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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 13 June 2017 13 June 2017

By Mary Alice Murphy

At the Gila Senior Center on Monday, June 12, 2017, senior residents of the area who attend the center gathered to ask questions of Hidalgo Medical Services representatives, Chief Executive Office Dan Otero and Edith Lee, who will oversee the senior centers after the changeover from Grant County control to HMS control on July 1, 2017.

Howard Smith again moderated the gathering and spoke first.

"Our biggest concern at our meeting last Thursday was how meals would be prepared," Smith said. "Silver City is thought of as a rural community, and it is, but it has restaurants and stores where people can buy food. We have few options here for our seniors.

"Our senior center has been here for 31 years," he continued. "We've come a long way from the tiny building we were in. This building came about because of a community effort. A community member donated the land and the county owns the building. We were generating about $4,800 annually in donations and fundraisers. There are no requirements for people to make contributions, but that box fills up. So we are bringing almost $5,000 into the program."

He said he thought the notice was short for a meeting held in Silver City to hear about the changes to the senior centers. The notice in the paper was in May 23 for a meeting on May 24. "That was not enough time. We felt like the process was not transparent. We had someone tell us that there would be no changes for the first three years, and then we see in the paper that it's happening now."

"We would like your commitment to keep this kitchen open," Smith said. "Another thing that worried us is that this program had three employees, a driver, a dishwasher and a cook. It looks like we have lost two jobs."

Otero thanked Smith for setting up the meeting. Otero introduced Lee, who will have oversight of the senior centers along with April Hunter.

"First I want to refute a rumor," Otero said. "We didn't stand you up on Friday. I had to be in Albuquerque and Howard changed the day to today for me. I wouldn't stand you up."

He said HMS sent the news release to the Silver City Daily Press about 15 days prior to the May 24 meeting, but they didn't publish it until the day before.

Otero said he was the fourth CEO that HMS has had since 1996. "We have 14 sites in two counties—Grant and Hidalgo. My three predecessors were approached to run the senior centers, but they said: 'No.' Grant County Manager Charlene Webb asked me last June if we were interested. The county ran the centers when no one else would. When she asked me, I excitedly said I would love to."

He said the dialogue continued. A few internally in HMS were against it, because it was not a money-making operation. "I said that's why we should do it. We are running the program in Hidalgo County. We have to get to the constraints we are up against."

"We're doing it because we want to serve seniors and to do the right thing for the community," Otero said. "It seems to be backfiring on us making us sound evil. Edith has been trying to determine how to do it well and stay within the constraints financially. I am hurt for HMS. We have a great reputation. We want to make sure you get your medical, dental, mental health and family support services and now we want to serve the seniors."

He said July 1 would be the first day, "if we get the Area Agency on Aging contract signed by then. We are responsible for managing the senior centers when we sign the contract. We know the big change is a shift in model. As the CEO, I have to run the senior center within budget. Edith has been working on finding grants to help with various parts."

Lee said the short notice on the changes was because "that was when HMS looked at the county numbers and when we received the budget request from the Area Agency on Aging. They give you only 30 days to come up with a budget. Based on recent budget cuts, we had to make changes."

She said it's very common for rural communities to receive catered meals. "Mimbres and Gila make up about a small percentage of the meals being served in the county. I'm hearing from you that you want a quality meal. We want the same thing for you. In the catered model, the majority of the food would be cooked in Silver City. We have put in a grant application for a special truck. Now we would put the food into heated sleeves. We don't want you to have pea mush either. Certain items will still have to be warned here, like peas and pastas. Your feedback would be appreciated. The county was already catering to Hurley."

Otero said there are requirements that must be met when it comes to temperatures of the food, as well as requirements for the food handlers. "We have to meet requirements. Keeping the kitchen open is not an option right now. Give us a chance. We care about people and we want to make it work."

To a question about the jobs, he said that hadn't been addressed yet.

"I don't understand why you say it will save money," a woman said. "We spent a lot of money on the kitchen."

Lee said of the 22 positions the senior centers had, only the janitorial ones were eliminated. The janitor here would become the driver to transport meals. "We are shifting jobs to make the model work and eliminating the janitors at the other sites, too."

