Senior Advisory Committee - Regular Meeting

Thursday, November 13, 2025
Transcript
Video
Agenda

About this meeting

Government Body
Senior Advisory Committee
Meeting Type
Senior Advisory Committee
Location
Wellington, IL
Meeting Date
November 13, 2025

Transcript

446 sections (from 497 segments)

3:350

Welcome

3:441

everybody to the senior advisor meeting today. And we're going to start with the pledge of allegiance.

3:59 – 4:130

Pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

4:181

Thank you. We're going to move on to approval the agenda.

4:220

Do I have a motion to approve the agenda?

4:252

Yes, Motion to approve. Second.

4:280

All in favor?

4:293

Aye. So

4:331

we're going to approve the minutes from the last meeting, the fourseventeentwenty twenty five.

4:390

Do we have an approval? Second?

4:454

Second, Penelope Rokman.

4:470

All approve?

4:521

So the next will be the staff updates right now.

4:570

So we'll actually go after the approval of the amendments to the presentation, which will be from the Wellington Senior Club. And Eileen Kunal, which is the club president, is here today. So we'll bring her up.

5:08 – 5:195

Thank you. Hi, Eileen. Thank you. I took a little leave this

5:193

weekend. Oh.

5:215

It didn't land well.

5:222

No, gee.

5:245

Okay. Just

5:256

make sure she speaks in time. Gotcha.

5:335

Am I supposed to speak? Not yet.

5:38 – 5:490

I think Yep. It's all So if we just want to start with giving an overview of the senior club, and then they're just going to ask some questions pertaining to that as well.

5:50 – 6:145

A review of the senior club. Okay. In 1992, there was a creation of a senior club thirty three years ago. In 2017, we celebrated the twenty fifth anniversary of our club.

6:17 – 6:527

What can I say about this club? It's the best thing I've seen for seniors in my life. I could chart things from my grandmother and my mother and the things they did for seniors. And we're 100% improved because we do it on a daily basis. And we include more than just a lunch. We try to include day to day experience for positive things and positive thinking. Overall.

6:53 – 7:040

And then maybe just the programs that we have at the community center, and then also the trips, and those types of things, too, maybe might be good for them to know.

7:08 – 7:415

The trips and the things that we do are all around the contract that we've had with the village. I don't even know when that started. I don't have that date. But I know step by step, it is how we spend the money that we have, and it is the order that we keep in our lives number of lunches, number of trips, dances, just the different projects that we have based on the whole year. It is the way we keep our budget.

7:42 – 8:245

Just following the same footsteps year after year, not really changing the format, but staying within the amount of money that we have to work with. That's basically how we run it. What's expanded is the extra things that go on in the other rooms that we're allowed to have at the center itself. And that is another touch that we have in our place to communicate with other people and get them more positive in their motivation. It's kind of a hard thing when you go into your senior years.

8:24 – 8:475

I think it can be very depressing. And if it wasn't, they wouldn't include it in your Medicare checkup every year. They ask you about your depression because they really want you to be more social. And that's the aspect that we have tried to keep up. I've been with the club myself.

8:48 – 9:155

I joined in 2009. I've been on the board since 2011. And I've had many, many different jobs along the way. So I really have a good overview of every job and everything that's necessary to put the club together. I don't know if there's any other areas that you'd want me to touch on. I'm not sure.

9:16 – 9:372

Well, it certainly sounds like you have an active club. And it certainly sounds like you've done a lot in the community to help seniors. I wonder, when you said all the activities, do seniors in your group come to the senior activities that are provided by the village the lunches, the breakfast, the bingo, the Zumba?

9:37 – 10:065

There's a separation of power between the two items, in a sense. The things that the village does, they extend their boundaries further. Because we're incorporated in the rules in our incorporation, say, 55 years old Wellington member, You have to be a Wellington resident to join us. And that's the way it was structured years ago and not changed. So that's the pyramid we have to speak.

10:08 – 10:335

When we consider a new member, we really look them up on the property rolls to make sure that they do live in Wellington. Because after all, the funding money that we use is Wellington's money. So they really want to keep that money, or the things that we do in particular, for Wellington people. So that is the way that corporation is structured this way.

10:376

Any questions?

10:38 – 10:523

Yes. How are you doing? So specifically, the club underwrites costs for lunches, and I think you're saying about nine lunches a year.

10:52 – 11:033

And then some trips, some field trips. But everything else is directed and funded through Jennifer's programs?

11:055

Within the perimeter of our contract specifically says nine to 12 trips. We have to meet that criteria.

11:16 – 11:505

as far as the people that are going on these trips, in particular, they pay twothree of the cost and we pay onethree of theirs. So that's our gift to them when we're traveling. If you're going to a theater, there are three legs to that. There's your bus. There's your theater tickets. And then we go to dinner. So it is a day's event. And that is, for example, if it was $90 they would pay $60 We would pay $30 of it.

11:503

GREGORY Okay. And so they're paying an annual DELL: dues.

11:56 – 12:073

GREGORY Correct. But the monies that you're using to subsidize whatever they're not paying are village funded dollars?

12:085

GREGORY Their contribution is $30 Right. Per

12:123

But then your onethree really comes out of

12:155

village It

12:15 – 12:453

comes out of that. Okay. So is there a reason why you are getting dues when the village is funding you? So I guess my question is, why couldn't any village member or village resident over 55 just participate in your events without having to collect dues because you're actually being funded by our tax dollars. So that's kind of

12:45 – 13:145

what we're trying to get a sense of. Okay. So a sense of that. This is a good month to ask that question. Because our Thanksgiving lunch with entertainment will be just short of $5,000 Okay. So take that times nine, you've got $45,000 How far do you think I would get with trips or anything else that I have to do? Would have no money.

13:15 – 13:453

GREGORY Well, village has been funding. So you have a big treasury. We're just trying to kind of get our heads around. It's like a private club is getting public funding. And as an advisory group to the council, we're trying to be comfortable with understand that this has been happening for now thirty something years.

13:45 – 14:523

But a lot of programming has shifted to village staff. So I'm just wondering if maybe both groups could just work together, or you, I guess, supplement some of the things that Jennifer and her staff are doing without people having to pay dues for that, because there seems to be some duplicity, and then utilize your treasury as you move forward to fund these events. In my mind, I'm just wondering how this looks to the community when you have the Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club, nobody is getting public funding, or has gotten public funding to run their organization. And I understand early on there was no Jennifer, no staff whatsoever. So you guys filled a huge void for the village and for their seniors.

14:53 – 16:073

But as we've gone through thirty years, we now are in a position where there is extensive senior programming by city officials or city employees. And that's all funded by so I'm trying to see, is there a pathway to kind of meld into a new kind of programming, incorporating the things that you all do, but moving toward everything being under the umbrella of the village versus a private club. Kind of just trying to get our understanding of this, because many of us and I don't want to speak for anybody here but many of us were surprised at the fact that the senior club has been funded with public dollars. And we understand the reason why that happened at one point. So we're trying to kind of get an understanding so that we could make the best recommendation to counsel.

16:083

So sorry, that was a very long winded not even a question, but a comment.

16:151

Any more comments?

16:165

A comment. Okay.

16:18 – 16:377

All I'd like to just we had discussed this three or four meetings back. And I think we're a little sometimes we use the word private. It gets a little we're way up there. We're kind of snooty. The membership is $30 a year, right? And there's only two requirements, age 55 and being a resident of Wellington?

16:375

Yes, resident of Wellington.

16:38 – 16:587

That is really a private club, I would say that's a voluntary kind of contribution to the club. Think if there was initiation, a membership process where you vet people and you can get into the club and you can't, then I would use the word private. Until then, I'm afraid of using the word private because of the connotations it has.

16:58 – 17:343

Right. Meaning like, well, Rotary and Kiwanis, they're not private. They're civic organizations. So in that same category and I'm not looking to split hairs. I'm just looking from the public perception of this. And again, I'm looking at the duplicity of programming. And maybe when working jointly with joint funds, there's even more that Jennifer and her staff can offer to seniors. Although I can't hardly imagine because your schedule is so packed.

