County stands firm in Agency on Aging support

The Flathead County commissioners on Wednesday affirmed their support of the Agency on Aging with a unanimous vote for the county to continue providing services for seniors.

A second unanimous vote solidified the county’s plan to build a multi-use facility south of the courthouse that would house the Agency on Aging and other county departments.

Commissioner Pam Holmquist voted against a third motion that was supported by commissioners Gary Krueger and Cal Scott, instructing county staff to put together any budget amendments that may be needed for funding the building project, even though money already has been set aside for the project.

The idea of the third motion was to assure the building process won’t be delayed, Krueger said. Holmquist said she voted no because she hadn’t had time to research any financial implications tied to the motion.

The commissioners’ unusual meeting drew a standing-room-only crowd of mostly senior citizens who ardently testified to keep the Agency on Aging program under county control. Krueger asked to have the discussion and votes put on the agenda because the commissioners had never voted on where they stand with the county continuing to provide aging services.

CTA Architects Engineers of Kalispell is designing the new South Campus Building to be constructed on First Avenue West in a style similar to the neighboring Earl Bennett Building. A construction bid on the project is expected to be let by the end of the year.

Even so, a rumor had been circulating about an undercover plan supposededly being developed by Holmquist and Republican commissioner candidate Phil Mitchell to consider privatizing aging services.

Holmquist assured the crowd she believes AOA provides great services and that she’s “excited to be moving forward with the relocation” of the agency from its leased building to the new South Campus facility.

“We’ve made a plan and the project is moving forward,” Holmquist said. “I don’t know why we have to vote today on anything because we have a plan in place.”

She further stated she didn’t “want to create stress with hearsay.”

Holmquist said she had asked Krueger for information about what they would be voting on Wednesday, but had not gotten a reply prior to the meeting.

“Because I haven’t been given the opportunity or respect ... I’ll be abstaining from voting,” she had said originally.

However, after seniors in the audience shouted for her to vote, she did so.

Mitchell spoke during the public comment session, but the commissioners did not allow him to circulate a letter about his stand on AOA because he’s a political candidate.

“First, this is a bang for the buck question,” Mitchell said. “I believe that Flathead seniors should expect that we squeeze value out of every dollar to ensure that we have the best, most modern AOA facility possible. I think it’s clear that they are not getting that today with the current location and [I] would support a new facility.”

Mitchell said he trusts the current commissioners have “done their homework” and is “hopeful that their decisions will lead to a wonderful, modernized facility for our seniors.”

Commissioner Cal Scott gave an exhaustive report about myriad studies the county has done through the years on the Agency on Aging and its facility needs.

“This has been studied to death,” Scott said.

He quoted a statement from Holmquist made during an earlier discussion, in which she said she “wants to make sure we build to fit future needs.”

“We are unified in the ranks,” Scott said.

Krueger pointed out that the South Campus building has been misrepresented as a $6 million building for AOA. The Agency on Aging would occupy only about half the building, while the other half would be used by the Health Department, Maintenance Department and Information Technology Department.

Krueger also responded to questions about whether the county has enough money to pay for the new building. The short answer is yes.

The county was able to transfer federal payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILT) revenue, which had previously been going to county operations, to the capital improvement plan. Even in a worst-case scenario in which PILT money would stop, the county still has the money to proceed with construction, Krueger said, noting he consulted with the county finance director.

“We don’t want to have any excuse not to do this building,” he said.

Krueger said he’d thoroughly studied whether the AOA’s meal program could be outsourced, but has determined the best approach is for the county to continue all AOA services.

Many in the audience pleaded with the commissioners to continue supporting AOA.

Pete Skibsrud said he eats at the center almost every day.

“We say we’ve got the money, so let’s do it,” he said about the building project.

Jane Emmert pointed to the many different services the agency offers, such as helping seniors understand Medicare.

“I know you all must realize the team does an amazing job,” she said.

Emmert noted the poor condition of the leased facility, including leaks in the building.

“If the county wants to be fiscally responsible, stop paying rent for that leaky boat,” she said.

The only opponent to the county’s building plan during Wednesday’s meeting was Rep. Jerry O’Neil, R-Columbia Falls, who said locating the building in Kalispell would be a detriment to his constituents in outlying areas. While he supports the Meals on Wheels program, he’d like to see churches and fraternal organizations provide the meals for seniors.

Mary Gibson said the leased building is “scary,” and “an accident waiting to happen.”

Privatizing aging services also is scary, she said, because nonprofit groups that could take over the agency are always fundraising and may not have the ability to financially support the AOA.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.