Staff Report
PREPARED BY: DOLLY GOYAL
Library Director
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 02/21/2017
ITEM NO: 4
DATE: FEBRUARY 15, 2017
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: APPOINT A SEVEN-MEMBER TASK FORCE TO PROCEED WITH THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S AGE-FRIENDLY APPLICATION PROCESS TO
MEET THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY DEADLINE OF JUNE 2017.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Town Council appoint a seven-member Task Force to proceed with the
World Health Organization's Age-Friendly application process to meet the Santa Clara County deadline
of June 2017.
BACKGROUND:
Santa Clara County (SCC) has launched a major “age-friendly” campaign to get all cities and towns in the
County to apply for the World Health Organization (WHO) “Age Friendly” designation by June 2017. An
age-friendly designation includes the identification of specific action items to become more accessible to
the community for all ages - either through services, capital improvement projects, or programs - and
enables the city/town to apply for Federal and State funding for these action items or improvements.
During this period, SCC has indicated that it intends to provide staff support to help facilitate all of the
components required in the application process.
The first step includes the appointment of a Task Force made up of community members who have a
strong understanding of issues relating to the Town’s aging senior population and/or have knowledge
and expertise in services to various populations specifically in Los Gatos.
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: APPOINT A SEVEN-MEMBER TASK FORCE TO PROCEED WITH THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S AGE-FRIENDLY APPLICATION PROCESS TO MEET
THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY DEADLINE OF JUNE 2017.
FEBRUARY 15, 2017
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\02-21-17\Age Friendly Task Force\Staff Report Age Friendly Final.docx
DISCUSSION:
With a tight June 2017 deadline and due to the limited Task Force duration, the Town would be
challenged to add this Task Force to the existing recruitment for adult opportunities on Town
Commissions. For this reason, staff is recommending the appointment of a Task Force based on the
recommendations from the SCC’s Office of Aging’s Center for Age-Friendly Excellence (CAFÉ) and the
Town’s Community and Senior Services Commission (CSSC). For consistency with the number of
members on Town Commissions, the Task Force should be comprised of seven participants.
The Town has received confirmation from the following individuals who are interested and available to
serve on the Task Force:
Tom Picraux (Chair, CSSC)
Lyn Dougherty (Library Board)
Cherie Ravel (Jewish Community Center)
Mary Goulart (Live Oak Nutrition)
Staff has reached out to the following organizations and individuals to determine interest and
availability to serve:
Representative from Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation
El Camino Hospital
Local Town business owner
Staff anticipates completing an Addendum or Desk Item prior to the February 21, 2017 meeting with the
final recommended names.
If the Council appoints the Task Force, it would follow the WHO requirements including an initial
meeting in March for a 1.5-hour session with Town and County CAFE staff to identify opportunities and
recruitment strategies to hold a series of up to four 1.5-hour focus groups. The WHO requirements
specify that focus groups should not exceed 10 members of the public at a time. The target community
members include working professionals, senior citizens, local service clubs, religious institutions, local
business owners, and community leaders operating local non-profit groups. Town staff would be
responsible for promoting the focus groups. County staff would facilitate the focus group sessions along
with two recorders from CAFÉ. Town staff and Task Force members would not participate.
Upon completion of the focus group sessions, CAFÉ will analyze all the data and present findings to Task
Force and Town staff. By early May, the Task Force would meet for another1.5-hour session to discuss
the focus group results and look for key trends in community needs which would be the basis for the
application and action items. The Task Force would then hold its last 1.5–hour meeting to make final
recommendations on age-friendly project ideas for Town Council approval. Town and CAFÉ staff
estimate approximately three hours to complete the WHO application prior to Council consideration in
June 2017.
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: APPOINT A SEVEN-MEMBER TASK FORCE TO PROCEED WITH THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S AGE-FRIENDLY APPLICATION PROCESS TO MEET
THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY DEADLINE OF JUNE 2017.
FEBRUARY 15, 2017
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\02-21-17\Age Friendly Task Force\Staff Report Age Friendly Final.docx
CONCLUSION:
In order to meet the SCC close timeline and strict deadline of June 2017 for the age-friendly process,
Town staff recommends the appointment of a seven-member Task Force comprised of members from
the identified organizations.
ALTERNATIVES:
Alternatively, the Town Council may:
1. Include the Task Force in the current adult Commission recruitment which ends March 10, 2017
with interviews scheduled on March 21, 2017, or
2. Direct staff to pursue different community members to serve on the Task Force, or
3. Provide other direction to staff with respect to the creation of the Task Force.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Library Department will absorb the costs associated with completing the age friendly process.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.