Life Center’s Coalition board rubber stamps county proposal

Senior citizens express displeasure with the takeover of operations

Ramon Noriega, left, expresses his dissatisfaction for a county plan to operate the William N. Pennington Life Center.
Photo by Steve Ranson.

By Steve Ranson

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

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Churchill County’s senior citizens filled the commission chambers Friday afternoon to express their displeasure with commissioners voting the day before to transfer operations of the William N. Pennington Life Center to county control.

After listening to almost two hours of concerns, the Coalition for Senior Citizens Board of Directors rubber stamped the commission’s action except not taking action to amend the bylaws that would remove the director’s position based on the restructuring plan.

The plan becomes effective July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year.

Current employees, according to the plan, must fill out an application through Manpower to request an interview for their former positions.

The dialogue between the seniors and the Coalition was just as hot as it was on Thursday. One speaker after another took turns blasting the county commission for its action and begged the Coalition board not to approve the transfer plan.

Roman Noriega spoke first and said many people will be affected.

“Why is it being done overnight,” he asked of the county’s plan.

Noriega said seniors who go to the Life Center for lunch or other activities will be affected. He also asked the board why he wasn’t asked for his opinion before the proposal was formulated.

Sara Oscapinski spoke a number of times during the meeting.

“The only advantage I see is for the homebound,” she said of the county’s plan.

Jerry Pace commended Buster Pierce’s care and helpfulness at the Life Center. Pierce is the program services manager.

Executive director Lisa Erquiaga right, tells the Coalition for Senior Citizens Board of Directors the county operation plan is nothing more than a hostile and underhanded takeover. Photo: Steve Ranson/LVN

“That’s the kind of people we have at the senior center,” he said. “These people don’t deserve this kind of treatment. They should’ve been grandfathered in.”

Edna Christensen heard about the proposal on Friday.

“My life will be changed if you change the senior center,” said the 80-year-old.

She said the employees at the Life Center are there to help the seniors and told the board members to let the staff do their jobs and “leave them as they are.”

Steve Zubiak said Commissioner Greg Koenig referred to the plan as rushed and clumsy.

“It’s a travesty; it really is,” Zubiak said. “It’s not helping the seniors at all.”

Phyllys Dowd, retired director of Business Services for the Churchill County School District, delivered remarks similar to those she used at the commissioners’ meeting. She quizzed the Coalition board asking them who wrote the study and why there are no released results.

“I have a concern if it’s comprehensive and done on one side,” she said.

Dowd wondered if the board would keep employees until they are hired by the county and what would happen to grants and assets.

“I am appalled at the county’s underhanded methods,” she said, chiding the board members.

Tom Goodson only heard about Friday’s meeting about three or four hours before it began.

“If it ain’t broken, why fix it?” he asked.

Goodson said the Life Center has a dedicated staff, and he would hate to see anything happen.
John Dalton was more direct.

“This boils down to a power grab,” he said of the county’s plan.

During the meeting, one woman leaning against the back wall kept telling the Coalition board there’s no communication between the boards and senior citizens.

Lisa Erquiaga, the current executive director of the Life Center, didn’t mince words.

“This is a hostile and underhanded takeover,” she said.

She claims there was not collaboration developing the plan and that the commissioners are trying to remove her. Erquiaga said this is a grudge for the commissioners to fire her.

Pierce slammed the Coalition for their lack of support.

“Welcome to our family reunion,” he sarcastically said.

Speaking for his employees, he told the Coalition board they didn’t protect the people who work at the Life Center.

“You have failed miserably,” he said.

Pierce asked the board to delay any action until August.

Brenda Moore, a bookkeeper with the Life Center, said the facility has increased its income and services. She also admonished the board for not attending fundraisers or projects.

“This could’ve been avoided if there was talking going on,” she said.

Coalition board member Roberta Lind said the plan looks good, and the county has proposed additional services. Lind, though, admitted she had not seen any Life Center study that was mentioned on Thursday and Friday.

Dr. Justin Heath, the county commissioner assigned to the Coalition board, reiterated the proposal is enhancing services. He expressed hope employees would remain in their jobs at the center and reapply.

Erquiaga said she couldn’t believe the board was allowing this proposal to go forward.

“The staff is being flushed down the toilet,” she said.

Erquiaga, who has been in her position for almost five years, said the county should take a survey on “this takeover.”

Afterward, the Coalition board voted 5-1 to transfer all operations of the William N. Pennington Life Center to the Churchill County Social Services Department; terminate the lease with the Coalition for Senior Citizens; and transfer all accompanying budgets, funding, and grants to Churchill County, with an effective date of July 1.

Carol Seitzinger voted no.

The board voted unanimously to approve the county’s request to terminate the Life Center’s lease effective July 1, 2021.

The board also took no action on approving the amended bylaws, which removes the position of director and makes related changes based upon the restructuring plan of Churchill County for the provision of services to seniors.

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Life Center’s Coalition board rubber stamps county proposal

Senior citizens express displeasure with the takeover of operations

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