Carol Taylor, the present cook at the Gila Senior Center, noted that the Mimbres and Gila centers were the only ones with janitors. "The Silver City and Santa Clara senior centers had janitors that were paid for with Senior Employment money."

Lee noted no Senior Employment money is coming from the state. "It's in the budget, but we won't be receiving any."

DeMichele asked how it could possibly be cheaper when food would be delivered five days a week, when right now, food is delivered only one day a week, and transportation provided only one day a week.

Smith alleged HMS was a non-profit and didn't have to make money.

Otero said: "We have to make money to keep the lights on and pay the employees. All the monies go back into the system, not to shareholders."

Smith pointed out that those eating lunch at the Gila Senior Center have no other choice.

"It's the Area Agency on Aging that is taking money away, not HMS," Otero said. "The budget cuts are from the state level."

"I hear you that what's important for you is to keep the kitchen open," Lee said, "but you will be getting a hot, quality meal."

A man named Walter said: "You come up with a system to provide services. If you kept the cook and hired a person to drive we would have what we need."

Lee said part of the shift is for HMS to be able to bring in other opportunities for services in addition to the meals. "We will still need a person here to warm food with the steam table."

Walter said, when the kitchen was being renovated, meals were brought in to the center. "They were terrible."

Lee said only 17.16 percent of the meals served in the county are served at the Gila Senior Center, with roughly 2 percent being home delivered. There has been a decrease of 1.5 percent with home delivered meals and 7 percent decrease in requests for transportation. "AAA has cut it."

A woman noted that people have to apply for home-delivered meals and the county had no one to evaluate or assess those requests.

"I'm a big fan of HMS and I'm also a big fan of their program in this community," DeMichele said. "New Mexico ranks second in the nation for senior hunger and fifth for senior food insecurity. According to the Aging and Long-Term Services Department, by 2030, the U.S. Census Bureau projects New Mexico will experience a 30,000 increase in persons over 60 years of age, ranking the state fourth in the nation for this population as a percentage of the total population."

She said the goals of HMS are to improve the quality of life for people. "I think we can find options. The senior programs can look for different funding sources, rather than grants, to enable keeping jobs here."

Otero said: "That's what we want, as well. We favor finding more funding. I don't know what funding sources the county went after. I said to Edith: 'We have the opportunity to take over the senior center, then we started looking at models."

Lee noted that when negotiations with the county began, no cuts were envisioned. "The first cut was in October and then another 5 percent cut this spring. The climate has changed for state projects and all are getting adjusted."

Smith said the Economic Development Department had just last week given $100,000 to brew beer in Silver City.

Lee said a lot of agencies are taking cuts.

"You're saying don't close the kitchen," Otero said. "We are going to start with the cuts and bringing the meals here. We have a shortage of $50,000 across the county."

A man expressed his opinion that the county abuses dollars and has the "worst county management." He also said the highest numbers of seniors in the county are in the Gila area.

Otero said HMS is taking the Area Agency on Aging budget and working on it.

The same man opined: "You're looking at a higher level of intellect out here. We have lawyers, accountants, engineers, Ph.D. scientists. I come out here and volunteer. Carol is doing the work of three different people. We're worried about her. She needs help. We're not against you. She creates some of the best food we've ever tasted."

Jane Gillespie, retired microbiologist, said she had a question about food safety. "I don't see how you can save money with catering. The state has strict requirements to keep food at property temperatures. If you keep it at 140 degrees, as regulations require, it won't be edible."

Lee said Santa Clara has been taking meals to Hurley. "Yes, the AAA has requirements for temperatures and the agency does assessments under the Environmental Health Department."

Gillespie said food has a lot more chances of being contaminated by transportation. "You are dealing with seniors, among the most vulnerable populations."

"If it's not working, we will come back to address it," Otero said.

Gillespie asked again: "How is it saving money?"

Otero said in overhead. A man noted that the center would still have overhead.

"We worked out the budget," Otero said. "The meals will be quality meals. We are not the only ones in the state doing this."

A woman said the HMS representatives had said they were looking for a grant for a fancy food truck. "Can't you use the grant for the kitchen?"

Otero said the grant was specifically for the truck through the Department of Transportation. "We're looking at all options."