17:36 – 18:245

We would have to unincorporate, I would think, or change our ruling entirely because our whole focus is making sure that it's Wellington dollars, that these are Wellington people who are receiving it. So therefore, my feeling I was president at the time when we started to take in Lake Worth, Royal Palm, and to welcome them into whatever we were doing here in the community. But that changed a little bit in my rules because there's a list of game rooms that are kind of given to us and that we utilize. And we're so grateful for them because that's a little gathering spot for x people. Great.

18:25 – 18:525

Well, it used to be that in order to use that room, you had to be a member of Wellington Senior Club. Well, once you opened that, I said, I am not going to ensure that that is the direction because that's not fair. You're going to charge some people and not the other. They have to be a member. In other words, some of those people were paying.

18:52 – 19:135

And they are quilters. And they make and donate everything that they make and create. But they were paying to have that room in the sense, 30 a year. It sounds like no money because when I started, it was $15 a year. But it has risen.

19:16 – 19:285

It's like over ten years, then it goes up $10 like that. So there's things that would have to change if you put the two together. Because the rules that we follow

19:29 – 19:455

that tight structure making sure it's Wellington people that are coming to our club, we would have to change that. Totally that thinking. I'm not exactly sure. It would take a lot of working together to do such a thing.

19:45 – 20:023

Does the club have an interlocal agreement with you all to use the facility? Is that how I don't understand what's the difference between the people just coming to your programming versus people who have paid part of the senior club?

20:02 – 20:280

Yes. So part of their contract, it does state within the contract, for instance, like Mahjong. So it's on a certain day. And then the facility itself, we obviously are going to offer the room to the best of our ability. We are gonna accommodate. So we open, you know, it is a public building, so we do open, you know, our programs to everybody, of course. And so we do have that stated within the contract that we do host that program.

20:29 – 20:463

Okay. So you host it for anybody who comes regardless if they're members? Correct. So I think it's my in my mind the waters are more muddy now even that I see I don't know. I'm going let somebody else.

20:46 – 21:221

Donna, I'm just trying to understanding you trying to figure out. Since Senior Club of Wellington using the facility is still charging fees to be a member of the club, but using facilities from Wellington seems like a profiting from that's my understanding, just trying to comprehend this. You're charging fees while using public rooms. So, the question with Donat forgive me if I say

21:227

this wrong,

21:23 – 22:021

you're collecting fees while you're getting subsidized by the city of Wellington and using the facility of Wellington centers to provide the service you're providing, which is great. I'm just trying to get an idea, you know, and just for me everything is new. So, I'm just trying to comprehend because I never been in the senior club. So, just pardon me for that. Know, just trying to understand this. So, my understanding about this, you know, you're getting subsidized by the city of Wellington, also you're charging fees. But when it comes to the facility, using facilities from the city of Wellington, why are you charging fees?

22:025

Yeah. I didn't understand the last part of your question.

22:071

Anybody else?

22:08 – 22:227

Yes. Do we have a rough idea of how much the village contributes to your budget every year? In other words, what's the stipend that the council Well, gives haven't to the senior club every had anything

22:225

for two years. But prior to that, was $56,200 So

22:297

the last two years, you've got nothing from the village?

22:325

Nope. Not last year or this year. Because I had a savings account.

22:373

And there an audit?

22:415

Spending Okay. It.

22:43 – 22:553

And at this point, what do you have that you've gotten over the years from the village that you still have in hand that hasn't been spent?

22:555

What do I have?

22:563

What is your balance at this point from what you've received from village funds in your savings account?

23:055

Well, first of all, my accountant's on vacation, so I couldn't give

23:103

I mean, approximate. I mean, just ballpark what you're operating from.

23:156

I would

23:165

say probably we're down to about 80,000 or $90,000 left.

23:247

So because of that, that's probably why the village hasn't funded you the last few years, last couple of years, right?

23:315

I'm not really sure what I haven't received anything.

23:367

Okay. We're doing was wondering if it was an annual

23:40 – 23:590

Yes. So the last time that we paid them, so our contract backdates to October 2024, like we had discussed at the previous meeting. And so we did fund them the previous year. It just wasn't this past year that we didn't, if that makes sense. We didn't give them any money because of the overage of fees that they have.

23:592

So '24 they weren't funded.

24:010

Right. That's what was not planned.

24:022

It's been one full year Yes, coming exactly. Up. One full year.

24:055

Correct.

24:062

And the usual, the contract, the village has been allotting to the senior club how much in previous years?

24:15 – 24:360

56,200. So, like she had alluded to, and I think we kind of discussed this, but previously, we used to just give the 56,200. And I would say over the last three years, maybe three years, is when, it was changed and to where we take in the expenditures. They present it to us, finance checks it, and then we reimburse them for expenses.

24:382

Rather than give the $56,000 Correct. Okay.

24:418

Rather than, is that what you said? Yes.

24:438

And that started in 'twenty four?

24:450

I believe so. I'd have to double check on the timeframe, but.

24:493

Okay. Did that money come out of your senior programming budget, or just a different line item?

24:57 – 25:100

Yeah, it's a different line item. So we have it within our budget. It is the senior club contribution. Then we have our own senior budget for, like, our events and programs, bingo, those types of things.

25:117

Anybody a tennis player here? Do you use the village facilities? Yes. Is there a charge for that?

25:172

Yes. Yes. Is

25:197

it an annual charge or

25:204

Depending on if you want to be a member or not, but every time you go there's some fee if you're not member.

25:257

Okay. So you can buy a membership?

25:284

You can purchase a membership.

25:297

And you also pay for court time or?

25:314

you're a member there, you don't pay for court time.

25:384

If you are not a member and there are two level there are several levels of membership.

25:44 – 26:114

But if you are not a resident of Village Of Wellington, there's a fee that you pay. If you are a Village Of Wellington resident, there's another a different fee that you pay. So it is a difference between people who live in Wellington, that they pay a certain amount, and people who don't. You can also grant court time by just going in and paying it. But if you're a member of the club, then that's a different fee.

26:117

And you become a member just by writing a check or

26:157

Okay. So kind of like this where there's no vetting, there's no application process Yes. Is.

26:222

You have to give your address and they check.

26:247

Oh, No. What I meant was you don't say this person's a lousy tennis player. They can't play.

26:28 – 26:542

No. They but just just like the the senior club, they vet to make sure you are a resident before you get the resident fee to join for the year or like But they don't, when you pay for a court, if I go over to play tomorrow, I'll pay the same amount that a 25 year old. They don't do a benefit for seniors. They don't have a discount, which might be something we do want to discuss sometime. But there's an annual fee. I think there's a reduction in annual fee for seniors.

26:544

Yes, there is a reduction the cost of it if you join as a senior. It's just that there is a reduction in the cost if you join as a family. Yes. So

27:03 – 27:157

The main reason for the question is I'm trying to draw a corollary between membership in something that the village owns, a club, a tennis club, versus the seniors. To me,

27:163

Except it's apples and that those that the tennis facility is run by employees of the village of Wellington. And

27:262

there isn't another tennis facility. There's just this one, that's the villages. I interrupted you, Hosie.

27:331

No, you're good, you're good.

27:34 – 27:572

Well, think that I really have to tell you that back when the senior club was started, you were pretty much, your group was, they were, you were all trailblazers, because this village was maybe 28 to 30,000 people. Very small, mostly families. And still, someone had the initiative to say, you know what, we have seniors here, we need to do something for them. And the village wasn't at this point. The village was very young.

27:57 – 28:532

I mean, we were, you know, and I so I think I think the it's it's a I applaud the the senior club for what you've done in the past. And friends of mine, when I was riding, we trailed, they would rave about, we've got a ride early, we've got a senior club event to go to, we're taking a bus trip to the Hard Rock, or wherever you were going. But just raving about it, and I thought it was so nice. I'm just I wonder now, with all the events that the village has for seniors, and a dedicated team, if we can, if it's possible, and you know, these are things that don't happen overnight, but they all start with discussion and ideas, which is all this is today. That perhaps the ideas could merge together, and the senior club could morph into activities with the village, and everybody, I mean, what they're paying is nominal, because you've kept it at that.

