Commissioners' questions about Commission on Aging's spending stirs heated discussion

Remarks by a couple of the Washington County Commissioners earlier this month drew a sharp rebuttal Tuesday from Washington County Commission on Aging President Ed Lough.

At the commissioners' Dec. 5 meeting, Commissioner Wayne Keefer, who serves as a non-voting, ex-officio member of the COA'S board, had floated the idea of allocating some of the county's excess funds from Fiscal Year 2023 to the commission's Meals on Wheels program.

But Commissioners Randy Wagner and Derek Harvey, who serves on the COA's advisory council, demurred. They wanted more information on how the money for Meals on Wheels was being spent before earmarking more, they said.

"I think there's a whole lot of information that I'm getting in that I'd like to share," Wagner said. "I think this might not be the proper time."

Harvey wondered whether an outside audit could be performed.

Lough seeks 'detailed facts about the implied concern'

Lough came to Tuesday's commissioners' meeting to speak during a period for "citizens' participation," and, after wishing the commissioners a merry Christmas, he challenged Wagner and Harvey to share their specific concerns with him.

He noted the commission engages an accounting firm "for an annual external audit, the findings of which are shared with the county … we have multiple audits, including state and federal.

"We have made a concerted effort in selecting a finance committee, which includes two certified public accountants."

Lough asked Harvey and Wagner to provide "detailed facts about the implied concern … this will enable the Commission on Aging to immediately look into the matter and take appropriate action."

Although the commissioners don't usually speak during the time allotted for citizens' comments, Wagner announced that he would "break protocol" and addressed Lough directly.

Wagner complained the commissioners had been treated badly during a luncheon with the COA during budget deliberations last spring, and said he'd be glad to discuss his concerns as an agenda item at a future meeting.

Lough said he'd "look forward to that," and countered that he hadn't treated Wagner "that way at that last meeting."

Faced with a growing senior population, Commission on Aging seeks more money

At that point, the conversation heated up as Commissioners Vice President Jeff Cline agreed with Wagner.

"At that last meeting, you guys were disgraceful the way you treated us," he said, adding that some of the commissioners had been the objects of "social media attacks" by the commission.

Commissioners President John Barr attempted to step in, but the exchange continued until Lough said "I didn't come here to argue."

"Well, you did," Cline responded. "That's why there should be change over there."

Cline later told The Herald-Mail that to several commissioners at last year's luncheon, "it seemed that their passion went beyond passion at that meeting … it just seemed like they were just using bullying tactics (that) overshadowed their passion for their concern.

"I'm not criticizing them for their passion," he added, "it just didn't seem a productive way of presenting their need."

Washington County budget passes on split vote; commissioners squabble over income tax rate

How much does the county contribute to the Commission on Aging?

Last spring, the COA asked the commissioners to double the county's contribution in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which became effective July 1. Lough said then that proportionally, Washington County was contributing less per senior than any other county in Western Maryland.

The county had allotted $967,760 for the commission in Fiscal Year 2023, and in September 2022, shortly after FY 2023 began, the previous board of commissioners contributed another $518,000 — specifically for the Meals on Wheels program — from excess funds in its Fiscal Year 2022 budget.

For FY 2024, the commissioners raised its contribution to the COA by about 10%, bringing the total for the current fiscal year to a little more than $1 million.

"I want to make sure the money is going into the proper places," Wagner told The Herald-Mail, "and the money that we've dedicated them as a line item and the 10% raise they got last year be used in the most efficient way for the most priority projects such as Meals on Wheels."

As deliberations begin for the Fiscal Year 2025 budget early next year, Wagner said every budget would be analyzed. At that point, he said, "I want to the correct input and the correct numbers; I want to make sure there's transparency in all the numbers for the Commission on Aging. That's all I'm concerned with."

Cline said the issue for him wasn't whether the money for Meals on Wheels was being spent appropriately, but efficiently. He said he thought there might have been a misunderstanding about whether the extra money allocated last year, which was a one-time contribution, should be included in the base for the county's annual contribution.

Now, he said, "I just want to make sure all the money's being spent as best as we can so we can help the seniors. That's my goal."

Asked directly whether he had any reason to think the money wasn't being spent correctly, Cline said "not at this time." He said the commissioners have a responsibility to make sure the money is "being used wisely," the same as with emergency services and other agencies.

"It would benefit both Commission on Aging and the commissioners that the people are sure that the money is being used wisely," he said.

Washington County leaders use extra funds to boost preservation, pension and capital funds

Keefer has called for more transparency as well — but on the part of the county.

“I applaud the Commission on Aging for stepping forward to address any concerns there may be.  It’s a level of transparency that I don’t see in county government at times," he said in a statement to Herald-Mail Media.

"Just last month, county government admitted to hiding money in our own budget. The spending plan we presented to our citizens wasn’t truthful. And, we weren’t truthful to our own employees with how the pension shortfall was going to be fixed," he said. "I support any effort to bring about financial transparency, but when we live in a glass house, we should be careful about throwing stones.”

Keefer was referring to funding for the county's agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees discussed during the commissioners' Nov. 7 meeting. The budget impact of the agreement was estimated at $656,144, which County Administrator Michelle Gordon said was anticipated as the FY 2024 budget was being prepared. Money to cover the cost had been included in the county's pension fund, she said, to be shifted when needed.

But she added that interest on the county's income was performing better than anticipated, so she recommended making no changes to the pension plan and using interest income to pay for the agreement.

Where do we go from here?

Lough told The Herald-Mail he had a "positive response" from Harvey.

Harvey's concerns centered on whether COA was maximizing its resources — money and volunteers — for Meals on Wheels.

Because the county contributes, Lough said, "those are all legitimate concerns." He said he'd told Harvey the COA would get back to him, and invited Harvey to "come in and look at some things … but the bottom line is that he has responded to me almost immediately with an email in a very positive fashion."

Lough said he had not heard anything more from Wagner or Cline. But he still believes seniors are underfunded, and he'd like to see a longterm plan for preserving services to them.

"I don't have any personal animosity against any of the commissioners personally," Lough said. "This is not about personalities. This is strictly business and the business of funding and taking care of senior citizens. He'd like to see a five- to 10-year plan for appropriating more money to care for seniors.

"This is not about the Commission on Aging. It's not about the Senior Center. It's not about Ed Lough or the board of directors or the CEO. It's about the seniors, period. That's all it's about."

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Questions about Commission on Aging stirs a clash with commissioners