Timeline: How AOA fight got to this point
June 2003 — Flathead County Agency on Aging moves to former Alpine Auction building on Kelly Road; county signs lease through end of October. The move is supposed to be temporary, but turns into a long-term arrangement.
February 2008 — County loses bid to relocate AOA to Sonstelie Hall Army Reserve Center near Peterson School when U.S. General Services Administration assigns it to Samaritan House homeless shelter instead.
September 2009 — Flathead County commissioners consider two proposals to relocate Agency on Aging: Lease space at Gateway Community Center or build a new facility on county-owned land north of fairgrounds.
November 2010 — A committee completes due-diligence process to compare costs at three sites: Gateway Community Center, county land north of fairgrounds and Sykes’ restaurant and grocery site.
July 2012 — County begins discussion about relocating AOA, Montana State University Extension Service and 4-H program into a combined building after Extension/4-H annex building demolished; Fairgrounds Manager Mark Campbell solicits estimates for new building at fairgrounds.
August 2012 — Charles Lapp tells commissioners he wants to continue renting building on Kelly Road to the county. Lapp and wife Mickey are partners in Alpine Business Center, which owns the building where Agency on Aging operates.
October 2012 — Commissioners hold workshop for proposed new building at fairgrounds for AOA and extension service; a second option includes adding Kalispell Senior Center to new building.
November 2012 — Lisa Sheppard is hired as the new Agency on Aging director, taking over after longtime director Jim Atkinson did not have his contract renewed by the commissioners.
December 18, 2012 — City of Kalispell holds community needs public hearing as required by block grant program; several people testify in favor of using grant for AOA building. A day later Commissioner Pam Holmquist contacts city to go on record supporting AOA’s needs for new, larger facility.
January 10, 2013 — Area IX Advisory Council on Aging is briefed about numerous safety hazards at rented barn on Kelly Road.
January 17, 2013 — Commissioners contemplate seeking federal grant money for new AOA building during a retreat session; Commissioner Gary Krueger said he favors “campus-type style” for expansion of county buildings and notes south end of courthouse complex.
February 6, 2013 — Commissioners agree to pursue $450,000 federal block grant for AOA building; plans are made to ask city of Kalispell to use its Community Development Block Grant slot.
February 21, 2013 — Commissioners vote to proceed with grant; authorize $4,400 preliminary architectural report required for grant; they decline to pick a building site but agree to build on county land.
February 22, 2013 — County officials and insurance agents tour AOA facility to address necessary short-term fixes for safety concerns.
March 21, 2013 — Public forum draws a crowd; seniors want building project to move ahead as soon as possible because AOA has outgrown rented barn.
April 2013 — Preliminary architectural report by Architects Design Group recommends site north of fairgrounds as best building site; a second proposed site south of the courthouse ranks lower because of parking and future expansion concerns.
April 18, 2013 — Commissioner Gary Krueger states he favors site south of courthouse campus; Commissioner Cal Scott favors architectural report’s recommendation for site north of fairgrounds; Commissioner Pam Holmquist is out of town.
April 24, 2013 — Krueger and Holmquist vote to scrap block-grant application; Scott votes in opposition. Holmquist said she wants to complete budget before proceeding with building proposal.
April 30, 2013 — County commissioners have a meeting on the schedule for this Tuesday. The meeting is listed on the agenda as a personnel matter involving AOA Director Lisa Sheppard, whose probationary employment period is scheduled to end on May 1. The meeting will be open to the public.