28:53 – 29:362

But sooner or later, that 80 or 90,000 is going to whittle down with expenses and everything. And that might be when it needs to be addressed. Does the senior club become part of all the senior activities, and the village would have more money, whatever the expenditures are a year that are going to the senior club, are put into the village's activities, and maybe they result in some I don't know if legally the village can do bus trips to theater. I don't know. But maybe down the road that would be something, you know, that this discussion starts with your being open minded and answering our questions, and making an even better program for seniors than, you know, with the input and knowledge you have.

29:36 – 30:042

But, you know, a thank you to all of you for saying, I hate to say way back when, but way back when, when really, 90% of the people who lived here, 92, I think, were 30. I mean, I really feel like I felt like I was old when I moved here thirty years ago, and I don't think I was 50. I don't know, wasn't. I wasn't. We could do the math. I was an agriculture major. I was in television. We don't do math. Yeah, yeah. So, anyway.

30:06 – 30:242

So, thank you. And maybe this discussion can be carried on. And everybody, I think, you know, you're giving me great insight. And it's prompted me to think about all that you've done in the time when there was very little being done. For anybody in the country who was senior, to be honest. When I was a little bit

30:24 – 30:485

an hour of just to put this together. JULIE I imagine, especially now, I don't know how, in your different lives and I know I've talked to other people that run organizations getting volunteers is like, how did your mother raise you, you don't volunteer? It's like that's how we were raised. You've got to help others. JULIE Done a great job doing it.

30:48 – 31:215

It's the part of life you're supposed to do, but it's not happening now. It's impossible that I could stand in front of two fifty people and ask for help. Maybe in a year, I get two or three. But that doesn't even touch the iceberg, because that's really not enough. You always need help. And you need them to be a little educated, little computer skills, which is another. Seniors don't have a lot of that.

31:224

And I just wanted to find out, because I know how these organizations can.

31:275

I have a little difficulty

31:28 – 31:444

Okay, sorry. I just wanted to ask a question, because I know how a lot of organizations, as they age, as most of them do, your membership, how has your membership been affected? Has it grown?

31:445

Right now we have five zero four members.

31:47 – 31:584

You have five zero four members? How many have you how long has that been and how many have you increased in the past year? How many what? How many new members have you gotten in the past year or so?

31:59 – 32:215

It's a wash because some of them this is what happens to seniors in a club of such because we're aging. And actually, to prove that, I was in my 60s. I'm now in my 80s. That's just what happens to you. So some of them pass on.

32:22 – 32:515

And some of them make the decision, as they age and they become more frail, to go home. They are afraid to stay here. They want an anchor for wherever they used to live, whatever family they have left someplace else. So you lose them. So I would say we probably altogether maybe lost about 25. It's a wash. If you lose 100, you get 75.

32:512

So you are getting new members every year. That's, I think

32:547

It's kind

32:54 – 33:385

of yeah. Our highest point was 700 that I was around. But it became impossible. And You can't imagine what it is to take in a crowd of 300 to be or to pay for it, even. It's just huge. And you always want to maintain that, oh, we're happy to see you. We love you. And everything that makes them feel good. But it's really hard when there are so many because you can't remember their names. And it's just too much, really too much. But I think 500 isn't so bad because they don't all come. Of them Do

33:388

you have a

33:393

board, Eileen, that supports your activities and supports your work as the president, a board of volunteers?

33:495

Yeah. We have about six or seven people right now.

33:53 – 35:073

So my other question is, if you generate $15,000 a year in dues, And if you are I mean, can you change your structure of paying for events and be self sustaining without additional funding from the village if you truly feel like the club wants to stay in existence into the future, and that's possible. I assume that maybe the club can pay for less of the ticket price for each of these trips, the residents pay for more. And you can be self sustaining if that revenue stream from the village does not continue. Or I guess another option is that there's just complete working together, and you get to utilize the staff and the expertise of the village to help with those events. So I mean, would either of those options be workable?

35:105

I hate to make an opinion by myself.

35:133

Okay. I

35:14 – 35:575

But there's always the but. But the beginning of your statement was relative to how do you control your money in Yes. A Okay. How do I control my money? It's interesting because the casino trips that were mentioned are my least expense because we charge very little. I charge very little because I can't make money. I have to spend money. That is my job, is to spend money. So those gambling tips, I keep them at $10 unless the bus company is going to charge me a lot more. There is no big expenditure.

35:57 – 36:415

That trip cost me $500 And people are like, yay, I'm so happy. It's just that's the way they are. They're really, really happy about going. Well, we have a gentleman who's 93 and runs C strips. And if he puts a couple of them in, when I say to you 9, if four of them are his, guess what? I'm like 5. That's all I have to do when I can spend this money on those expensive things that you can't do. So you have to balance some of those inexpensive things that also make people happy. Just so you can pay for the food at the lunch, which is getting bigger and bigger. So

36:423

that's how you do that.

36:43 – 37:304

I have a question for Jennifer. From a financial perspective, would it be beneficial, because we're already potentially subsidizing this group, to bring it under the heading of the Village of Wellington, changing their charter to be a nonprofit organization and working under the heading of Village of Wellington senior something. And that way they would get more assistance with their activities. We wouldn't do a duplication of activities. If indeed they did need assistance, they could get it from the staff of Village of Wellington.

37:30 – 38:024

And they could also be a part of the budget, and a concern, so that you wouldn't have any issues with what's in their budget and what they can't. You know, they would have to present a budget every year based on the activities that they want to do. And they seem they have a record of what they do and what they spend. So it wouldn't be too difficult for you guys to bring them under the umbrella of the village of Wellington.

38:02 – 38:210

Yeah. I mean, I think that I mean, we obviously want to support the seniors. And so we'll do whatever is best. And we want to make sure that, you know, in return, we're providing the same type of service, and we're offering, you know, the same type of programs and events and all of that. I don't know without looking at it if I'd be able to be, you know, a 100% on that.

38:22 – 38:530

But, you know, Village is always gonna support our seniors, and we always wanna make sure that, you know, they have everything that they need. And whether that be, you know, the congregate meal site or, bingo on Wednesdays at Kyle and Gusto, you know, we wanna make sure that everything makes sense for our senior population as well. So, you know, that's why we've increased the offerings to the point where, you know, the community center is completely full Monday through Friday, eight to two all day long. So I don't know that I'd be able to answer that without really looking at it.

38:54 – 39:073

You know, as we're looking at your events, I mean, you have a big event every month. I'm assuming you guys coordinate dates when you do your nine events a year. So It's that there's no

39:085

It's a set,

39:09 – 39:353

Right. Third week of the month. But you coordinate with Jennifer so you're not offering the same thing or the same something on the same week or whatever, correct? So I mean, mostly, because I know you do lunches, so it really would be maybe offering some of the field trips. And about how many field trips, Eileen, do you think you offer in a calendar year?

39:365

Well, I'd say nine, ten.

39:41 – 39:523

Oh, so a field trip is any luncheon. Is that what you mean? No. Oh, it's separate from a luncheon? Yeah. So you do nine luncheons plus nine or 10 field trips.

39:533

So every month almost you're doing a luncheon and a field trip?

40:023

And how does that that's a lot. Because then you're doing all of those.

40:080

And we do twelve's. We do one every month.

40:113

You do one every month. Yes. Okay.

40:130

And we actually do two in October, because we do the health fair and we do the Halloween party. Okay.

40:183

So is it overwhelm I mean, that seems overwhelming. I mean, I'm an activities director my whole life, and I couldn't imagine doing two big events every month for 500 people.

40:285

I don't do her events. She doesn't do my events.

