at 2:00 pm in Brookside Classroom 1.

Dining Services (Ron MacNab/Mary Lee Seaman, Co-Chairs)

The Dining Committee met on Monday November 15 at 2:00 pm in the Auditorium.  Chief Chef Paul Brewer represented Dining Services. Ron announced that the Dining Committee will not meet during the month of December.  Ken Zahn returned Dec 6 after only 6 weeks absence.   The implementation of a new modified buffet system has increased the speed of service and reservation options.

Sub-Committees reported:

• Residents at the community table in Chesapeake need to be held to one hour dining, so that others can be seated.
• Differences in serving policy between Fireside and Chesapeake should be resolved.
• Staff dress code needs to be monitored.
• Ice Cream Freezer at Terrace Café needs to be repaired.

Dining Services reported:

• Erickson is launching a major recruitment campaign in late November including advertising on social media outlets frequented by local high school students.
• The modified buffet system implemented this month due to labor shortages will probably end in January if not sooner.

The next meeting will be held Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 2:00 pm in the Auditorium. Please notice the day change from Monday to Tuesday.

Finance (John Yoder, Chair)
The Finance Committee met on November 30, 2021 in Brookside Classroom 1 with Finance Director Gladstone James, and invited guests Sales Director Matt Daugherty and Associate Executive Director, Don Grove.

Matt presented the Sales strategy and responded to questions.

Highlights of the Occupancy Data and Financial reports for October were presented by Gladstone James as follows:

• Independent Living occupancy is 91.7%, ticking upward from the previous month, but still below budget. This is partly offset by occupancy in Assisted Living which is more than 10% above budget.
• There were 18 settlements in independent living in October, and 10 releases – a net monthly gain of 8. For the year, there have been 159 settlements, offset by 166 releases.
• Resident monthly fees received in October were $33,000 above budget but Departmental Revenues remain below budget. Year-to-date overall revenue is $700,000 above budget, including income earlier this year from the CARES Act
• Investment Income for YTD (October), including Unrealized Gains, is $11.5 million.

Highlights of Restricted Funds:

• The benevolent Care Fund incurred $10,108 in expenses during October, offset by inflow of $188,797 (including $150,000 from investments).
• Inflow, YTD (October) to the Scholars Fund is $360,720. When added to the beginning balance plus investment income, minus payouts and expenses, the total fund balance is $1,609,159.
• Inflow to the Staff Appreciation Fund in October was $108, with outflow of $180. Added to the beginning balance of $9,450, the YTD (October) balance is $129,388.

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The next meeting of the Finance Committee will be on January 25, 2022 at 9:00 am in Brookside Classroom 1.

Grounds (Mike Rose, Chair) – Read by Mimi O’Donnell
The Grounds Committee met on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 with Kevin Crawford and 11 members present.

Topics covered were:

• Trimming of tree at BR 107—this is an ongoing project.
• Memory walk – edging, trimming, cleaning, especially—this is Ryan’s responsibility; regular attention is needed. Four or five bricks which were used to mark now dead trees and need to be put in walk.  A sign is needed to designate walk.
• Finish pruning tree at cemetery. Two cherry trees need to be taken out at Parkview and Harbor View. There was a lot of discussion about possible loss of cherry trees on campus.
• Road striping. A machine for this purpose was purchased but doesn’t work. Again, Ryan’s responsibility.
• Dragging/mowing at ball field- One injury occurred by ball player on ball field. Ball team will mark holes.
• Landscaping/pruning at north end of St. Charles.
• Fall re-sodding/planting at BR, HR and St. Charles- there is bare dirt near Mrs. Cleghorn’s apartment as well as BRT06. Erosion is due to clogged drain gutters.
• Lamppost painting still being worked on.
• Maintenance of steps from road level to upper level at Arbor Side and Terrace (clean/paint)- safety. Not to be ADA compliant. May lead to other improvements. Pat Rudolph will ask the Board about ADA applications.

New Business

• Dog walking court needs power-washing and latch fixed.
• The lake is much improved due to treatment and rain.
• Replacement of guard rail is not on list until 2023.
• One-half of the awnings are being replaced this year.
• Nature trail is scheduled to be worked on by grounds after Christmas.

The next meeting of the Grounds Committee will be on Tuesday, January 25,2022 at 10:00 am in Brookside Classroom 1.

Health Services (Carol Eshelman, Chair) – Read by Mimi O’Donnell
Staff Reports:
Robin Clay of the Resident Services department, reported that the monthly Dementia Support Group provides support for caregivers, including spouses, and other family members.  The group meets on the 1st Tuesday of the month, 1:30 to 2:30, in the Terrace level meeting room in Caton Woods.  She asked the Committee’s assistance in spreading the word about the support group.  A discussion followed on outreach and ways to add more people to the support group.

