Advisory Council on Aging
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 · 10:00 AM
Agenda (21 items, 5 with a recorded vote)
- —PUBLIC ACCESS AND PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS: The public may attend this meeting in person at the above location. The public may also attend this meeting remotely via webinar. Login information is provided above. The public may attend this meeting in person at the above location.
- 10:00Call to Order, Roll Call, Introductions – Jill Kleiner, President - Jill Kleiner, ACOA President, called the meeting to order at 10:00am.
- 10:04Approval of May 2026 Meeting Minutes (Revote)
- —Executive Committee Meeting Minutes 05-06-26
- 10:06Approval of June 2026 Meeting Minutes
- —Executive Meeting Minutes 06-03-2026
- 10:08Approval of July 2026 Officer Seminar Meeting Minutes
- —Executive Meeting Minutes 07-23-2026
- 10:10Area Agency on Aging Report – Tracy Murray, AAA Director • Absent, no update.
- 10:35President’s Report – Jill Kleiner, ACOA President General updates • Planning is underway for the ACOA Retreat, with initial discussions held with consultant Terri Fullerton. A tentative date of October 8 has been identified for a 4–6 hour retreat at the EHSD campus in Pleasant Hill (500 Ellinwood). Each committee chair is asked to invite a committee member who has demonstrated leadership potential and may be interested in serving as a future chair or officer. • Senior Legal Services has offered complimentary attendance for all ACOA members at its 50th Anniversary Celebration on September 9. Staff are awaiting guidance from Tracy regarding whether accepting the approximately $100 admission will require disclosure on members' Form 700 under conflict-of-interest gift rules. • The Executive Committee will place Shirley Krohn's Emeritus Member appointment back on the consent calendar for approval and is planning a recognition ceremony at the General Meeting. The celebration will include remarks from several members, presentation of an Emeritus certificate, and cake in honor of Shirley's years of service. AAA Staff Support: • Members were reminded to be mindful of AAA staff roles and avoid requesting assistance that falls outside their responsibilities, such as arranging one-on-one meetings or identifying speakers. • It was also emphasized that AAA staff should not be referred to as "assistants," as they serve as professional staff supporting the work of the ACOA within their defined roles. Committee Changes • The Executive Committee discussed the process for changing the standing date and time of ACOA committee meetings. • The discussion clarified that committees may change their meeting schedules without formal approval from the Executive Committee or another governing body, provided AAA staff are given adequate lead time to coordinate the necessary administrative updates. Members also noted that January is the preferred time to implement committee schedule changes. • AAA staff will draft a formal procedure to guide future committee meeting schedule changes. Area Plan Update – August General Meeting • Committee chairs were reminded that they will provide a brief Area Plan Update during their committee reports at the August General Meeting. • Given time constraints, updates should be concise and high level, summarizing the total number of committee objectives and overall progress (e.g., number completed, in progress, or removed), while providing additional details only if needed. Officer seminar updates • The Executive Committee reviewed the recent Officer Seminar and reported that it was a successful event. • Participants shared that they learned a great deal about the responsibilities and commitments associated with ACOA officer positions and recommended making it an annual event. Holiday Potluck Planning for December General Meeting • The Executive Committee discussed options for the December General Meeting and Holiday Potluck after learning the Board Room is reserved from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and cannot be extended longer due to a conflicting reservation afterwards. • Members considered starting the meeting earlier or moving the potluck to January, but expressed concerns that an earlier start time could affect quorum. The Executive Committee preferred to keep the potluck in December. • The agreed-upon plan is to hold the General Meeting from 10:00–11:30 a.m., followed by the Holiday Potluck from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
- 11:00Break
- 11:10Committee Reports Membership – Kathryn Monroy-Dexter • The Membership Committee did not meet in July but held a new member orientation. • The committee previously reviewed the buddy program in June and is planning to fill Shirley Krohn's vacant Member-at-Large position, followed by the appointment of a new alternate member. • A waitlist of prospective members remains, and the Nominating Committee will caucus at the next General Meeting. Planning – Jill Kleiner • The committee received a presentation from Contra Costa Health Plan on recent Medi-Cal changes, including updates related to the asset test and immigration status under HR1. • The committee hopes to schedule a future presentation focused specifically on how Medi-Cal changes will affect older adults. • The next site visit will be held at the PACE CEI program on August 20 at 11:00 a.m. Housing – Kevin Donovan • The committee