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Senior Affairs updates: outreach, legal aid estate‑planning events and strategic‑plan timeline
Summary
Senior Affairs staff described outreach work including estate‑planning clinics and the HealthLine, noted increased financial‑assistance calls, and said the department’s strategic plan is still in progress and scheduled for a presentation to the commission in August; commissioners requested earlier distribution and stronger outreach.
Erica Norman, supervisor of Community Care Services and the Age‑Friendly Senior Services team, briefed the commission on outreach work, the HealthLine and legal‑aid estate‑planning clinics for older residents.
Norman said the office continues to field calls through the HealthLine Monday through Friday and has seen an increase in callers seeking financial assistance for rent and utilities. She described partnerships with Legal Aid of Northwest Texas to provide free estate‑planning services at recreation centers; Norman said the program has produced multiple local events with positive turnout and that a future clinic is scheduled for Aug. 6 at Marcus Attucks.
Commissioners pressed staff about the department’s strategic plan and the funding‑priorities memo. Staff said the strategic plan remains in progress and that consultants will provide a full update at the commission’s August meeting. A funding priorities memo was shared internally and recorded with the city secretary on May 20; staff told commissioners it will be distributed to the city manager’s office as part of the usual internal process. Commissioners asked staff to circulate the draft plan as soon as possible rather than waiting until the August meeting.
Several commissioners expressed concern about the size and representativeness of the public survey used as part of the strategic‑plan research; staff said roughly 500 survey responses were received and additional one‑on‑one interviews and phone outreach were conducted to inform the plan. Commissioners asked for more complete distribution of the plan and earlier access so they can provide informed feedback prior to the August presentation.
Norman closed with a summary of outreach events: participation in Juneteenth and community festivals, upcoming "Beat the Heat" cooling‑center information, and a reminder that some city offices will be closed for Juneteenth. The commission did not take formal action; staff agreed to follow up on distribution and to supply updated partner contact information and event flyers.