Another man, who said he had been in and out of the hospital, said: "If this food is like hospital food, I don't want it."

Smith read from the state plan for those involved in programs for the elderly. "...will be assured through monitoring and compliance and consumer satisfaction."

Lee said HMS absolutely wants consumer satisfaction. "You haven't tried it yet."

To an earlier complaint about the timing of the notice of the public meeting and the meeting, Lee said: "The Area Agency on Aging requires us to hold the public meeting, which we did. Another requirement is to develop surveys for the consumers to answer and we send them to the agency. We have to serve meals before we find out if you like them."

A woman said the Gila Senior Center did have the chance to try the catered model when the kitchen was being renovated last year. "If no one comes to eat the meals, it will be an excuse to close the center."

"Give us a chance to try it," Oteros said. "We're trying to stay within the budget and we'll have in-kind services that we provide."

A woman said if HMS gets enough grants "and you can get the kitchen back, will we get it back?"

Walter said he understood HMS would pay up to $5,000 for maintenance costs. "Do you have your own maintenance people? When the county ran it, it took only three times to turn on the swamp cooler."

"We will be cleaning often," Otero said. "We have to be realistic."

Lee said one of the requirements is that HMS has to keep logs and submit them.

A man said the special van to bring food out five days a week is increasing the chances of an accident and what would happen if the food didn't get to Gila.

"We would do what we have to do to get the meals here," Otero said.

In reply to a question about transportation costs, Lee said transportation funding had been cut by 8 percent. "The units are limited, so we will have separate people transport. The money comes from two different sources, one for transportation of seniors and one for a driver for meals."

The same man asked if HMS had a contingency in case of snow, ice or Bear Creek rising and closing the road to Gila.

"Why does it take a year to get all this information together," he asked. "What if once the food is not up to temperature and four or five people get food poisoning. Does it take a year to decide something is wrong?"

"Of course not," Otero replied.

"We transfer food in Hidalgo County and it goes really far away," Lee said.

DeMichele said the history of the Gila Senior Center was that it started by the community holding its own fundraisers. "We did it ourselves. If we come up with $50,000, can we keep the kitchen?"

"We have to be on budget July 1," Otero said.

"What is greater?" DeMichele asked. "Your responsibility to meet goals or to do it within budget?"

Otero said: "Both. If you raise the $50,000, is it sustainable? Why, if it was started locally, did it go to the county?"

Smith said in the 1960s, the federal government said it was important to feed the elderly.

A woman said the reason why the center was taken over was because, "people got pissed with the manager. We were taking care of ourselves. The president and vice president of our board, behind our backs, signed it over to the county."

"If you feel like you can do it yourself, let us know," Otero said.

A man said everything he is hearing is pertinent to services. "Our center predates services. On the acquisition of the services from the county, do you receive the building?"

Otero said HMS is leasing the buildings.

The man who had nothing good to say about the county called it county graft and corruption. "I know how government functions. If you speak out the truth and reality, you get your butt burned. I keep hearing them say in Silver City, they are overworked. This woman is covering everything. We cherish this place. We have put time and care in this. For some it's the only meal they get in a day. Remember we have worked our butts off to keep this place going."

He asked how much it costs to run just the Gila Senior Center. He was told roughly $100,000 annually just for the one center.

A woman asked for a breakdown of the costs and asked who would be the contact.

Lee said April Hunter would post her contact information on the bulletin board.

To a question about salaries, Otero said he would not get into salaries, but "we can give you the salaries line item. We have to come within the budget. Our board requires it."

Lee said the full budget for all the senior programs in Grant County is more than $500,000.

A man said he didn't believe it would take $100,000 to run the Gila Senior Center.

Otero said the biggest cost is food.

Smith asked what percentage goes to administrative services.

"Let's plan a follow up meeting with the numbers," Otero suggested.

Smith asked how much of the program in Hidalgo County goes to administrative services.

"Every bit of budget from the Area Agency on Aging goes to the senior centers," Otero said. "None goes to HMS. In fact, we're paying part. And we are not going to make salaries public to protect our employees' privacy."

"We're trying to provide services for seniors," he concluded. "We are still committed to each and every one of you. I am committed to our working together."