40:313

No, that's what I'm talking to you. Overwhelming to think about doing 18 big events a year for 500 people. And that's what I did for a living. So I mean, that's a lot.

40:410

JULIE It

40:42 – 41:145

is a lot. You know what? You get used to anything. You really do. And if that's within your job or when you accept that money because I'm a leader, when I accept money from you, my thought immediately structure is following that rule, every bit of it, to the end of the to do if I have to do it myself, if you know what I mean.

41:15 – 41:295

That's just, to me, is part of leadership. If your team fails you, you've got to do something and balance it back out again. My team doesn't usually fail me. I'm missing pieces. This is the truth.

41:30 – 42:313

If you weren't contractually held to nine events and how many field trips, and the village picked up the slack by offering some of these additional field trips, because they already do a lot of luncheons, I mean, is that a help? I mean, we surely don't want to feel like you are really being restrained or not restrained, but under the pressure of what is contractual for your activities. So trying to see what's a good path for the future where it can be supportive of the club, and yet there can be collaborative work done. And, you know, that it's good for everybody. Because it seems to be a lot on you and your board to be doing.

42:32 – 43:043

And there is a sense that it's a little uncomfortable to have this separate entity receiving government funding. So it, like, kind of see how can we move in a way that we're still providing all the services that seniors want, but it's under the umbrella of the municipality run by employees. Again, Run that's by a employees? State. GREGORY Yeah.

43:05 – 43:323

Government employees. If you're using public funds, it appears that there needs to be oversight. And that's because you have government employees, you know, managing that money. So that was but I think there's a win win here. And I don't know, I'm dominating this, so please feel

43:322

free I think we're

43:323

to kind of monopolizing.

43:34 – 43:568

Sorry. I just have one question. Is there a lot of crossover from your club members doing the activities that the village offers. So do you have crossover there? You have your luncheon and your activity a month, and then those same people come and attend the activity that the village offers to everyone.

43:57 – 44:365

What is it like? It's like coming into a house. You use some of the rooms, some of the tones. The only thing that we duplicate is lunch. The village lunches are around the holiday of the month. And they specialize in that. And they celebrate that. And for example, Friendsgiving. Their whole thing is giving. And so the same people that come to my lunch go to her lunch.

44:36 – 45:155

And yay, they're so happy to have. They dance at her lunch. They don't dance at mine. They listen. They listen to whatever we've hired, whether it's King's Academy or some group coming. That's kind of what they do. It's a little bit more quiet. There's a dancing and celebrating. That's what I would say as a picture. But our lunch is just a routine gathering. It doesn't celebrate, except by food, the holiday, where Jennifer does celebrate the holiday. And Kyle. Sorry, Kyle.

45:15 – 45:464

So with that, in terms of the calendar year, it looks like providing lunches more than once a month is a critical thing. I know we have breakfast for our seniors. Your club is providing a lunch outing, and so is the village doing the same thing. So there's some benefit in providing two lunches every month, I suppose. If there's the same people who are going to both, then Sure. There's

45:46 – 46:015

And plus, it has more people that don't, people that are changers to me that come from other communities. Because if you're going to hear that there's a lunch and a celebration and dancing and music, you're going to go.

46:014

Yeah, you're going to go to the party. Go to go to wars Because and then go to

46:045

don't have a big offering in life at that point. And keeping busy and celebrating something, anything, is wonderful.

46:13 – 46:354

JACKIE Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. But you guys do a little bit more field trip stuff than the village does. You do the casino trips and some other the theater and those kinds of things. And I'm not sure what the village has to offer in that in that realm?

46:35 – 46:460

So we've never done field trips just because the senior club has done them, but we actually do have a bus. And Gus is in the audience. Mhmm. Gus drives the bus. I like Gus. Just letting everybody know.

46:467

Great.

46:470

So we actually utilize the bus for the kids right now, but we do have a bus. Great.

46:514

Wow. I've seen the bus. The bus is great.

46:568

I have just one other question too. So you have about 500

47:000

and members.

47:018

About how many people how many members? I know you don't have membership, but up on an average, what's your

47:090

participation? Attendance. Yeah. So yesterday, we just had friendsgiving, and we had over 300 people come.

47:148

Okay. So it's the same, about the same amount. A little bit more.

47:171

Yeah. Yeah. So, Jennifer, I'm sorry. So you helping her to coordinate activity when you said 300 people when you said Friendsgiving?

47:270

No, that's our event.

47:281

That's your event.

47:285

I'm But

47:29 – 47:500

just to clarify, so when the senior club does host their event at our facility, we do the setup. We do staff. Kyle helps out with getting the water, the drinks, all of that. And of course, we always help them. We're going to be in there helping them because, you know, we're not going to not be in there helping everybody and make sure the event goes smoothly as well.

47:511

Going back again, I'm sorry. So, you guys helping them to set it up and to providing service to the club?

47:58 – 48:160

Yes. So our maintenance department does set up for their events, and then Kyle does coordinate as far as, you know, the beverages and all of that. So and then, of course, we're in there because Rick, which is on my staff, he's always in there for the entertainment piece. So he always assures that it goes smoothly for them as well, too.

48:18 – 48:454

That's great. That's a great opportunity for the senior for the Wellington. It does. Because you get support from the village of Wellington, not only financially, not this past year, but you get support from them when you go into their rental spaces. Where technically, if an outsider rented that space, they would not have the advantages that you've been given freely because we want to support you.

48:46 – 49:194

So that's where it becomes, Okay, so there's some clubs that get those activities and the room space for free because we're supporting those clubs. Whereas somebody, even a Wellington resident who came in to rent that space would have to pay the full price and would not get the amenities that you're allotted. So that's where, you know, you're like the big sister, baby sister. We want to take care of you. And so we give you opportunities to use this facility and support you while you're here.

49:20 – 49:444

Whereas someone else who technically could be a Village Of Wellington person just walking in won't get that because they're not the Wellington Seniors Club. But we want to make sure that our seniors are taken care of, which is why we're all up here. We just want to make sure that it is under the umbrella of Village of Wellington and everything being equal.

49:475

Okay. I guess it

49:491

JULIET go ahead. Go ahead. I'm sorry, Elaine. Go ahead.

49:519

JULIET was

49:51 – 50:285

just going to say, in addition to because you seem to be surprised that it wasn't just like the lunches because we have these trips. But we also have insurance policies that we have to pay when we go to just to be at the village, we have to carry insurance. Well, comes out of this fund also. And when we go to Equestrian, they are good to us. And they have three lunches a year that's three trips, by the way that we have to provide insurance for them.

50:29 – 50:435

And I guess what I have, a post office box. I have taxes to pay. There are a couple of thousand dollars that get spent in that direction as well as part of what do we have to do with our money.

50:434

Yeah. That's a lot. It is a lot.

50:455

And publish a paper. Newsletter.

50:486

Yes. To me, that

50:507

kind of folds into

50:515

That's in the contract that we have the paper.

50:54 – 51:077

Kind of folds into what I was thinking before. If your organization goes away and we want to maintain the same level of service for seniors, that's going to be on you guys. Right? Everything that they do, you will now have to do. Do you have enough staff to do that?

51:070

I have 25 staff.

51:100

And if you're

51:117

lucky, could fit it in.

51:12 – 51:573

Yeah. That's, I guess, the bottom line here is that we started thirty years ago without any infrastructure at the village level. Now we have that. So it just, to me, makes not even more sense, but there's no presence of any impropriety that public funds are being spent for a club that is requiring dues from its members and generating funds from what the village has gotten. Plus, we have built a huge infrastructure to support seniors.

51:57 – 52:393

So your expertise as, you know, a volunteer advisor on senior activities, I mean, you should be here with us. Because that expertise from all those years to, you know, doing your activities could be of great help. So rather than trying to coordinate whoops, excuse me, I'm going do a luncheon here, you do that I mean, why not it be under the same umbrella? And that will also help you with your needs for volunteers and everything else. Take a little stress off of.

52:39 – 52:533

So it seems like it's the way to move into the future. But, you know, it's just a recommendation as an outsider looking in.

