Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Age Friendly Initiative topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clayton to join AARP Age‑Friendly network; staff to seek community needs assessment
Summary
The Clayton City Council approved a resolution authorizing staff to pursue collaboration with AARP's Age‑Friendly communities network. Development Director Colin Carville and ThriveWise volunteer leaders said joining would unlock expert support and potential grant funding to conduct a community needs assessment and develop an action plan.
Colin Carville, the city’s development director, told the Clayton City Council that staff will apply to join the AARP Age‑Friendly Network if council approves the resolution.
“My name is Colin Carville. I am the development director for the city of Clayton,” Carville said while outlining the initiative, telling council the Age‑Friendly program—founded in 2012 and recently organized at the state level—offers communities access to technical support and potential grant funding. He said a recurring donor distributes funds through the Dayton Foundation that the network communities can apply for and cited a value of $150,000 dispersed annually across the region.
The initiative would begin with a community needs assessment to identify strengths and gaps in areas such as transportation, housing, outdoor spaces, social inclusion and health services, Carville said. If accepted into the network, staff would pursue grant funds to pay for that assessment and then develop a multi‑year action plan to implement recommended changes.
A volunteer leader of ThriveWise 360—an active, volunteer‑run program that offers monthly educational events at Meadowbrook—described how ThriveWise brings health and social programs to multiple generations in Clayton and said the organization has engaged roughly 100 participants over the past year. “We help people navigate aging with wisdom and wellness,” the ThriveWise speaker said, calling the local program “an honor” and urging council support.
Councilmember Kelly moved to authorize staff to pursue collaboration with AARP’s network; Councilmember Gorman seconded the motion, which passed by voice vote. The city manager said, if the resolution is accepted, staff will begin the AARP review and then apply for grant funding to support the community needs assessment.
Why it matters: Council’s action formally clears the way for Clayton to pursue outside funding and expert guidance intended to make city services and infrastructure more accommodating for residents of all ages. The needs assessment will set priorities that could affect transportation planning, parks, housing and senior services over the next several years.
Next steps: Staff will submit an application for admission to AARP’s network (Carville said the review generally takes about two months) and pursue grant funding to pay for the community needs assessment and follow‑up action planning.
