MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE
DRAFT MINUTES
JULY 18, 2014

Field Trip to Meadow Brook, Epsom
Elderly Housing

Attendees: Ralph O’Dell – Chair, Ted Mitchell – Secretary,
Helen Schoppmeyer, Clayton Wood,
Jim Pritchard

Absent: Paul Metcalf

1. Met at Pittsfield Town Hall 9:00 am

2. Arrived Meadow Brook: 9:25 am

3. Talked with Meadow Brook Manager:
A. Common Use Facility:
– Mail Boxes
– Laundry Rm – 4 Washers/4 Dryers
— Coin Operated
— Maintenance Contract w/Company That
Owns Machines (Less Cost/Less Hassle)
— Same Company Weekly Empties Coins from Machines
— Some Sharing of Revenues from Machines
w/Meadow Brook
— No Coin Machine (Removes Chances of Theft)
– Function Rm
— No Activities Coordinator, Residents Post Their
Planned Activity and Invite Others to Join
— There is a Person Who Schedules Speakers With
Specific Knowledge of Subjects That Would Benefit
Residents and Works One-On-One With Resident
When There Is a Need
— Two Computers w/Printers – Office Supplies Paper,
Ink at No Cost to Residents
— Residents Can Reserve Room for Party/Family
Gathering, etc.
— Max Occupancy is 75
— Size of the Function Room Based on Federal Standard
Ratio from Square Footage of All Apartments
Combined
– Kitchen – Full Size Apartment Kitchen Off Side of
Function Room
– Restroom Off of Function Room

B. Other Complex Specs:
– 50 Single Bedroom Apartments (No Two Bedroom)
— All Doors Have Easy to Open Handles Not Knobs
— All Toilets Are “Comfort Rise” 16” in Height
— Each Bathroom and Bedroom Has Pull Cord Alarms
Not Connected to 911. An Alarm Goes Off Outside
The Building and Any Passer-By Notes Which
Apartment it is By the Light That Automatically
Turns on Outside That Apartment. Good Samaritan
Enters Apartment to Ensure Resident is OK. When
The Alarm Sounds the Door to the Apartment
Automatically Unlocks to Allow Entry.
— All Bathrooms Have Full Size Grab Bars
– There Are 4 Apartment Units That Are for Disabled
Residents; Must Have a Certain Percentages of Units
For Disabled
– Has Their Own Well
– Has Their Own Septic System
— Has Had Problem in the Past – Entire System Needed
Redesign and Replacement Due to Inadequacy or
Some Other Underlying Issue
– Only One Parking Spot Per Apartment; No Visitor
Or Spaces for Office Personnel

C. Winter Operations:
– Snow Removal
— Can’t Plow Snow Onto Ground Near Well – Must
Avoid Polluting It
— Inadequate Space to Plow Snow Onto – At Times Must
Haul it Away

D. Outside Maintenance of Grounds is Contracted Out
This Contracted Company Also Does Inside Repairs.
There is a Repair Log in the Office – Residents Report
Needed Repairs.

E. Resident Demographics:
– All 62+
– Most Drive
– Have Their Own Lives – Shop, Go to Pittsfield and
Other Towns Senior Centers
– If a Resident Needs Assistance Getting Their Mail
Or Doing Other Things, Other Residents Usually
Do it For Them

F. Eligibility Requirements
– Must Meet Federal Guidelines
— Gross Income Total. A Portion of Assets Is Added
Onto Income Total.
— Once Person Qualifies the Person’s Medical Costs
Are Subtracted From Their Gross Income. Then
The Amount of Rent He/She Must Pay Is Calculated

G. Other Things To Consider When Setting Up Elderly
Housing:
– Sewer: Tank for Storing Waste and Pumping Into
Public Sewage. Tank Should Be Galvanized, Costs
More But Won’t Rust Out.
– Snow Removal: Have Enough Space On Which to
Plow Snow
– Be Mindful of Emergency Needs When Storing Snow
– Residence Building:
— Several Apartment Buildings Mean More Outside
Building Maintenance as apposed to a Single Two
Story Building. Maintenance of Parking Areas and
Grounds Would Be Less Than Outside Building
Maintenance
— Single Two Story Apartment Building Frees Up
Space for Potentially more Parking Spaces and
Larger Area on Which to Store Snow
— Single Building Has All Amenities for Residents
So For Those With Mobility Issues It Is Easier.
It is also safer for Resident During Winter, Less
Need to Walk Around Outside.

4. Left Meadow Brook at 10:40 am

5. Arrived Pittsfield Town Hall and Closed Meeting at 10:52 am

6. Next Meeting: July 24, 2014

Prepared by: Ted Mitchell, Secretary

Submitted: Ralph O’Dell, Chair, Master Plan Committee