Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Area Agency on Aging Board  
Consider:  
Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Monday, December 6, 2021  
3:45 PM  
via Zoom  
The Monday December 6, 2021 AAA Board meeting is being held virtually. The public can access the  
meeting with the Zoom application or by telephone.  
To join the meeting in Zoom, click the following link (after you fill out the form, the meeting link and  
access information will be emailed to you):  
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DFiwE4UhR-2K72TfTHR4iA  
This link will be active until the end of the meeting.  
To join the meeting by phone, dial-in using one of the following three phone numbers:  
1-833-548-0276  
1-833-548-0282  
1-888-788-0099  
When prompted, enter the following Webinar ID: 858 0817 0705  
If you want to submit a written comment for this meeting, or send handouts for committee members,  
please send them to MATULLE.CINDY@COUNTYOFDANE.COM. In the subject line please state: Written  
Comment for this meeting or Handouts for this meeting. Please include the name of the meeting and  
date.  
PROCESS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT: ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO REGISTER TO  
SPEAK ON/SUPPORT/OPPOSE AN AGENDA ITEM MUST REGISTER USING THE LINK ABOVE (even if you  
plan to attend using your phone).  
Registrations to provide public comment will be accepted until 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the  
meeting.  
Staff & Guests Present: Cheryl Batterman, Laura Langer, Cindy Matulle, Carrie Springer,  
and Angela Velasquez  
A. Call To Order  
Chair RATCLIFF called the meeting to order at 3:45 pm.  
10 -  
Present  
Absent  
DONALD ASHBAUGH, BILL CLAUSIUS, TED BUNCK, Supervisor MELISSA  
RATCLIFF, Supervisor RICHELLE ANDRAE, Supervisor KATE MCGINNITY,  
Supervisor LARRY PALM, DIANE FARSETTA, THOM RUX, and GAIL RUTKOWSKI  
1 - SRIDEVI MOHAN  
B. Consideration of Minutes  
Minutes from November 1, 2021  
RATCLIFF noted Board member Gail Rutkowski was not listed in the attendance  
but was later listed in voting for Action Items.  
A motion was made by MCGINNITY, seconded by CLAUSIUS, that the Minutes be  
approved as amended. The motion carried by the following vote:  
9 -  
Ayes:  
CLAUSIUS, BUNCK, RATCLIFF, ANDRAE, MCGINNITY, PALM, Farsetta, RUX and  
RUTKOWSKI  
1 - MOHAN  
Absent:  
Abstain:  
1 - ASHBAUGH  
C. Action Items  
2021 Leck Grant  
AAA Manager Cheryl Batterman reported NewBridge is not able to use the 2021 Leck  
Grant funding to support their El Amor Support Group and Self-Advocacy Training Project  
due to staff changes. After clarifying with the DCDHS accounting staff, she recommends  
to carry-over the $14,894 to next year.  
A motion was made by ASHBAUGH, seconded by Farsetta, to recommend for  
approval to carry-over the 2021 Leck Grant amount award to NewBridge and  
combine it with the 2022 grant funding disbursed by the Madison Community  
Foundation. The motion carried by the following vote:  
10 -  
Ayes:  
ASHBAUGH, CLAUSIUS, BUNCK, RATCLIFF, ANDRAE, MCGINNITY, PALM,  
Farsetta, RUX and RUTKOWSKI  
1 - MOHAN  
Absent:  
D. Presentations  
None.  
E. Reports to Board  
1. State and Federal Report  
Laura Langer of the WI Bureau of Aging reported hiring for the new Budget & Policy  
Coordinator for ARPA funding is almost complete. Congregate meals across the state  
are at 50% of being open. Older Americans Act programs are slowly opening back up for  
Health Promotions and Caregiver Programs.  
Langer asked if Dane County was experiencing a problem recruiting volunteers. Statewide  
there is a shortage and agencies are having a hard time recruiting volunteers to run  
programs. Might be program driven of what people could volunteer for. Currently Focal  
Points in Dane County are short delivery drivers for meals. Healthy Aging Program might  
be the only program that could have issues. Since volunteers teach the classes and have  
to be certified many of the instructors have expired certifications. Due to COVID, classes  
were stopped for a period of time and there is a lot of cost associated with the training  
and certification to start over. RSVP doesn’t see a shortage except school districts not  
wanting people in classrooms so trying to do as much as possible virtually.  
2. Legislative Update  
Dane County Lobbyist Carrie Springer reported a couple of new bills were signed into law  
that affect older adults. Elder Abuse Task Force implemented new higher penalties for  
those who abuse older adults. Restraining orders can now be issued against someone  
who abuses older adults. The process can be done via phone or teleconference so there  
wouldn’t be a need to attend court in person. Financial crimes against older adults would  
allow freezing assets to make sure no other funds are taken. Elder abuse claims will be  
handled like child abuse cases are which will make the abuse a felony. All of the  
penalties have higher charges for committing the acts. A sexual assault for an older adult  
(60+ years old) will make it an automatic 1st Degree Sexual Assault charge.  
