Coalition for Senior Citizens Board of Directors deal with upset employees, users of the William N. Pennington Life Center.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
NEED TO KNOW: The Coalition for Senior Citizens Board will conduct another special meeting on Thursday at 3 p.m.
Heated exchanges on the restructuring of the William N. Pennington Life Center showed how contentious the county’s plan is to transfer operations to its control.
The Coalition for Senior Citizens Board of Directors held a special meeting Thursday to discuss two agenda items, but before they could vote, former Commissioner Carl Erquiaga, whose wife, Lisa, is director of the Life Center, and first-term Commissioner Justin Heath became embroiled in a heated exchange.
Under the plan, which was approved by both the commissioners and Coalition board during the week of June 5, current employees must fill out an application to request an interview for their former positions. The operation has been shifted under the supervision of the Churchill County Social Services.
Carl Erquiaga, though, set the stage when he addressed members of the Coalition.
“The county has dug in their heels and refused to even talk about these questions (regarding the assumption of control),” Erquiaga said. “That’s not leadership. That’s deception.”
Erquiaga also claimed he had it on good authority that a certain individual within the county wanted to take over the Life Center and eliminate the director. During the 12 years he served on the commission, Erquiaga said he never heard public discussion on the county taking control of the Life Center. He also said employees are concerned about their jobs.
“This whole thing has been in the dark. First thing, one thing. They were told one thing,” Erquiaga said. “They need to be told exactly what happens. If I understand it ….”
Heath, who also serves on the Coalition board, then interrupted Erquiaga in mid-sentence.
“They just need to apply for the job in open competition with anyone else,” Heath said, his voice growing more intense. “If they have the qualification, they will be hired on.”
Erquiaga asked Heath which law he was citing.
“I can’t tell you exactly what law, but you were a county commissioner and you know,” Heath responded.
“Is it state law?” Erquiaga asked.
“I’m not sure what it is, but I think it is a federal law,” Heath said. “Whenever you apply for a government position you have to put it out there … you have to put it out and then you have to hire the one who is most qualified.”
“So a simple explanation that, last Thursday,” Erquiaga said, “would have been very helpful because these people have been confused.”
Heath quickly snapped at Erquiaga. “Because you caused most of it.”
“I’m sorry,” Erquiaga said. “Are you saying I shouldn’t exercise my First Amendment rights?”
Heath backed off.
“No, I’m not.”
“It sounded that way to me,” Erquiaga told Heath.
Chairperson Jill Manha jumped in and asked for any public comments.
Phyllys Dowd, retired director of Business Services for the Churchill County School District, asked the Coalition Board if they’re going to be
involved with hiring the next director.
“At the last board meeting, as a board we need to represent the hiring (of) the manager position if we approved that into the bylaw,” Manha said, adding the board would probably discuss it at their next meeting. “We want to make sure we have a voice in the hiring process.”
The board passed its first agenda item to approve a request for certain members of the Coalition for Senior Citizens to be involved in the hiring process for the Senior Center Manager of the William N. Pennington Life Center and not to utilize Manpower but to allow current employees to continue working in their positions until the positions are filled by the county.
Lisa Erquiaga shouted at the board.
“Sorry, but you need a special board meeting to fire me. You had to hire me,” she said.
Manha said the board is not firing her.
“This is eliminating a position. It has nothing to do with Lisa,” Manha said.
“Same thing, same thing,” Erquiaga shouted back.
“No, it’s not,” Manha replied. “This is eliminating a position in our bylaws.”
Erquiaga repeated the board can’t get rid of her, but Manha referred back to the bylaws.
The board began to look at the second agenda item. Fallon City Councilwoman and board member Karla Kent said the Coalition should have seven members, and Manha added the Coalition will still have oversight of the Life Center. Additionally, Kent said the board should follow open meeting laws when the situation requires it.
Carl Erquiaga said he looked at the Nevada Revised Statutes regarding the state’s open meeting law, and he advised the Coalition Board they would be required to follow it. He said the board is not allowed to pick and choose.
“If you’re not hiding anything, why wouldn’t you want to abide by the open meeting law,” Erquiaga asked.
Dowd then addressed the board again and questioned how the board will provide services with the county taking over. She advised Manha and the board members to look at the process of hiring employees.
The board then approved, with two dissenting votes, the second agenda item: Follow the open meeting law, expand from five to seven members, remove the director and amend the bylaws which also makes related changes based upon the Restructuring Plan of Churchill County for the provision of services to seniors.
More people stepped up to address the Coalition Board before it adjourned.
Lola Burretts said she couldn’t believe the headline in the newspaper and what action the Coalition Board took at its previous meeting.
“What you have done is totally inhumane,” she said.
Melanie Keener, the Life Center’s operations manager, said the board members don’t interact with the senior citizens but make decisions for all the seniors.
“Shame on you,” Keener said, adding the Coalition Board members have zero education in what they’re doing.
“The key word is getting involved,” said Buster Pierce, program services manager.
“On Jan. 4 of this year was my 10th anniversary here. I put my whole life into this place,” he said. “Did I receive a card from you? Did anyone come by and say good job. I was not expecting a gold watch, but a thank you and a cheap Timex would’ve done.”