52:54 – 53:404

Yes, agree. And I think that it would, you know, I think it would help. I think that because you have your pulse on over 500 people and their needs, just that and being able to work with the village of Wellington so that we don't duplicate services, And also that you can bring what you know as far as working with a group of people and all the things that you provide behind the scenes to your group. If we could have the groups work together, then you wouldn't have the paperwork, if nothing else, the budget restraints. You probably wouldn't have to spend money on insurances, etcetera, because you would be under the umbrella of the village of Wellington.

53:41 – 54:164

And when the Wellington club for seniors did any activity under the village, they would probably come under a different tax exempt status as a five zero one(three) or some other one. So you would get more benefits bringing your club under the umbrella of the village of Wellington Corporation, is what I'm thinking. That's certainly a decision that you would have to take back to your board and to your members. And it would certainly be something that the village of Wellington would have to investigate on the I other

54:165

think we're going to have a choice. It doesn't sound like that.

54:194

Well, you have money right now in your coffers as far as

54:23 – 55:065

You have perfect irony. I have to tell you, this is perfect irony because when I came in the club, there was a savings account. So you're talking over fifteen GREGORY years. And it was this. This is just the message that I got. Don't touch this. This is for the day when Wellington doesn't want to help you anymore. This is so with class that you can go out, not in like a big event, but in another year, to have enough money to run for a year or two. Well, this is the second year of that money. And this is what's happening right now.

55:065

That money is going, going, as I said.

55:114

I don't know that it's going to completely disappear. I'm not sure if that was the decision made by the village to not fund you in the future.

55:205

I don't know what that It's kind of gray.

55:25 – 55:502

Well, think it's, to be clear and I really think we ought to the conversations, I But believe, might be going a little I don't think, saying Wellington doesn't want you anymore, or whatever, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but I don't think it's that. I think it's how can we make it, can we, can we do something with these two groups and make it even better for seniors? What's the Oh, best that's way to good. Get It's not that you're not wanted. It's not that the club isn't wanted.

55:51 – 56:362

But other things have happened, you know, through the years, that maybe we can take the two organizations, put it you know, you wouldn't have liability concerns. You wouldn't have to worry about, you know, or whoever is in charge of the club. And it would fall into the staff of the village. Yes. And it makes, it could make it better for every, and what happened, you know, it would be looked at as what would be better if this happens. X, Y, Z, you know, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. What will not be better if this happens? Oh, well actually, there's really not that much that wouldn't be better. We're going to do more lunches. We might have a few more breakfasts, a few more trips, another bus is added with another gust driving, you know, type thing.

56:36 – 57:182

And there'd be a lot maybe there's more pluses than minuses by moving in another direction. But if we don't start talking about it, and it's certainly, again, it's not the village is saying, oh, we, you know, it's not that we I certainly don't want anybody in the club thinking the village or the members of the advisory committee don't want this group. We are interested in I'll speak for me, but I think I can speak for the club. We are interested in what can we do to make it even better for seniors in Wellington, and is there a way to take money that's being given to this club and put it into the coffers have the village and Jennifer's staff use it to fund more programs? Is that a possibility?

57:18 – 57:352

So, that's where we're thinking. That's where I'm thinking down the road, And that's how the conversation was initiated. And everybody was quite interested to see if that's a possibility. But we're going on like almost an hour of discussing this. So, I'm thinking maybe you're weary of it. And I think we might be getting a little redundant anyway.

57:35 – 58:021

I just want to summarize what I hear from here and from here. The senior clubs receives $56,200 a year. Last year you didn't this year you didn't get it. But also, staff from Wellington is providing services to you while you're charging fees, dues. So, that's something really when I hear that, it just threw me off.

58:02 – 58:371

I was summarizing what I hear. I'm trying to understand this. Now, the recommendation, the staff right here, members right here for the Seniors Advisory Committee, they're suggesting, that's what I hear, that we should move that funding to city of Wellington so they can provide another services, no duplication of the service we already have right now. I'm summarizing what I have right now. So, that's where, you know, I recommend to you keep your club because the club is great.

58:37 – 59:171

You guys been doing this for so many thirty years, you say, 1993? So, at this point, you've you've been doing great. But it's not up to me. It's up to the members right here. They have to make a vote. Because we can go forever right here talking about this and this and this. And that, you know, we had to make a decision, you know. They had to decide right here what is going to be the future of that money. I know Jennifer brought this to us. We hear the questions from the board. And I'm just trying to I'm just learning from everybody here. Probably the youngest one in this group. And I love to be here. But I also want to be part of this. I want to be part of a better Wellington City.

59:17 – 59:541

I want to be part of your group too one day because I hear it's 55 plus. Jennifer said last meeting was 65. Now, it's 55. So, now I hear from you it's 55. So, think so it's great. My recommendation to you would be keep your club because I think so you're doing something great and people stay with you. You got 500 people enrolled with you to maintain that number. It's not easy. I really take my heart out from me. And, I really appreciate the work you do because just to be here takes time from us and energy.

59:54 – 1:00:101

You had to be make changes in my life to be here. You do every month. So I don't know. It's part of the boards right here. We need to decide what are you going to do because we cannot bring these people right here and just talk about this over and over.

1:00:107

We're not going decide anything. We're going to decide whether we make a recommendation to the Bill.

1:00:141

Right, right, right.

1:00:15 – 1:00:537

So I will say this. I've been here twenty four years. I've never heard a human cry anything negative about the club. Proof of that, I think, is when we first brought this up, I think it was our spring meeting, nobody even knew the club existed on this committee. Mhmm. So I think that proves that there is no hue and cry out there for people to say, disband it, move it over to the village. I like Jose's recommendation, keep the club as it is now, take what we talked about this afternoon into consideration as the money starts winding down. You've got to spend that money anyway. Let's spend it the way you've been spending it over the years. You're doing a heck of a job.

1:00:53 – 1:01:167

One of my other concerns is if if it moves over to the city, to the village, you'll lose a lot of volunteers. A lot of people don't like to work with with the government. They'd rather work with a private organization. The other thing is too, it puts a little more stress on your staff. You've got 25 people. I get it. We want to keep them busy. But to me, it's kind of like under the old saw of if it's not broke, don't fix it.

1:01:17 – 1:02:053

There is one caveat that in the contract right now, it still states that if the balance falls below $50,000 then the village continues to fund the activity. So that's where that's the rub. Do we move? Do we continue as it has happened? Or do we look at recommending a way where those funds can be kept under the village's auspices and then the senior club works with the village staff to continue services without the subsidy of the city funds.

1:02:06 – 1:02:323

And I know you generate $15,000 a year, I know, in dues, and I know that won't go far for long, but there may be some restructuring you can do in your fees. But anyway, I think that's the big thing. At that time when the contract is up, that's how it reads now. So do we have any recommendations regarding changing that?

1:02:330

And just to clarify, the agreement is up in September 2026. So I just want to make everybody aware of that as well. Seems like far away, but it'll be here before we go.

1:02:41 – 1:02:552

In less than a year. So we revisit the entire contract in less than a year. Correct. And at that point, the village could say, what would happen to any money left in the from the village in the treasury of the senior club?

1:02:550

So we've already budgeted it. Like we discussed with Eileen, we do have it, you know, but we haven't obviously given any of that money until they are below that $50,000 threshold.

1:03:052

Will they be below will you be below $50,000 by September '26?

1:03:105

We'll be down that low before there. Before September '26? Oh, yes. Is

1:03:176

We have to go

1:03:17 – 1:03:362

no, I'm just the okay. So if that's if it's below if it's below 50, so then, even any time next year, before September, and the contract is up, the club could come to the village and say, we need our $56,000

1:03:35 – 1:03:470

No. So the way that it'll work is they have to give us their expenditures. And then based on their expenditures, we would reimburse them if they're below that $50,000 We will not give them the entire amount of the money all at once.

