RSVP change should have little effect

A management change putting RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteers Program) under the umbrella of the Flathead County Agency on Aging has stirred up some advisory board members.

Bobbie Kelly, RSVP program director, said she and some advisory board members raised some concerns with the county commissioners on April 9 before the realignment took place.

Minutes from the commission meeting show that some board members from both RSVP and the Agency on Aging opposed putting RSVP within the Agency on Aging.

County commissioners took their testimony under advisement then made a decision outlined in a memorandum on April 18. The change took place about two weeks later on May 1.

"Right now, I'm doing business as normal," Kelly said. "It's going OK."

RSVP had an office in the same building with the Agency on Aging before the change.

Kelly said her advisory board was concerned that the public not confuse RSVP, an organization of seniors volunteering in the community, with Agency on Aging's role as a senior service organization.

She explained that RSVP provides opportunities for people 55 and over to serve the community. Through the program, seniors assist in areas such as schools, food banks, health programs, CASA for Kids and Meals on Wheels.

As of May 1, RSVP became a program under the Agency on Aging rather than a separate department. But its senior volunteer mission continues as usual.

"We've been assured this won't affect that," she said.

Shirley MacLachlan, a 30-year participant with RSVP, sent the Inter Lake a copy of a letter she wrote to the county commissioners asking them to provide a full explanation to the media about why the change was made.

The Inter Lake was unable to contact MacLachlan for additional comments.

Mike Pence, administrative officer for Flathead County, responded by saying that Agency on Aging "didn't take over" RSVP.

"We made a very minor management-organizational structural change," he said.

Pense said the advisory board remains the same with no direct link to the Agency on Aging advisory board except for liaison and coordination as in the past. He said the RSVP board continues to direct Kelly as head of the program.

He said that county departments have multiple program managers under one director. For more efficient management with fewer departments, RSVP was placed under Agency on Aging, directed by Jim Atkinson.

"Really, it's the way it has been except we have a department manager to provide some oversight on our behalf," Pense said.

He said the county doesn't have the time and ability to stay on top of everything. Pence said Kelly will continue to manage and run the day-to-day operation as well as continue reporting to the commissioners.

County Commissioner Dale Lauman said the idea came up during discussions among the commissioners.

"We're just working at making government more efficient," he said.

Lauman said he serves on the advisory boards of both RSVP and the Agency on Aging. He said that the boards have always worked together on some issues.

"Both retain their boards," Lauman said. "We have stressed to both administrators that if they need an audience with the county commissioners, we are available."

A memorandum from all three commissioners said the public should not notice even a small difference from this organizational change.

Atkinson said he understood the concern of the RSVP board not having public confusion about its mission as seniors serving the community as a whole. He said the same issue was raised about Eagle Transit operating within Agency on Aging.

"Eagle Transit is not a senior bus," he said. "It provides transportation to seniors, the disabled and anyone else."

Atkinson said it was important to maintain the view of RSVP as senior volunteers helping all sectors of the community. He confirmed that the change originated from the county commission, not the Agency on Aging.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.