Benefits Committee
Meeting Minutes: April 7, 2009
Faculty and Staff Benefits Office
Bldg. 7, Woodrail Centre
Chairman Hahn called the meeting to order at 10:35 a.m.
In addition to the chair, those present included: Jack Batterson, John Bauman, Debra Denham, Roger Heath, Marjorie Leavene, Doris Littrell, Lisa Wimmenauer, with guests Richard Oliver, Meichele A. Foster, and Toni Monsen.
The Chairman introduced guests attending the meeting today: Richard Oliver, Dean of the School of Health Professions; Meichele A. Foster, Development Officer, School of Health Professions; and Toni Monsen, Chair of the UM Staff Advisory Council.
Oliver and Foster answered questions from the committee about The Health Connection, a community health wellness and research center that has been run by the Missouri School of Health Professions for about 19 years.. This committee invited Oliver and Foster to today’s meeting because many retirees expressed a deep concern that The Health Connection is scheduled to close June 30, 2009, because of budget cuts. Hahn mentioned how difficult it is to bring back something that has been cut. In 2003, the National Council on the Aging (NCOA) selected The Health Connection as one of ten programs in the country to receive a $1,000 award and a certificate of achievement.
The Health Connection is located at Stephens College, at 1507 E. Broadway, Hillcrest Hall, Columbia Mo. 65215. The School of Health Professions would like to relocate The Health Connections to the University of Missouri campus to save money on rent, salaries, and wages. Also, the center would be more accessible to the MU students who can work at the center between classes. The downside to the campus location is that there would be no free parking. However that should not be a major problem as many of the university retirees already have low cost parking on campus.
Leavene stated that she did not think the argument against being off campus was a valid one. She thought if the students offer a valuable service or if the clients feel it will help keep The Health Connection open, they will arrange their scheduled to be there. She gave a Tuesday Pilates class as an example. Tuesday was not a day that most members opted to come to exercise, but they were excited about the new class, and there was almost not enough room for everyone. She also gave the example of the Engineering School students who do undergraduate research at the RTF (Remote Test Facility), which is located on Hwy 63S, a little south of Lenoir Homes.
The center provides a wonderful service to the university retirees in many ways. There is a registered nurse on site who monitors the members during their workouts to be sure they do not hurt themselves. The site provides a wonderful social atmosphere for its members who do not otherwise interact with other people. The $27 a month fee is very reasonable and the center caters primarily to retirees recovering from surgery and other illnesses. There is no other place in Columbia that offers what The Health Connection offers.
June 30th was selected as the closing date because the lease ends on that date. Several committee members expressed the hope that perhaps the closing date could be postponed a year so the parties involved could come up with a long term solution to the funding problem. The school did not attempt to get any stimulus money for this because that money would provide only a short term solution to the funding problem. It would be wonderful if the center could find more members with long term contracts. Yes, the school talked to the Athletic department. They also considered working with retirement homes around Columbia. This would not be a viable solution because of liability issues and transportation issues. So far, none of the retirement homes has reached out and asked to work with The Health Connection. There is also the need to pay all or part of the $400,000 deficit, or the $100,000 annual deficit.
However, there is some hope that the center will remain open. Oliver created a committee to explore ways to keep the The Health Connection open. The committee is made of 5-10 members and Meichele Foster. It has 30 days to discuss the issue, and Oliver will make a final decision by May 15. Oliver needs to find a way to have a balanced budget and to keep The Health Connection open.
Someone asked how Eldercare is doing. Oliver said that it is doing well. Elder Care is doing well partially because it gets $71 per day per person from Medicaid. It would be wonderful if enough space could be found on campus that would allow them to combine The Health Connection with Elder Care. One person mentioned that it would be ideal to have the center next to the new MU orthopedic building. She was told that there was not enough space on that land for another building.
Hahn asked how the committee could help save The Health Connection. Oliver suggested that the committee write a letter of support to be sent to Foster. The committee will also send letters of support to President Forsee, MU Chancellor Brady Deaton, and the MU Health Care Vice Chancellor, Harold Williamson Jr. This letter of support will express our feelings that the center is needed and that is would lower health care costs because of the beneficial effects of the exercise.
Marj Leavene mentioned that there would be a The Health Connection table at the Chancellor's Luncheon on April 28. She will be out of town but was hoping to have MU retirees there to man the "booth". Al Hahn volunteered to be there to assist.
Hahn said that he also invited Marion Minor to this meeting today. She was responsible for the creation of The Health Connection.
The next meeting is Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at the Faculty-Staff Benefits Office Conference Room, Building 7, Suite 210, Woodrail Center on Nifong Blvd.
Respectfully submitted,
Jack Batterson
Secretary Pro-Tem