1:03:47 – 1:04:042

And then in September '26, the village, there could be a recommendation from the advisory committee or discussion to merge the senior club with the village and terminate the, and merge it with the senior activities within the village.

1:04:040

Correct. Whatever the recommendation would be.

1:04:062

Or they could carry on on their own without submitting expenditures. Correct.

1:04:151

So I will ask the board right now. We have to make a decision right now at this point. What is our recommendation?

1:04:224

I don't know that we have to make a decision right now.

1:04:263

When do we meet again? In December?

1:04:292

We doing a December meeting?

1:04:30 – 1:04:420

So I think we said we'd do the November meeting, and then we would skip December because everybody said for Okay. The holidays. So December, January. So technically it would be March, unless you guys wanted to meet prior to that.

1:04:421

February maybe?

1:04:45 – 1:05:023

if we want to discuss this, yeah. Okay. I think in general, quarterly meetings, it takes so long for us to get up again and know what we were talking about last time that if we could meet earlier, maybe

1:05:020

Do we want to meet in January?

1:05:032

I could meet in January.

1:05:056

Yeah. Actually, January would can be check good.

1:05:090

The date and see. But we'll try to stick with the usual 04:00 the second Thursday. Okay.

1:05:194

Now you mentioned that you'll probably have run below that gotten to below that 50 before September.

1:05:275

Oh, definitely.

1:05:28 – 1:05:404

So do you have any idea, moving into the new year, how much you know, when you will get to that threshold? Will it be January, February, March?

1:05:43 – 1:06:025

I just know I'm going to be watching it very close because the way it's structured now, I have to get to the 50. Then I have to apply. Then I have to wait for approval. Click, click, day, day, day, day. You see what I'm saying?

1:06:04 – 1:06:365

that's why, actually, they originally said 25. I go, I can't function on 25. I can't. It gets too close to the zero mark. It's not feeding a family. It's dealing with a group of people and answering to them and for them. So I would say probably a good guess would probably be by May. By May.

1:06:380

And that would be the last luncheon.

1:06:40 – 1:07:005

A lot of things I've already purchased in advance, like theater tickets. Have to get really good ones, six months at least. Some bus contracts I did in advance as soon as I got a date to make sure that I have the bus like that. And I have a restaurant that he just loves me, so he does anything.

1:07:02 – 1:07:131

Based on your statement, you say before you had a balance about 80,000 to $90,000 So you calculate in six months you're going to spend $30,000 or $40,000

1:07:135

Yeah. Your insurance is due. There's a lot of

1:07:171

contract I'm getting an idea because I know you it seems like you manage it very well, but it's a chunk of money.

1:07:245

I think it'll be I'll be requesting it by about that time.

1:07:32 – 1:08:283

You mentioned something about restaurants and having you have a lot of relationships with people in the community that really would be a great benefit to our senior program. And like I said, I mean, this is where I feel like working together, rather than just trying to make sure your calendars don't conflict, would be a big benefit for the whole community, and especially the senior community, to utilize what you have, you know, generated through these relationships over the years. And of course, you're following with all of 500 members. So I just feel like we should bring all of that energy together and those resources together for the betterment of the village.

1:08:30 – 1:08:515

I don't think Jennifer needs me to I really don't, because Jennifer is very efficient and very good at her job. A blend is not as easy as you think, because Jennifer is a leader leader. And it's very hard for leader leaders to work with leader leaders.

1:08:512

I think Jennifer can do about anything, with Kyle there

1:08:555

and this

1:08:562

crew and Ian.

1:08:57 – 1:09:135

You know why? It's just that they're such separate entities in a way. We each have our own structures. I think it would take a lot of work to do this, to do this blend really well. It's not I'm not up for it. I'm up

1:09:155

But I'm thinking of, wow, another big job.

1:09:19 – 1:09:323

Well, we're up for you joining us on this end. I mean, because again, you're bringing a wealth of experience. And our job here is just to provide the best we can for our seniors.

1:09:32 – 1:09:495

You get a wealth of experience because you care. And there's something about seniors that just I don't know. That does it more for me than babies. It does because I think they need it more.

1:09:50 – 1:10:251

I just want to share this with you. You are a trooper. I see so many members passing by my friend right here on the side. Mabel? Mary? Roxanne. No, not Roxanne. I'm sorry. Mary Kersner. She and I, we've been here for almost eighteen years now. We see so many members passing by right here from this board and be here one year, two years, and they're gone. And you're like like me. We we hold in the fort and I really like it. And I like you said, you know, we have to I'm follow the

1:10:27 – 1:10:406

kind of amazed that nobody here is a member of the senior club. I am. And here you're all on the advisory board.

1:10:402

Well, because of all the activities the village does. Yeah. We would participate in them.

1:10:456

Mhmm. But it is just a senior adviser report, and he didn't know about the senior club.

1:10:542

I think some of us did.

1:10:554

Yeah. Yeah. I knew I knew about the senior club.

1:10:586

But this tells you about that.

1:11:04 – 1:11:576

I mentioned this the last meeting. It exists by resolution. We can advise advise perhaps voice and not try to speak loud. But the point being, in effect, we advise Jennifer, you've got to understand the chain of command here. We don't make recommendations except to have Jennifer check things out for us and go to the Council.

1:11:57 – 1:13:006

I was wondering, is it just because this snippet of information came out that they have the senior club has a savings account that had $80,000 in it. And it was like, yes, not duplicating the things that Jennifer's doing, but that senior club Eileen is correct. People go there to just chitchat with their friends. It's not as to be entertained, your point was very well taken. The senior club, except for some certain events, they don't dance unless the entertainment pulls you on the stage.

1:13:00 – 1:13:396

And it is, there is a dichotomy, truly is, that I agree with the point Rich said before. It's a club without the stigma of being a private club. However, it has an age limit. There's a degree of discrimination to be in that club that could count as it. It's not totally funded.

1:13:39 – 1:14:236

Again, I pulled out the resolution. I went back and I looked up in the municipal logs what's the paper what's the detail that Eileen in this case must follow? Which Jennifer's been saying all along, well, they have to do x amount of meetings, x amount of club dates. I'd be curious. I mean, if you had to come up for a vote now, I'd be against it because you don't know.

1:14:23 – 1:15:156

You only have Aileen here today. I suggest you go to some of her activities. You will find our Palm Beach County aura of having a club speaks volumes, but we're not Mar A Lago, you know? And it's just blowing my mind when, Rich, I wasn't at that meeting that you first went to because I just pulled out my membership card and I thought, except obviously they're all younger than 55. I have no doubt.

1:15:15 – 1:16:106

But those of us who aren't, I mean, well, I promised I wasn't going to say anything, but I broke my promise. But I lean, I've seen Eileen from my first senior club meeting. And I mean, Yelmet, she does fantastic work. I'm thanking the organization, Jennifer, if you are busy now, you would need more workers that would just gobble up that little $55,000 and you would have yet more on your shoulders. However, I'm sorry.

1:16:116

I wasn't going to talk, but love you all.

1:16:171

Moving to the next I don't know if anybody has any more questions, any concerns.

1:16:241

can move to the Thank

1:16:250

you, Eileen.

1:16:251

Thank you, Eileen. Eileen, thank you.

1:16:274

Thank you. You're doing great work. Very good work. I'm sorry. I said you're doing a great job. Doing a really, really good Thank

1:16:354

Thank you for coming.

1:16:363

Yes, thanks. We're done done.

1:16:437

Eileen, my wife has your phone number. I'll call you to see if you need some help doing some things.

1:16:485

Are you gonna come to the dance?

1:16:497

I believe we are. I'm not sure.

1:16:515

I hope so.

1:16:527

I'm gonna go with my social ahead secretary.

1:16:545

Like a 100 people haven't signed up.

1:16:581

you. Moving on to the next staff update.

1:17:02 – 1:17:190

Yes. So from our end, our freebie program is going excellent. And it was approved by council that we are now gonna have a third car. So we're very excited.

