Mary Byrne
In a joint meeting with the Select Board Monday night, members of the Council on Aging continued to criticize plans to merge the Recreation Department, Council on Aging, and Veterans Services under one administrative umbrella, arguing for more inclusion in the discussions as they proceed.
Previous Coverage
- Human Services Reorganization Plan Met with Resistance From COA
- Town Streamlining Recreation, COA and Veterans Services Departments
“We believe that seniors and the Council on Aging … are best positioned to know what’s best for seniors,” said Council on Aging Chair Karen Donelan. “While we accept that [Town Administrator Patrice Garvin] has made an effort and Brandon Fitts has made an effort to put together a plan for all of us, I think our expectation is one of inclusion. Our expectation is that we would be a part of the planning, of the discussion, because we believe that services, staffing, and organization go together.”
In addition to what members felt was a “lack of inclusion” in discussions about the reorganization, concerns were raised about the proposed organizational structure, job descriptions and the hiring process, as well as the need for job candidates to have experience in senior services. Several positions have already been filled, with one— a Council on Aging program director —remaining to be filled. Questions were also raised about the financial implications of the reorganization.
“I understand Ms. Garvin’s authority … but I do believe at the core of her authority rests also a requirement to work with us and consult with us,” Donelan said. “We would like this final position, as posted, to be one where we have some influence … so we can be proud of the level of senior service expertise in our town.”
In the spring, Garvin presented a reorganization plan that involved identifying redundancies in administrative roles in the Recreation Department and Council on Aging and merging them so one office administrator serves both departments. Under Garvin’s plan, each department will have dedicated programming personnel and other relevant staffing to maintain operations.
Garvin introduced the plan in May, stating that reorganization creates efficiencies, has “clear lines of report,” and improves customer service and programming potential. Officials previously said the reconfiguration aims to address issues arising from resignations and typical turnover in otherwise “thinly staffed departments.”
The Recreation Department administration will join the Council on Aging at the Beech Street Center as part of the reconfiguration. COA questioned whether this use of the center aligned with an agreement made when the Council on Aging moved into the Beech Street Center, which stipulated the center be held for the “primary purpose of operating C.O.A. programs.” Any decision to sell or convert the facility for another use would require a ⅔ majority vote of the Town Meeting.
Select Board Chair Elizabeth Dionne responded that her recollection of those early discussions was that the center would “primarily” serve the Council on Aging rather than serve as its sole use. Garvin added using the center for recreational programming means additional hours in the evening for seniors to use the center.
“The driving force behind the inclusion of senior services in the Human Services Department is the well-being of Belmont seniors,” said Dionne. “This reorganization was never about saving money. We have repeatedly committed that current senior funding levels will remain, at least, constant.”
She emphasized the reorganization is designed to improve service delivery.
“Reforming senior services is the sole, compelling reason that the Select Board has consistently and fully supported this proposal,” Dionne said.
On Monday, Garvin said the plan to reorganize resulted from issues reported to her by interim Director Brandon Fitts, who, when appointed to the role, noticed some organizational inefficiencies.
At first, the plan was to wait until the Belmont Public Library moved out of the Beech Street Center before making any significant changes; however, as vacancies opened, filling them in the old organizational structure didn’t seem prudent.
“We looked at it as a way to professionalize the Council on Aging,” Garvin said.
As COA members raised concerns about job qualifications, Garvin emphasized noone without prior senior programming experience would be hired for the programming position.
“I am so upset at how this process has unfolded,” Donelan said. “We were advised not to talk about poor communication tonight, but honestly, I’m just embarrassed at how this has happened and how, somehow, seniors have been excluded from something that so profoundly impacts their life and well-being and leads to the judgment of Garvin, Fitts and others, that somehow you all know better than these folks do.”
Members emphasized that their concerns for the reorganization was in no way a reflection of Fitts and the work he’s done to date, but rather the plan for him to oversee both departments, when his expertise lies in recreation.
Nearing the end of the discussion, Dionne suggested ways to build “better relations and communication” going forward. In particular, they revisited the idea of an unofficial liaison between the two boards. Select Board member Matt Taylor offered to fill this role.
“I think we can commit, as a Select Board, to revisit,” Dionne said. “If for some reason the implementation is not going – if there are ways in which we feel seniors’ needs are not being met– let’s keep that conversation going and see if we need to tweak this and adjust.”