REVIEW: LOCAL AGING AGENCY TO GET ASSISTANCE

The Missouri Division of Aging has assembled a five-member review team to conduct a limited operational management review of the Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging.

The team has met, requested information from the Southeast Missouri board, and could make its first site visit next week, said Bryan Forbis, director of the division.

"We've been asked to go in and take a look at some of the operational aspects," said Forbis. "We are doing that with an open mind. There is no intent of turning this into a witchhunt or malicious act. This is a technical assistance process we have used with other area agencies.

"We hope to help them improve or modify the way they do things, which will make people more comfortable with the operations of the agency."

On March 8 Forbis and his deputy director met with the review team to provide background information. Later the team met by itself and made a list of documents and materials it needed to conduct the study.

The review was requested three weeks ago by several Missouri House members who expressed concern about how the 18-county agency was operating. In particular, concerns were raised over: a new formula for distributing federal nutrition funds to 38 sites in the area; concern over whether Glenda Hood Hoffmeister, director of the agency, was wielding too much control over the board; and concerns that too much of the agency's budget was going for administrative expenses.

Rep. Gene Copeland, D-New Madrid, the senior member of the Missouri General Assembly, has been the most vocal critic of the SEMO Area Agency on Aging office. Copeland has suggested that Hoffmeister be replaced and has introduced a bill that would require the board to appoint a director that was recommended by the Board of Regents at Southeast Missouri State University.

A modified version of the bill, which says the AAA board "may" appoint a director appointed by the regents instead of "shall" appoint one, was approved by a House committee last week. The bill could eventually be brought up on the House floor for debate.

Also signing the letter requesting an audit were: Rep. Marilyn Williams, D-Dudley; House Majority Leader Bob Ward, D-Desloge, who is co-sponsor of Copeland's bill and represents counties in the SEMO Agency area; and House Budget Chairman Chris Kelly, D-Columbia.

Several nutrition site directors and participants have also expressed concerns about the way the AAA is operating in Southeast Missouri and the rationale behind the new fund-distribution formula.

Forbis, who met with legislators from Southeast Missouri in Copeland's office in January to discuss their concerns, said he was optimistic the review process will help clarify some of the concerns about the agency's operations.

Forbis said normally a review like this can take three to six months, but because of the limited scope of the study, and since most issues of concern have been identified, it is possible the review can be done in 30 to 45 days.

Four of the members on the review team are employees of the Division of Aging and the other is from the staff of the Division of Budget and Finance, within the Department of Social Services.

"We have done management reviews like this in the past," said Forbis. "Sometimes an AAA office asks us to come in for technical assistance, so we are always willing to help. We have fiscal officers and program experts here and are always willing to assist area agencies in any way we can on how to run an efficient operation.

"Glenda Hoffmeister and the board have been very cooperative with us. They know we are coming and have provided the information we have asked for. We hope that we can continue this level of cooperation."

The SEMO AAA office administers a variety of programs to people age 60 and over in its 18-county area. There are 85,000 citizens in that age range in this area. Most of the programs are mandated by the federal Older Americans Act.

Statewide, there are 10 Area Agency on Aging offices.