Coppell to launch ‘Village Collective’ for residents 50+ with Oct. 25 kickoff

Coppell officials on Sept. 9 heard a detailed presentation on Village Collective, a membership and volunteer program designed to help residents age in place, and set an official public launch for Oct. 25.
The Village Collective is a membership-and-volunteer model that will let residents 50 and older request light services such as transportation, wellness checks, home maintenance and contractor referrals, program coordinator Melanie Eichner said.
City staff say the program aims to supplement — not replace — the senior center and social services, provide discounts through a resource directory and run administrative functions through third-party software. “Our launch is officially October 25 this year,” Village coordinator Melanie Eichner said.
Why it matters: The program is intended to reduce demand for more intensive care by helping older residents stay in their homes longer; it also raises municipal questions about data handling, volunteer screening, vendor complaints and city liability.
Details and services: Eichner told council she expects Village Collective members to pay $60 per year for access to services and discounts. The program’s website — managed with a vendor Eichner called “Helpful Village software” — will handle applications, member profiles, event sign-ups and service requests. The city-run resource directory already lists 41 community partners offering discounts; Eichner said 79.5% of survey respondents reported moderate-to-high interest in contractor referrals; 55% in home maintenance; 32.7% in transportation; 21.9% in wellness checks; and 62.8% in social events. The city’s survey of residents 50+ gathered 604 responses earlier this year.
Questions from council: Council members repeatedly pressed staff on three areas: data security, vetting of volunteers and contractors, and the program’s cost model. On data security, Eichner said the vendor is “PCI compliant” and that data lives on the vendor’s firewall, though the city will collect and retain data “under the city umbrella.” On volunteer screening, staff said volunteers will use the city’s existing Sterling volunteer background-check system; an added driving-history check will be required for volunteer drivers and insurance verification will be collected. Councilmember Walker urged more extensive background checks for volunteers who would enter homes, suggesting sex-offender registry and credit checks; staff responded they would “look into that.”
Liability and vendor relationships: Eichner said the city will provide contractor referrals rather than endorsements; members will deal directly with vendors. When asked about member complaints, Eichner said residents must deal directly with vendors but the website links to Better Business Bureau resources. City legal staff later told council that the city has no privity of contract with referred vendors and, with proper disclaimers and education, the city can reduce legal risk but not eliminate it.
Budget and staffing: Council members discussed initial city support. At the meeting, staff discussed a city contribution and internal starting amounts were cited in the discussion (remarks referenced both $30,000 and $50,000 as possible baseline support). Council asked staff to track membership uptake and return to council if pricing or city contributions should change.
Next steps and timeline: Recruitment and training start immediately; volunteer orientations and member signups will be available online. The program’s public launch event is scheduled for Oct. 25, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Senior and Community Center, after which members can request services. Staff said they will add consumer-protection information to the Village web pages and consider outreach to Coppell ISD and community groups.
Ending: Council members expressed support for the program’s goals while insisting on clear consumer-education, tighter volunteer vetting and a review of the $60 fee after an initial reporting period.