Committee Member Reports:

• Louise Dempsey reported that there are no longer quarantine floors in Wilton Overlook and Caton Woods.  She also noted that there are 52 residents in Memory Care (filled). (Mimi noted that as of 12/7 there are quarantines in Caton Woods so check before visiting there.)
• Pat Kasuda gave us an update on the standards of memory care and why they are important.  The current standards were set in 2006.  These standards were updated in 2016 but have never been voted on by the State Legislature. MACRA is lobbying to get these standards approved in the 2022 General Assembly session.
• The next medicine Take Back is scheduled for January.

The next meeting is scheduled for January 11, 2022 at 11:00 am in Brookside Classroom 2.

Housekeeping (Sebastian Petix, Chair)
The committee did not meet but inspection but members of the committee stay busy. Reports were submitted via email by all members. Maple Terrace is still in need of inspectors. Issues addressed were forwarded to Michelle Fenn and where appropriate to Gordon Piche if relevant to the Maintenance and Engineering Committee. Both committees work together to report issues relevant to each other. All committee members are encouraged to report issues via CCIWorkOrders@ericksonorders.com.

The next inspection reports are due on the second Friday of December, 12/10/202. The next in person quarterly meeting will be on Monday, January 24, 2022 at 10:00am in Brookside Classroom 1.

Legislative/Political (Pat Payne, Chair)
The Committee met at 10:00 am On November 10^th in Brookside Class 1. The minutes of the October meeting were approved as submitted. Key matters discussed at the meeting included the following:

1. The 2022 Session of the Maryland General Assembly which will convene in Annapolis on January 12, 2022, and end on April 11, 2022.
2. In addition, a special session of the Maryland Legislature began on Monday December 6^th to: (1) approve redistricting maps for Congress from the State of Maryland, and (2) override the Governor’s veto of key pieces of legislation approved by the 2021 General Assembly Session.

The Legislative/Political Committee is hosting a Zoom call with the members of the District 12 Legislative Delegation (the team that serves the area where Charlestown is located) on Monday, December 13^th at 7:00 pm. The purpose is for the delegation to bring us up to date on the Special Session, as well as the Delegation’s priorities for the 2022 General Assembly Session. Call me for the Zoom link if you wish to attend.

The next meeting of the Committee is December 8, 2021, in Brookside Classroom 1. The agenda includes:

1. Reviewing the redistricting proposal now before the Legislature for Congress submitted by the Legislature’s Redistricting Commission. The actual decision on redistricting will be completed during the regular General Assembly Session.

 

2. Updating the methods of tracking legislation during the General Assembly session and confirming our legislative priorities for the 2022 session.

 

3. Preparing questions for the Committee’s meeting with the District 12 Legislative Delegation on December 13th.

All Committee meetings are open, and residents are welcome to attend.  The January meeting will be on January 12^th at 10:00 am in Brookside 1.

Maintenance and Engineering (Gordon Piché, Chair)
The meeting was held on Tuesday, November 23rd at 2pm, in the General Services’ Conference Room.  Four members met with General Services’ Kevin Crawford and Donald Hoffman. Council VP Merci Izquierdo-Whitaker also attended.

Projects scheduled for this year, 2021

• Caton Woods resident apartments water issue, pretty much under control.
• Terrace level Awning replacements – Bldg. 7, 8, 9, and Brookside (also arbors with awnings).
• Scheduled Roof Replacements Contracts for Chapel Court and Bridges done by year’s end.

Projects scheduled for 2022

• Brookside and Herbert’s Run Renovations… Still on schedule.
• Elevator for Bldg. 7 – Will finish in January 2022.
• AC for Maple Terrace – scheduled for March/April 2022.
• Elevator Generator for St. Charles – on order, expected in January 2022.
• Auditorium Stage Renovations; No decision at this time.
• Refectory – No new information at this time.

Items currently addressed or in process

• Replace elevators – Charlestown Square and Cross Creek Station. Chapel Court is underway.
• Courtyard Crossing (Building 7) baseboard molding outside APT CY7G07 needs replacement; materials difficult to source.
• Renew centerline striping on road near the Chapel.
• Outside door into small reception area before the doors into the main Chapel needs repair. Gordon relayed a situation he observed which showed the need for work.
• Interior Signage needs attention! Committee members to make recommend changes. Gloria, Gordon and Ken are working to improve signage.
• Water leakage in the ceiling of the Ladies Boutique. Multiple buckets are needed to collect water.

Next scheduled meeting December 28, 2021 at 2:00 pm in the General Services Conference Room.

