Committee agrees to host scam-prevention presentation; asks public-safety committee to consider co-sponsorship

The Elderly Affairs committee agreed to schedule a free scam-prevention presentation from the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Division of Consumer Services and asked the Public Safety committee to consider co-sponsoring the event to widen outreach.

Speaker 1 (first identified in the transcript as Geraldine Amadolov), who presented the agency’s offer, said the department would present at no cost and that its outreach targets included seniors, low-income residents, immigrants, people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, and small-business owners. "They would do it for free," the member said when summarizing the agency proposal.

Committee members discussed where to host the session and how to encourage attendance. One member suggested holding the presentation at the Roberto Alonso Community Center and limiting the size to ensure an attentive audience; another recommended coordinating with the Public Safety committee to help fund refreshments and broaden promotion.

The committee voted to move forward: Nancy (identified in discussion) will check with Public Safety about collaborating and potential financial support, and Pedro will help finalize event logistics if Public Safety does not participate. The group directed staff to work with the Division of Consumer Services on dates; members mentioned January as a likely month but left the exact date to be determined.

Why it matters: local scam-prevention outreach targets populations that the committee regularly serves, and coordination with Public Safety could increase attendance and permit refreshments or a larger venue. The committee did not commit program funding; its action was to pursue scheduling and intercommittee coordination.

Next steps: Nancy will contact the Public Safety committee about possible co-sponsorship and report back; the committee will confirm a date with the Division of Consumer Services once coordination is resolved.