By Mary Alice Murphy

At a lunchtime gathering at the Gila Senior Center on Thursday, June 8, 2017, a group of senior citizens joined the usual lunchtime eaters to express their displeasure at what they understand are likely to be changes to the provision of meals to the center. As Grant County exits management of the Gila and Mimbres senior centers and turns it over to Hidalgo Medical Services, HMS has made public a few anticipated changes.

The issue that seems to have the Gila senior populace most upset is the announced decision of HMS to prepare the meals at the Silver City Senior Center and have a van with warming trays carry the food to the Gila Senior Center.

Howard Smith, moderator, did much of the talking and aired many of the grievances he had heard from residents.

"So many people are concerned about seniors and their health and nutrition," Smith said. "We have to acknowledge Mimbres Senior Center is going through the same things. Out here, for some of the elders, this meal at the center is the only hot meal they get. This is a community initiative to address an issue."

Last year, Grant County said it was going to hand over the Senior Program to HMS, he continued. "We love HMS, its services are affordable and it provides medical service for us. We need to thank the County Commission and Manager Charlene Webb for assuring services to everyone at the centers all over the county. If they didn't, we would be eating in each other's homes," to which a man named Rod, said: "If we had anything to eat."

Smith said the county had been negotiating with HMS to take over the centers. "It occurred to me they should have asked everyone at the centers what they thought, but they didn't. That's when we started making inquiries."

He said that he worked in the kitchen and drove the van as a volunteer.

"Rural America brings out the best in everyone," Smith declared. "But when we aren't asked anything, it makes my brain think there must be something going on. But I have to be of positive thought."

He noted the meeting held in Silver City was "legally required. Why not talk to us? We have to communicate."

Smith did some research and found the New Mexico State Plan for the Department of Aging and Long-Term Services. The department oversees senior programs. It has a plan to guide contractors on how to serve seniors. "What they had in mind was to help the elderly. I'm saying cutbacks are due to the state's lack of money. The plan is valid through 2020."

He said it stressed in the guiding principles that it encourages collaborative partnerships. "That's us. Why didn't they engage us? I sent the plan to HMS and highlighted items."

"We are our own best advocates," Smith said. "Our advocacy is so that programs that exist now continue. We ask for no change for the first year of the transition. There's an easy way to fund it. If HMS takes over, it gets the contract through the Area Agency on Aging. The contract will be 5 percent short after the budgetary cuts at the state level. I ask the county to allocate the extra money. I ask people to help with writing grants. I ask everyone to sit at the table."

A man asked: "What about people who can't afford a computer?"

"We have two here at the center and an IT guy," Smith said.

Another man said he had called HMS about a meeting a week and a half ago. "She explained to me that the food would take only half an hour to arrive. She said: 'We have to determine something for the whole system.
I had to test it out to see if it would work.' I asked the lady if HMS would be paying for use of the building out of the money they will receive for the contract."

A man said he had been involved with senior centers for 20 years. "In Seattle they go after the big companies to help fund them. Has anyone talked to Chino Mines or to FedEx? FedEx is out here every day."

Smith noted that one in five people in Grant County is over the age of 65 years. "We need a plan for expansion to allow more people to get into the process. The baby boomers are aging and the number is growing. They are more into fitness and less inclined to participate in community services."

A woman asked how much it costs a month to provide the services.

Smith said the county saw fit to fund them since 2010, "but we will lose two jobs in the community during this change."

"This center is a social thing," a woman said. "Most of those who come get their only hot meal in a day, and we visit with our friends. It's the only thing we do for the day. Will they save money bringing the food every day?"

Smith said during the weeks the kitchen was being renovated, attendance at the center dropped, due to the food being brought in.

Commissioner Billy Billings said he wasn't aware until last week that HMS was not planning to prepare the meals at the center.

"If the attendance drops, it may become an excuse to close the center," Smith said. "It's the right thing to do to feed people in their community. We can talk to Billy and ask him if he can look at the books. But with a non-profit group running the center, we will not be able to get information through a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request from HMS. The government gives us accountability and transparency. A non-profit will not be willing to open its books."

A man said HMS knows how much it will get and federal auditors will come down and look at the books.

"I think everyone is willing to work legally," Smith said. "What we're trying to keep up here is feeding the elderly. Last week, the New Mexico Economic Development Department wrote a $100,000 check to a group to brew beer. But that shouldn't be at the cost of feeding the elderly. The EDD said it's not their budget, but the NMEDD has plenty of money to give to brew beer instead of feeding the elderly. This program is also supposed to help create jobs for the elderly."

A man said: "A van going to come out with the food? The quality goes down. Then the van driver will do home deliveries. Will the van come out with the food, deliver to homes and clean up at the center?"

The change will take two jobs out of "our community and put one into HMS, with the driver," Smith said.

The same man asked what happens when the driver is sick. Smith said HMS has 14 people driving around and said they would have someone to do the job.

