Officials ease concerns about county’s senior center changes

By JUNO OGLE
Daily Press Staff
Officials with the Non-Metro Area Agency on Aging and other leaders from state and local governments visited the county’s senior centers this week to help reassure their clients the centers’ transitions to new operators will be as smooth as possible.
They met with seniors for listening sessions at the centers in Gila, Santa Clara and Mimbres on Tuesday and at the Silver City center Wednesday.
In June, Hidalgo Medical Services gave notice to the Non-Metro AAA it was canceling its contract to manage Grant County’s four senior centers, citing rising costs and a lack of contributions that caused the medical nonprofit to cover expenses from its own funds. HMS intended to continue management of a fifth center in Lordsburg, but Non-Metro AAA canceled that contract as well, with HMS’s oversight for all centers set to end Aug. 9.
Since then, the agency, which is overseen by the North Central New Mexico Economic Development District, a council of local governments and other entities in eight north-central New Mexico counties, has been working with Grant County, the town of Silver City and the village of Santa Clara to find new management.
The Silver City, Mimbres and Gila senior centers will be managed by the town of Silver City, in partnership with Grant County, and the Santa Clara center, which serves the Mining District, will be managed by the village.
Even though municipalities have stepped up to run the centers, the new agreements will only be for the remainder of the HMS contract, said Neil Segotta, director of the Non-Metro AAA. The agency will open its regular process for a new contract next year.
“We have an RFP process that we go out for every four years, and we will be going out for RFP [next] spring, in March,” he said.
The town and village will be eligible to submit proposals to continue their management of the facilities, but a nonprofit has also expressed interest in submitting a proposal, Segotta said.
Santa Clara Mayor Arnold Lopez said it was a no-brainer for the village to take over the Mining District’s senior center, and he told that center’s patrons on Tuesday that he would make it a priority for as long as he’s in office to make sure seniors have a safe place to gather and get good meals.
“We have a good plan. If we didn’t have a good plan, I wouldn’t probably be stepping my foot into this,” he said. “Are we going to have some bumps and scrapes along the line? Sure, we all do. Transition isn’t smooth. It can look smooth, but sometimes it can be a little rough. But we’re going to try and keep you guys to full service; we’re going to try and provide good meals.”
At the Silver City center, Town Manager Alex Brown also assured seniors continuation of service was a priority. Randy Hernandez, the town’s business operations manager, will take the lead on Silver City’s management of the three centers it’s assuming responsibility for, Brown said.
“Our first priority is to get past the transition,” he said. “Once that transition is done, we’re looking forward to having your input and hopefully [will] be able to expand services.”
Both the town and the village have extended employment offers to the existing staff members at the centers.
The village of Santa Clara will be able to operate the Mining District’s senior center at lower cost and with expanded service, both the mayor and Village Administrator Sheila Hudman said, but the No. 1 goal will be to make sure the transition will go as smoothly as possible.
The Santa Clara center serves the village, Bayard, Hurley and the rest of the Mining District, including preparing home-delivered meals for Arenas Valley and Hanover.
Hudman said there will be a learning curve for the village, but she noted that at one time the village did run the senior center, back when it was located at what is now the police station.
“We have the background in the senior center,” she said. “If you guys are just patient on the learning curve part, the meals and everything will still come.”
Hudman said having local management will be better for the center.
“If it’s run by the village, some of the costs are reduced,” she said.
For example, the village has its own maintenance department that can handle needed repairs at the senior center, and the village is already paying insurance on the building, Hudman said.
Services and activities could also be expanded under the village, she said.
“We want to have activities like evening dances and stuff,” Hudman said. “We have the personnel, we have the action committee to unlock the door and be here when you guys are having an event in the evening or on weekends.”
Santa Clara resident Delbert “Buzz” Montgomery applauded as Segotta announced the transition from HMS management to the village.
“This is not a money program. This is not a nonprofit. That’s why I applauded when you introduced them. They’ll take money away from Hidalgo, and I’ve been waiting for this,” he said. “This is more of a right that we provide to the seniors in the area. I hope this next generation of management isn’t worried about a better paycheck or impressing some boss. I hope they’re about impressing all of us with the services you’re going to provide. I’m tired of the B.S.”
“Absolutely, it’s all about the seniors,” Segotta said.
Denise King, Aging Network Operations director for the state Aging and Long-Term Services Department, and Antoinette Vigil, deputy secretary of Aging and Long-Term Services, were also at the meetings this week.
King said her department would also work with Non-Metro AAA and the municipalities to ensure smooth transitions.
“We want to see that the services are consistent. I’m always talking about quality of service and the nutritional value of the meals,” King said.
She said they would work to make sure the centers are part of the New Mexico Grown program, which HMS participated in during its management of the centers. The program provides state money to support purchase of local produce and meats for meals.
She encouraged seniors who use the centers to speak with legislators about senior center services.
“With the uncertainty of federal funds, we really do have to collectively let our legislators know how important these services are and how crucial the funding is to support,” she said.
“Get them in the building; invite them to a meal,” Segotta said. “And once you get them to that meal, have them go on a home-delivered route and see what we’re facing.”
King advised the seniors to form advisory committees at their centers, as has been done at other centers across the state.
“As seniors, you’re giving input to the leadership on a regular basis, whether they meet monthly or bimonthly or quarterly, so that you can give that ongoing input about services,” she said.
King also encouraged seniors who were able to volunteer at the center.
“All of our senior centers across the state wouldn’t be able to operate effectively without volunteers, and so every organization across the state, either they have a volunteer program built within their program or they work with their local AmeriCorps Senior Corps, if there’s an organization in their area,” she said.
Volunteering could mean helping out with lunch services or organizing activities and crafts, according to King.
Seniors had questions at the meetings, mostly dealing with services such as longer hours and improving accessibility.
One woman at the Silver City center asked if funding would ever require seniors to pay for services. While contributions from municipalities or individuals are one source of funding for centers, a $2 fee for eating lunch is suggested but not required of seniors.
“Under the Older Americans Act, it is not a fee-for-service,” King said. “So, no, you will not be expected to pay, and it’s not an eligibility service, meaning that you have to be income-eligible for the services. The one thing for the Older Americans Act to be eligible that you have to be 60-plus or eligible by marriage.”
So a 56-year-old who is married to someone over 60 would be eligible for services at a senior center, she said.
Virginia Nañez, who was at the Silver City center Thursday, said the listening session had addressed her concerns about the transition of providers.
“Is the transition going to be smooth? Are people going to lose their jobs? I think that was some of my biggest concerns, not understanding what would happen,” she said. “But it’s been resolved by having this gathering and having somebody of authority to be available to answer some of the questions.”
Nañez said even though HMS had not offered as many activities at the Silver City center as it had in the past, she understood the reasoning better.
“That may have had to do with staff, that may have to do with funding, if there isn’t enough funding,” she said. “And the understanding that at other centers where they do have other activities, those are held and conducted by volunteers. I didn’t know that.”
Nañez said she hoped the town would be able to advertise the need for such volunteers, and that it would be able to dedicate some time for regular feedback from the seniors.
Juno Ogle may be reached at juno@scdai lypress.com.