1:17:19 – 1:17:490

The transportation has done excellent as far as transporting our seniors, especially to our community center for our programs and services, but also, you know, taking them to Publix to get their groceries or, you know, doing a car ride with their friend to attend a luncheon or any of those sorts. So we're very excited that that will be occurring. The new car will probably not be in service until later part of December, but it was approved, so we're very excited about that.

1:17:497

The hours changed?

1:17:501

December this year?

1:17:512

Yes. That's Have the hours changed at all?

1:17:54 – 1:18:280

No. The hours haven't changed at this point in time. And then also, you know, we just had our Friendsgiving. So we did have 300 people in attendance where we celebrated Thanksgiving with them. A lot of them, you know, don't have families that are down here or maybe not able to make it. So we do celebrate that. And then we have our holiday party, which is coming up in December, and it is December 9. So we're very excited to host that, and that's usually one of our larger attended events. And another update, Kyle and I had the opportunity to do our podcast with Mr. Barnes.

1:18:28 – 1:18:540

So if you haven't had an opportunity to check it out, it does tell you about all of our programs and services that the village does offer for our seniors throughout the community. And and we're very excited about the opportunity because we have gotten a lot of really good feedback from our seniors that have listened to it and actually even maybe learned some new information as well. So we're very excited about that. And then I know that Kyle had some updates that he also wanted to provide.

1:18:54 – 1:19:369

Yeah. And just to add on to the our senior special events that we were doing for Halloween last month, we had about two seventy five. It was, I think, one of our best ones yet. We had so many costumes. It was amazing. Everyone had a great time. And then we also have our technology classes that we've been continuously doing. Just this month alone, it's capped at 15 because it's just a one instructor, but we have both full classes and a waiting list on the for the second class. Our congregate meal site has been continuously staying very busy. This morning, serving breakfast, I think we had about 12 in there.

1:19:36 – 1:19:589

And then, so it's been nonstop. And then we've had six lunch and learns in the month of November. Today, we actually had a breakfast and learn and a lunch and learn. So they just as long as they didn't mind waiting an hour, they were able to get breakfast and do some brain games, wait an hour, and then do lunch with the topic was, heart disease.

1:19:58 – 1:20:130

And then just to mention with those lunch and learns, so the village does not pay anything for those. That is sponsored by the company that comes in. So I know we're talking about lunches, so that's another opportunity for them to also get breakfast and lunch, like he had mentioned, six times in the month.

1:20:14 – 1:20:269

And today we actually had, if they really wanted to, they could have had congregate breakfast, bagels and brainpower, lunch and learn, and our congregate lunch. Good. So we made sure no one were left hungry today.

1:20:264

You're feeding our seniors.

1:20:270

Yes, feeding them. Every day.

1:20:29 – 1:21:009

Absolutely. And then just to continue on, we also are still doing our monthly We also have Music Bingo and a Name That Tune that another one of our sponsors comes in. And she also does Lunch and Learns, but just also once a month, she switches back and forth between doing a music bingo and the name that tune just because the brain games are getting more and more popular and the seniors really seem to love it. And then Jen already touched on freebie, And then that would, I think, wrap it up what I have.

1:21:000

Yeah. Okay.

1:21:021

Wow. Thank you. Any questions?

1:21:05 – 1:21:500

And then one other thing I would like to make an announcement. So we are going to be celebrating our thirtieth anniversary for the village of Wellington. Mhmm. So you guys have the flyer, I believe, that's attached to your packet. We'll be celebrating that at the Wellington Amphitheater on January 2 from 5PM to 10PM. It is going to be a party like no other. We are very excited to host it. We're going have an ice skating rink, fireworks, carnival rides, a ferris wheel. You name it, we're going to do it. We're very excited to celebrate our thirty year anniversary. So we hope everyone can join us at that event. And we will be also having our three tribute bands, which will be in attendance. So we're very excited about the event and to celebrate with the community.

1:21:541

Any questions? Comments? Thirty years. Wow. Crazy. We're going now to the old business now.

1:22:026

Mr. President, quick question. Your lunches and your breakfast, part of the by the county.

1:22:110

Right? Yeah. So it's funded by the county. We don't pay for it.

1:22:146

You're not Mhmm. So you're not necessarily just feeding Wellington people.

1:22:23 – 1:22:400

No. We feed Wellington, Royal Palm, Green Acres. But, usually, what we found is that most of the people go to like, their residents of Royal Palm, they go to the one in Royal Palm. If they're in Wellington, they come to Wellington. We don't really have a whole lot of people that are from a different location, I would say.

1:22:409

Yeah. It's just a few that

1:22:416

So I just wanted the board to know, well, this is not coming out of your senior budget. Correct. Okay.

1:22:50 – 1:23:250

So, and just to clarify on that as well. So Kyle and I work really hard to assure that our programs that we operate and serve to our community are free for our seniors. We find that very important. And that is all funded through sponsorship dollars that we receive. You know, we work with Wellington Regional Medical Center. We work with Wellington Bay. We've worked with Conviva Health Care. So we bring in usually about $25,000 in sponsorship dollars for our senior programs. Nice. And, you know, for instance, our bingo program that we do three times out of the month, we pay $0 for it.

1:23:25 – 1:23:570

So we used to pay, but now we're actually getting sponsorships through the roof to help us pay for that. They bring in donuts, they bring in coffee. The gift cards that they get are sponsored by Humana. So they're a really good partner of ours. So we really do strive really hard to make sure that we are providing free services as much as we possibly can, because, you know, we don't want a senior to choose whether they're going to, you know, have lunch or if they're going to go to an exercise class. So we really do strive to really work hard with our partnerships to make all of that happen.

1:23:57 – 1:24:168

So, excuse me, that brings me, leads me to a question. Why do you think seniors continue to pay the $30 for the senior club when they can get all of these activities that you offer with no charge at all? I mean, what draws them?

1:24:16 – 1:24:420

So I probably say most of the people that continue to pay the $30 have been members for a really long time. You know, they're acquainted to the club. You know, they've been a part of it for a long time. But, to answer the question whether everything overlaps, it really does. I mean, we with our special events, I think we ran the numbers just on one event, and I think we had, like, 80%. Was it 80 per what was the number? Sorry.

1:24:429

Believe it was it was, like, 80 to 20 for the resident, nonresident.

1:24:45 – 1:25:220

Yeah. So we are having more residents than anything. But, you know, if you go to our Wellington Amphitheater, you know, we have more Wellington residents than we have anybody, but Mhmm. We draw a lot of people because we do so many events at our amphitheater. So, and not other municipalities do as much as we do. So I think that that's something to note too. Why we do have, you know, people coming that may not be a resident. But that's why the village has, you know, programs in place for residents and nonresidents. And the nonresidents do have to pay a nominal fee more than the residents do as well. So I just want to point that out as well, too.

1:25:22 – 1:25:478

So that might be a question we can ask and maybe get some clarification. Why do you continue to pay for the $30 What draws you to make you want to be a part of this when all of this is offered to you free? So that might give us some reason as to why. And I don't want to bring that all up again, but that just might be something to ask, we can get some more conclusion answers to that.

1:25:479

I think it could also be another it's another, like, additional social opportunity. So that I'd but again, we can definitely circle back to that. Well,

1:25:59 – 1:26:533

they only charge $30 because they've gotten the Village Of Wellington subsidy. There's no way they could provide the amount of activities and at the low cost they didn't get that funding. So it would be maybe $100 or they would have to change their fee structure rather than covering 75% of the ticket price to go to this luncheon, they may only cover 50%. And that was kind of, I didn't want to get into the nickeling and diming, but maybe they would need to look at charging more so that they're not using. Because truly, a year ago there was $150,000 1 and 40,000

1:26:530

100 in their and Yes. Thousand dollars

1:26:553

So that is a lot of money to go through. And it just so that's just, you know,

1:27:04 – 1:27:180

Yeah. One And thing just to to think clarify, too. So I was at their board meeting. They have not deposited their member fees yet either. So that will occur 01/31/2026. So that will be deposited as well.