Maxine Sanderson said the big dream of the community was to have the Senior Center and transportation to town. "Will there be any HMS transportation?"

Smith said it was the residents' civic responsibility to redress the issues.

The previous male speaker said the same driver would be providing transportation.

Smith said Edith Lee of HMS would be coming to the Senior Center to talk to the residents on Monday just after noon.

Joanne DeMichele said she and others had talked to people about grants. "We need to figure out our needs. We should be able to stay the same way. Grant County has amazing non-profits."

A woman said it sounded like HMS was trying to make a composite worker. "We have to have criteria for volunteers."

A man said he has limited experience in writing grants. "I need direction on who to talk to about grants. We may be able to get some grants."

DeMichele asked about the safety issues. "Right now, we have one person who once a week picks up groceries and cooks it here. We have concerns about the safety of the food."

Jane Gillespie, a microbiologist living in Gila, said the safety issues are based on state law. "My red flag went up when they said they would get warming trays to transport the meals. These days, we have to think that all food is contaminated. According to law, it has to be cooled down to below 40 degrees before transporting or keeping it at 140 degrees, which would make it inedible. They have to meet the catering rules. One of the most important things is procedure. The longer they are holding food, the more chances of contamination. If they cool it down and warm it here, we will need another person."

She told the Beat later that bringing the food out worries her, "because seniors are one of the most vulnerable populations."

Richard Gilmore said everybody is on the right track. "We have people here today who are interested, but they won't be here tomorrow. We have to support our Center. There's nothing else from Silver City to Reserve. When they first said it was going to HMS, I really think HMS is better suited to run the medical part. But to keep it going, get all the senior citizens and their cousins to come down."

Eileen Berry said the group needs a conversation on what it wants to see in numbers. "What does it cost now? And how much will it cost? And then get grants."

Judith Woodrow said HMS needs someone whose only job is to manage the senior centers. "Otherwise no one knows the full knowledge."

Smith said he fears when HMS takes over there will be no accountability. "They promise the same senior services as in Lordsburg and that the people there really like it."

A man named Ted said his taxes keep rising for his land. "You gotta realize this funding is coming from taxes on land. It will impact those in poverty."

Smith said the state and federal governments said it's the service that is important, not the numbers.

DeMichele asked about Meals on Wheels and said the numbers have not increased.

Carol Taylor, who had just cooked the meal, said a person gets put on a list and the county assesses them for the need. "I don't know what the number is. Charlotte Fletcher was doing it, but when Terry Trujillo quit, she had no one to do the assessments, and because she was doing two jobs, she quit."

Taylor said Randy Villa, the county general services director, was plugging in the numbers. "We feel like a stepchild," as she wiped away tears, she said: "I want to see it for you."

Smith said: "We have loving, caring, nurturing people here."

Gretchen VanAuken said: "We don't get a choice on how our tax dollars are spent. Can we get donations for just our Senior Center?"

Taylor said she would give VanAuken the name and number with AARP about donations.

"If we can promote contributions, the problem may be interacting with HMS," VanAuken said.

A woman asked: "Are we trying to prevent HMS from taking over or are we trying to fix it?"

Smith replied: "Neither."

Christine Steele of the Silver City Daily Press had arrived and gave some history as she understood it. "The senior centers have been run by several entities. The county is losing money. Running these operations is a financial losing operation trying to run it with the money that they get. It makes more sense to me for HMS to take over. HMS will still have to deal with doing it with the money they will get. The more rural centers—Gila, Mimbres, and Hurley will be catered centers. Actually Hurley folks will be transported to Santa Clara. I don't know if any of the rural ones will be staffed."

Billings said he had a lot of questions. "When it was presented to the county, it made sense. It would be more efficient. Dan Otero (HMS CEO) told me HMS would continue to lose money but not as much as the county. HMS can do it more efficiently. They are non-profit and HMS has some services it can provide that the county can't. I know the county is struggling. Another good selling point is the quality program running in Lordsburg."

A woman noted that the county still owns the Gila Senior Center building.

"The county has already leased the buildings to HMS," Billings said. "The county owns the Mimbres Senior Center, too."

Taylor said the way she understands it, HMS will do maintenance that costs up to $5,000 on the Gila and Mimbres centers, but if it's something major, the county would have to take care of it.

Billings said he would ask about the food safety issue.

A man noted that the center's transportation used to be self-funded for gas.

Rita Cuff, who used to run the kitchen, said that was before the county took it over.

Woodrow said the county graciously took the senior centers over to provide services. "We had $5,000 saved up when they county took it over and they couldn't find the money, so we lost it."

Smith noted that 40 people had attended that day. "On Monday about 12:30, I asked Edith Lee from HMS to come out and listen to our questions. I will suggest we start out with the same food and the same services the county provided, as well as the same jobs in our community."