Las Vegas senior advisory board re-elects chair, nominates staffer for recognition and flags senior scams

The Las Vegas Senior Citizens Advisory Board on July 2, 2026, re-elected Acting Chair Diane O'Rear Cameron and approved the minutes of its April 2 meeting before turning to program reports and outreach plans.

The board unanimously nominated Camille Franklin, a recreation leader with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, for the senior citizens advisory board’s recognition award after Gregory Gray, management analyst with the Department of Neighborhood Services, described a case in which Franklin helped a senior who faced suspected financial exploitation and isolation. "As of this meeting, she is safe and sound with her family in Illinois," Gray said, and the board moved to recognize Franklin for the work that led to the senior’s return to family care.

The meeting also focused on fraud and scams targeting older residents. David Tilzer (Ward 4) described recent local incidents, saying "one was taken for $25,000 and one was taken for $20, through Bitcoin," and urged increased awareness. Ward members and staff noted many seniors do not report scams because of embarrassment and highlighted existing community education efforts.

Gregory Gray outlined a staff proposal to simplify access to city services for seniors: instead of multiple resource lists, the Department of Neighborhood Services will provide a care-coordination flyer and a single designated phone line for senior assistance. Gray asked seniors to call (702) 229-1200 and said, "If no one is available, we will return their call within two days at minimum." Board members agreed to begin with the flyer and phone line, monitor whether additional materials are needed, and revisit the approach in a few months.

Members discussed outreach to increase senior participation at meetings, including ward-specific "ward days," using buses or paratransit to bring residents to board meetings, and recruiting local "ambassadors" to gather public comment and relay it to the board. Nicole Graham (Ward 1) and Caroline Mosey (Ward 6) stressed local events and partnerships — including one planned for National Senior Citizen Day on Aug. 21 — to raise awareness of senior services and safety information.

Gray also submitted for the record a success story about Olga Flowers, a community program technician whose advocacy helped reduce an ambulance billing balance to zero for a resident, underscoring the department’s role in care coordination.

On governance items, the deputy city clerk confirmed the meeting had been properly noticed under the Nevada open meeting law; after roll call the board approved minutes by voice vote and re-elected Diane O'Rear Cameron as chair. The clerk and staff also clarified a bylaws provision (section D) that counts members who fail to respond to quorum emails as having an unexcused absence, and that three unexcused absences may trigger a recommendation for removal to the council representative.

The board received no citizens’ participation comments and adjourned; the next meeting was set for August 2026 at 1 p.m.