1:27:19 – 1:27:374

Yeah. I know we keep circling back to that. But it's like if they wanted to become a true club, they would have to be self sustaining. Right now, they're getting subsidies from the village of Wellington. Subsidies it's not just the money and how much money they have.

1:27:37 – 1:28:204

It's also what they are privy to, like the extra services and extra consideration for the village of Wellington. And also that we are doing a lot of the same things. So it's not just how much money they have, it's how much money potentially they could get from us to do the same thing. Understood. It's not like personally, I like the whole senior club, just the whole, you know, everything around it, the whole idea of it and what they do under that title. It's just that if a senior club is truly a senior club, then they are separate from the village of Wellington, then they should be self sustaining without village funds.

1:28:200

Understood. Understood.

1:28:224

That's just me.

1:28:267

If we're gonna provide the same services, somebody's gonna pay for it. So eventually, the village is gonna pay.

1:28:324

Yeah. Right?

1:28:332

Yeah. But

1:28:354

but that's under the I

1:28:377

mean, it's not gonna save a dime. That's all I'm No. But

1:28:413

there will be some accountability from people who are employed by the Village.

1:28:457

Oh, I think there is accountability, right? I mean, you you work with them and they have an audit every year, right? I mean, there is

1:28:50 – 1:29:020

Yes. So when we were giving them expenditures, we would, on a quarterly basis. So we're reviewing their finances, and that's because they have to submit to us in order for us to reimburse them for their expenses.

1:29:03 – 1:29:313

Right. But if they truly had to be I mean, they could tighten their belts by they're very generous to their members because they have a cash flow coming in. I mean, that's all there's I mean, and that's wonderful, and that's a great thing. But there's duplicity in the services. Thank you for bringing them in because we've all been educated.

1:29:320

Yes, absolutely.

1:29:341

Any more questions or concerns so we can move on to the old business?

1:29:407

I'm sorry. I thought you're on old business already.

1:29:431

We're done with our new business now. We can move on to the old business.

1:29:480

We went from old business? Are we now anybody have anything for old business? Because then we're going to new business.

1:29:527

Yes. Old I have a cross between old and new. Okay.

1:29:560

We can go to new then.

1:29:57 – 1:30:237

About two to three meetings ago, we had thrown the idea out of a senior golf tournament. It's going to happen. Kyle and I visited a couple of weeks ago with the owner of Wellington National Golf Club, which is a private club in town. It used to be Banks Forest. He is willing to host our hopefully first annual senior golf outing.

1:30:23 – 1:31:057

It will be on April 20. I'll be working with Kyle on specifics, how to get registration forms out into the public's hands. We'll work with the town crier, etcetera. It just I've I've been here twenty five years and it it always struck me funny that in the heart of the golf capital of the world, we didn't have a golf tournament. So we're gonna have one. We're gonna work out the particulars, what kind of format, whether it'll be a luncheon, a breakfast, probably more towards lunch. It'll be one fee. People will pay for their carts, greens fees and their lunch. It'll be fully inclusive. We won't ask the village for a dime.

1:31:07 – 1:31:257

And we're expecting a final price from Wellington shortly. We've kind of made it known to him that it is a senior event. So we don't want a $200 a head fee. I think he understands that. So that's something we're looking forward to and adding to the calendar.

1:31:26 – 1:31:474

Just one suggestion. I'm a golfer. And and I bring this up only because it's happened. Just make sure you include ladies in terms of prizes. Because I've played in a golf tournament, a big golf tournament, and there was no prize for women who are closest to the pen, longest drive, all those things that we do for golfers. They just said, oh.

1:31:487

Yeah. I think what's what's

1:31:496

gonna happen

1:31:507

is based on the recommendation of the owner, it's gonna be what they call a scramble.

1:31:544

Scramble format.

1:31:557

So in essence, women golfers, whether they're in their own foursome or whether they join a foursome with men, prizes will be available for everybody.

1:32:054

Thank you. I'll play.

1:32:077

Assuming it's priced low enough to where we can add something in on top four prizes because the village can't contribute anything to a prize fund. Right?

1:32:140

No. But we can get sponsors.

1:32:153

Sponsors surely

1:32:189

You You just heard the sponsors pitch over here. Absolutely.

1:32:22 – 1:32:342

Yeah. It's a senior event. Just a question. Is it a it's a senior event, but if Joe is alone, but his son wants to go with him who is not a senior, is it is that person not eligible?

1:32:347

Can We've you use been talking about that in just the initial discussion, and we haven't made a decision on it.

1:32:406

Just curious.

1:32:41 – 1:32:597

I've played in senior events before. I know I don't look that old. But have played in senior events before where they do limit it to seniors. Some they don't. So it's something we'll discuss. Mhmm. Scramble's a little different. You don't have to have a foursome. You can be hooked up with somebody else. Mhmm. Mhmm. Yeah. It's more of a we're not gonna call it a tournament. We're gonna call it an outing, I think.

1:32:592

Yeah. Yeah. That's nice.

1:33:007

Just because we don't wanna make it have that that Yeah. You know, I'm after you Right.

1:33:041

Kind of vibe.

1:33:059

We don't wanna scare anyone off. Yeah.

1:33:060

Need to have

1:33:069

some of the golf everyone.

1:33:082

Yeah. Some of the tournaments would

1:33:09 – 1:33:317

say there will be a a limit to the number of people we can have. So we won't know that limit until we talk with the owner some more. But we will, both in media and on the registration form, you say that please get your entry in quickly so we know how many we have, And we'll create a waiting list once we hit that quota.

1:33:312

Don't they do scramble and best ball to keep it moving?

1:33:357

It it a scramble is basically kind of a best ball.

1:33:382

It's ball encompassing. Yeah.

1:33:407

Everybody hits a shot. You pick the best shot up. The other three balls get

1:33:457

Brought to that shot, and you continue. It's the fastest format, Carol. Mhmm.

1:33:482

Yeah. Then start on all the the holes. I think Wellington National can comfortably accommodate, what, 25 to 30 foursomes?

1:33:567

We're looking at possibly what they call a double shotgun.

1:34:005

Oh, great.

1:34:017

It could be upwards of like 48.

1:34:032

Yeah, for sure if you do that.

1:34:05 – 1:34:277

Now, when you do that, you add at least a half an hour to the round. So, thankfully, most seniors don't have to go to work So, that but that's just a consideration. We initially thought, you know, maybe just, 72 people, which would mean one group per whole. But we may be we may get more popular. We'll we'll see what happens once we start

1:34:279

the race. That's the goal.

1:34:283

That's the goal.

1:34:291

Thank you. Roxanne had a point, you know, when when she said about age, you know, when you're talking about seniors, what age do you consider to be in that tournament? You know? What is the minimum age?

1:34:397

Well, I think we would go by what the village considers seniors, which I believe is 55.

1:34:430

55? Yeah.

1:34:441

55. Okay. So it's going be in the flyer. Yeah.

1:34:462

Yeah. Great. Great. Wow.

1:34:48 – 1:35:108

That's cool. I would like to just give a little shout out. If they need practice prior to the tournament, the Boys and Girls Club will host is hosting a golf tournament at that same venue. I think it's about the first or second weekend in January. So we'd love to have the support if you just need Do some

1:35:117

you know what their charge is?

1:35:148

I don't know off the top of my head, but I can definitely let you know what that is.

1:35:198

And again, it's for the Boys and Girls Club

1:35:229

if they do it.

1:35:231

Practice. Any public comments?

1:35:297

Probably not.

1:35:310

Okay. Board comments?

1:35:321

Any Board comments? Any?

1:35:356

Motion to adjourn.

1:35:401

Anybody want to take them?

1:35:416

You want to stay? I'll second. Girl.

1:35:470

All in favor? Aye.

1:35:517

Thanks everybody.

1:35:523

Thank you.

This transcript was automatically generated from the official public meeting video and is presented unedited. It reflects remarks made on the public record by elected officials, staff, and public commenters. Transcript accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.