Resident Life (John Remias/Rosemary Eck, Co-Chairs)
The Resident Life committee meeting, chaired by Rosemary Eck, was held on November 17^th.  Staff members present were Brittany Owens and Greg Johnson.

Brittany informed us that Scarlette Coleman will be the new Sunburst editor effective with the December issue. The two of them will work together during the transition from Brittany to Scarlette. Brittany is taking on new duties in the Community Resources department.

A resident’s request to level eight of the seating benches along Erickson Way and around the lake has been given to the Grounds committee, which passed the request to the Charlestown Grounds department.

David Schuch informed us that angled parking on Erickson Way is not feasible since the roadway is not wide enough. He also informed us that Charlestown day trips are limited to a 100-mile radius.

Greg Johnson, manager of the Communications and Customer Services department described his responsibilities, which include:  front desk personnel, mailrooms, the copy center and the General Services call center. In response to resident concerns, he told us that there are 20 new transport, or shopping, carts on order for delivery early next year.

John Remias reported that the next Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) subcommittee meeting was to be held a couple of days later.  Topics to be discussed at that meeting will be information about the way Oakcrest and Riderwood organize their DIB committees. Both of these communities organize on a Joint Resident and Staff basis. At the moment, we are organized as two committees: a Resident Life Subcommittee and an Administration Committee. The next meeting of the DIB subcommittee will be on Friday, December 17^th at 1:00 pm in Brookside Classroom 1.

The next meeting of our Resident Life committee will be on January 19 at 2:00 pm in Brookside Classroom 2.

Safety and Security (Justine Parezo, Chair)
The last meeting of the Safety and Security Committee was November 9, 2021. Attending for the Security Department were Craig Nelson and Shawn White.

We will send a representative from our committee to monthly meetings with the police and surrounding communities to stay informed of any activities in the area that could impact us.

The Fall Prevention Work Group will resume soon. Bill Miller shared an article about falls from the Washington Post. 36 million people 65 and older experience a fall every year. Risk factors associated with age that led to 1 in 5 of those falls being serious or deadly include weakness, balance issues, vision problems, ill-fitting or slippery shoes, sleep problems or medication side effects. We urge you to be mindful of your surroundings and aware of any risk factors that could make you more susceptible to falls. If you notice any environmental factors that could lead to falls, notify maintenance, security, or housekeeping, as appropriate, but then please notify our committee. That is the only way that we can be aware of your experience and advocate for improvements.

Craig Nelson gave us an overview of the operation of the pendant alert system. Security personnel will respond to you within 4 to 7 minutes of the activation of your pendant. They will call for an ambulance if needed. Using your pendant is the fastest and most efficient way of receiving help for any injury or serious illness experienced anywhere on campus.

Please let the committee know of anything you notice inside or outside that could be an endangerment. That is the only way that we can be fully informed and advocate in a targeted and meaningful way.

Our next meeting will be January 11, 2022 at 1:00 pm in Brookside Classroom 1.

Nominating and Elections (Pat Payne, Chair)
No Report

Words From Management (Don Grove, Associate Executive Director)
Don Grove reported that Clara remains on leave, is doing well, and planning on returning on January 10th. Don said that now he has realized how much energy the Executive Director’s job takes.

The team is working with Nathan Blumberg leading the way. Ken Zahn is back in place and Paul Edelman did a great job in Ken’s absence.

Today was the day to distribute the checks to the staff. Distributing the funds was just a little more fun when residents actually gave out checks but Don expressed his appreciation for the work of the committee.  He also commented that the staff was delighted with the appreciation gift.

As an update, Don reminded us that he has spent 13 years in sales promoting all good things for potential residents. He now is working on behalf of residents also and he recognizes the need to keep resident needs met. This includes amenities currently available and those predicted future needs. He is also in enthused about what is happening on campus specifically in fitness and IT services. He said that we will end the year at about 186 settlements against a budget of 164. Completing 180 settlements in 2022 is the plan. These numbers will help to ensure the campus will be able to provide all the projects needed and desired. He mentioned both interior and exterior life cycle needs and improvements.

Hiring continues to be an issue but 52 staff were hired last month. This is about double the usual monthly number of new hires. Many of these positions are in dining services. The Atrium will open on 12/12 with buffet service. All of management wants to get back to full service in the restaurants but with the desire to have the usual high-quality service.

Housekeeping, cooks, and nursing team staff continue to be challenges. The target to resume in-home housekeeping is January.

The Historic area is very much on the radar. The Board will be leading discussions about space uses in that area. There is no timeline at this point. He is a firm believer in dining options in that area.

CVS is still on target to open in January. We have finished our construction of the space and it is now up to CVS to set up their operation.

He is pleased to see all of the activities and the room capacities are back to normal although masks are required in groups larger than 30 people.