THE PUBLIC MIND: COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS WRITE IN OPPOSITION TO LEGISLATION ON AREA AGENCY ON AGING

To the Editor:

Below is a copy of a letter we senior citizens of Cape Girardeau County sent by express mail to Rep. Thomas M. Macdonnell, chairman of the Missouri House Social Services, Medicaid and Elderly Committee. It expresses our opposition to passage of House Bill 713, which would give Southeast Missouri State University authority to name a new director of the Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging. We also sent a similar letter to the governor with copies to other involved officials. We could have obtained many more signatures had we had time, but an article in your March 3 newspaper stated that the committee might vote on the bill on March 4 or March 9. We believe the public should be informed on how we seniors of Cape Girardeau County feel about this legislation.

Dear Rep. Macdonnell:

We are senior citizens of Cape Girardeau County who are asking your help in the defeat of House Bill 713. This bill was introduced by Rep. Gene Copeland, D-New Madrid, and, if passed, would give Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents the authority to appoint a new director of Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging after firing the current director.

We are of the strong opinion that Southeast Missouri State has no business whatsoever in assuming any authority pertaining to the SEMO Area Agency on Aginy. ~Yes, we are aware that President Kala Stroup said the university did not write or propose the bill. But we must question that statement because Marvin Proffer, who lobbies for the university, was in Jefferson City to testify for the bill before the House Social Services, Medicaid and Elderly Committee. Our membership feels the university was deeply involved in initiating the bill even if it did not write it.

None of our senior citizens were there to testify because we were not aware of the hearing in time to get to Jefferson City before the snow made it impossible to travel. The entire procedure has been somewhat less than ethical or fair to seniors in some of the 18 counties served by SEMO Area Agency.

We of Cape County feel that the present director of SEMO AAA has been very good and very fair in administering her duties in accordance with state laws on programs funded through the Older Americans Act and by-laws of the area agency board of directors. From reports at a recent board meeting, administrative costs of her office are very much in line with costs of running other area agency offices. If seniors in Rep. Copeland's district do not agree with the agency's bylaws then they should propose a motion to change the bylaws at its board meeting.

Seniors from Cape County would like very much to have a chance to testify before this bill is brought out of committee. Three points we would like to make ~~are:

(1) Cape County's representative on the board served 18 years, would easily have been reelected to a number of more years, but found he could not continue to serve after suffering a stroke. His place on the board was filled according to the by-laws as have all vacancies of which we are aware.

(2) The Dexter Center wants a lot more money so it can serve congregate meals in some of the outlying areas, such as Bernie, Dudley, etc. Cape County has many rural areas that are not being served because of lack of funds, including Delta, Fruitland, Gordonville, Dutchtown, Millersville, Appleton, Pocahontas, Burfordville, Whitewater and Egypt Mills. Last year we passed the Cape County Senior Citizens' Services Tax. With funds from this tax, we do deliver meals to some totally homebound senior citizens in rural areas, but there are no congregate meals served in rural areas.

(3) The formula for distributing funds to the various nutrition centers as set by applicable laws includes weight for the ages of the elderly population so as to better serve the frail elderly. The formula is not based on just income as proponents of House Bill 713 are attempting to establish. There are a number of factors affecting the formula which we feel were not brought out at the hearing as we read the newspaper accounts.

Again, we ask your help in the defeat or withdrawal of House Bill 713. In the alternative, we request the chance to argue our side of the issue before your committee.

June Ellis, and co-signed

by more than 100 others

Cape Girardeau County