Another bill that was signed was for Guardianship Training. Anyone who wishes to be a  
guardian for a family member or friend are required to attend Guardianship training before  
the courts will order guardianship for anyone. This should help with understanding what  
the role of a guardian is but also help with misuse of services.  
3. Board Member Reports  
RATCLIFF summarized the minutes from the Committee meetings.  
Public Hearing Agenda for December 14, 2021  
a. AAA Access Committee  
Met December 6, 2021. Minutes are not ready.  
Next Meeting: January 3, 2022 at 2pm via Zoom  
No additional update was provided.  
b. AAA Legislative/Advocacy Committee  
Minutes from October 27, 2021  
Next Meeting: December 8, 2021 at 9am via Zoom  
Discussion of members about what could be done to reduce long waiting lists for  
counseling services of older adults with mental health issues. BATTERMAN stated this  
was a national concern as well because Medicare will only pay for counseling done by  
licensed psychologists and psychiatrists. Rural areas of each state historically  
experience a shortage of these mental health professionals, which result in many older  
adults not being treated.  
c. AAA Nutrition/Wellness Committee  
Minutes from November 3, 2021  
Next Meeting: February 2, 2022 at 11:30am via Zoom  
During the pandemic, congregate meal sites were closed and drive-through meals were  
recorded as home-delivered meals, which created an all-time high number of  
home-delivered meals.  
d. Dane County Health & Human Needs Committee  
Minutes from November 11, 2021  
Next Meeting: December 9, 2021 at 5:30pm via Zoom  
No additional update was provided.  
e. Dane County Specialized Transportation Commission  
Minutes from November 18, 2021  
Next Meeting: January 20, 2022 at 5:15 pm via Zoom  
VELASQUEZ stated she was meeting with new Transportation Coordinator Nathanael  
Brown, Jennifer Fischer, and Todd Campbell to discuss transportation concerns for older  
adults.  
9 -  
Present  
Absent  
DONALD ASHBAUGH, TED BUNCK, Supervisor MELISSA RATCLIFF, Supervisor  
RICHELLE ANDRAE, Supervisor KATE MCGINNITY, Supervisor LARRY PALM,  
DIANE FARSETTA, THOM RUX, and GAIL RUTKOWSKI  
2 - BILL CLAUSIUS, and SRIDEVI MOHAN  
4. Diversity Work Group  
Dane County Office of Equity and Inclusion Director Wesley Sparkman will be presenting  
at the AAA Legislative/Advocacy meeting on Wednesday, 12/8/21.  
5. Age Discrimination Discussion  
v=e4N50b76cZc&ab_channel=WTCSystem).  
6. Chair & Staff Reports  
BATTERMAN summarized a recent Zoom meeting with BADR Director Carrie Molke,  
Office on Aging Director Cindy Ofstead, Wisconsin AAA Directors, and AAA Board Chair  
Ratcliff. This meeting was in response to the AAA Board letter (dated 10/5/21) sent to  
the State concerning the carry-over of Older Americans Act Title IIIC funds. The State  
responded in a letter (dated 11/2/21) but two items were still unresolved: acknowledging  
the miscommunication was caused by the Office on Aging staff and if Office on Aging  
staff will advocate to secure additional funding to replace lapsed meal funding absorbed  
by Dane County AAA in 2021. Molke and Ofstead verified the money is no longer  
available as it was returned to the State’s General Fund. Molke and Ofstead stated many  
counties within the GWAAR service area do not use all of the funding they are allotted  
each year; GWAAR historically reallocates unspent funding to other counties within its  
service area. Molke and Ofstead reported the unspent 2021 GWAAR funding will also be  
reallocated to Dane and Milwaukee Counties. They also acknowledged the Office on  
Aging’s miscommunication and pledged to have more open meetings to prevent a funding  
lapse to occur again.  
AAA Aging Specialist Angela Velasquez provided a short update on proposed OAA  
federal funding and the receipt of the American Rescue Plan Act funding to be received  
over the next two years.  
F. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
Next meeting: Monday 3 January 2022 at 3:45 pm via Zoom  
G. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda  
None.  
H. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law  
None.  
I. Adjournment  
A motion was made by BUNCK, seconded by ASHBAUGH, that the meeting be  
adjourned at 5:00 pm. The motion carried by the following vote:  
9 -  
Ayes:  
ASHBAUGH, BUNCK, RATCLIFF, ANDRAE, MCGINNITY, PALM, Farsetta, RUX  
and RUTKOWSKI  
2 - CLAUSIUS and MOHAN  
Absent:  
Minutes respectfully submitted by Cindy Matulle, AAA Clerk III