discussed issues related to homeowners associations (HOAs) and received a presentation from the Richmond Senior Commission on challenges older adults experience with HOA requirements. • Teresa Anderson, a staff member from Senator Tim Grayson’s office, provided an update on several bills that Senator Grayson has co-authored. • Upcoming meetings will include presentations from Joseph Villareal, Executive Director of the Housing Authority, on housing vouchers and emerging housing issues, as well as a presentation from Janessa Orell, a senior staff member for Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, regarding a federally approved housing bill that was not signed by the President. • The October meeting will feature a presentation from Master Plan for Aging (MPA) Housing Champions. Health and Elder Abuse Prevention – Dr. Mike Wener • The committee’s most recent meeting featured a presentation from Dr. Mike Wener on diabetic foot health. • The next meeting will feature a presentation from AAA staff member, Thomas Weisbrich, on the Senior Nutrition Program. • The following month, Dr. Kim Colom, a certified vestibular specialist, will present on vertigo, dizziness, and related balance concerns. • The committee has speakers scheduled through 2026. Technology – Steve Lipson • The Technology Committee did not meet in July due to ACOA recess but has continued work on website updates. • The committee is exploring a change to its regular meeting schedule, currently held on the second Wednesday from 1:30–3:30 p.m., and is considering moving meetings to the first Thursday of the month from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. • Members discussed that the proposed schedule change may result in the loss of two committee members due to availability conflicts. SMAC Transportation – Jim Donnelly • Seamless Bay Area presented on SB 63, a regional transportation tax initiative appearing on the November ballot. The committee discussed potential impacts if the measure does not pass, including possible closure of up to 15 BART stations, including five stations in Contra Costa County, reduced BART service, cuts to fixed-route bus and paratransit services, and increased traffic congestion. • The committee noted that SMAC continues to see increased participation and attendance from local transit providers, including County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, and WestCAT. • Upcoming presentations include WestCAT in September (Donesha McKinley) and Tri Delta Transit in October. • SMAC discussed changing its regular meeting schedule to the second Tuesday of the month from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., effective January 2027.
- 11:35Legislative Committee and California Senior Legislature Update – Steve Lipson • SB 971 continues to move forward and has cleared both Assembly committee hearings unanimously. The bill also previously cleared both Senate committees and the Senate floor. • The bill received some pushback from community college networks, resulting in minor language amendments that did not change the intent, deliverables, or overall goals of the legislation. The bill has also gained support from organizations including the Alzheimer’s Association, AARP, the California Association of Adult Day Services, and Los Angeles County. • The bill is scheduled for an Assembly floor vote this week. Senator Choi, who introduced the bill in the Senate, secured Assembly support through coauthor Assemblymember Garcia, creating bipartisan support for the legislation.
- 11:40Consent Items June meeting (Revote): • Approve Leave of Absences - Michael Wener: 5/20/2026 - Sarah Green: Third Wednesdays of the month May – October 2026 • Appoint Shirley Krohn to Emeritus member • Approve ACOA Alternate Members Document August meeting: • Approve Leave of Absence - Gerry La Londe-Berg: June 17, 2026
- 11:45Public Comment • None
- —Next Executive Committee Meeting: - Wednesday, September 2, 2026, 10:00am – 12:00pm
- 12:00Adjourn - The meeting adjourned at 11:40pm.
- —The Committee will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities planning to attend the Committee meetings. Contact the staff person listed below at least 72 hours before the meeting. Any disclosable public records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and distributed by the County to a majority of members of the Committee less than 96 hours prior to that meeting are available for public inspection at 500 Ellinwood Way, Pleasant Hill during normal business hours. Staff reports related to items on the agenda are also accessible online at www.contracosta.ca.gov. If the Zoom connection malfunctions for any reason, the meeting may be paused while a fix is attempted. If the connection is not reestablished, the committee will continue the meeting in person without remote access. Public comment may be submitted via electronic mail on agenda items at least one full work day prior to the published meeting time.
- —For Additional Information Contact: Thomas Weisbrich at 925 655-0776 or tweisbrich@ehsd.cccounty.us
- 10:04Approval of May 2026 Meeting Minutes (Revote)
- 11:45Public Comments: • Dr. Wener suggested introducing AAA staff at an upcoming General Meeting, potentially in September or October when additional time is available. • Jim expressed appreciation for AAA staff and recognized their cooperative and helpful support of ACOA.