Commissioners table COA contract

Jan. 19--TRAVERSE CITY -- Questions over a contract to outsource some Grand Traverse County Commission on Aging functions prompted county commissioners to table the proposal.

Their decision Wednesday drew an emotional response from Nancy Ickes, a 12-year COA employee who spoke during the meeting's public comment. She leaned close to a microphone and said she helps about 250 seniors with their toenails.

COA employees love the seniors they serve, she said.

"I thank you for taking time to go through this," she said. "Because I just am devastated to even think that we go for another company to run us."

Commissioners during a Feb. 8 study session will review a proposed two-year agreement with Comfort Keepers to address the COA's compliance with federal law, provide its staff training and upgrade technology. Comfort Keepers currently provides standby and backup services for the COA.

That meeting also will cover recent changes to the COA, which provides home and community services to county residents 60 and older,

A recent audit focused on the COA changed its management, reduced its board seats and partially rolled back a millage. Those measures received some criticism, but administrators maintained they were necessary and would help improve services to seniors.

Grand Traverse County Administrator Tom Menzel said the contract will outsource specific functions to help the COA comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act -- a federal law for which the department doesn't have a policy.

"The department will (still) have a director hired by the county, but we will be using other resources to implement services with existing field staff to make sure we're in compliant with HIPAA," he said.

But Commissioner Cheryl Gore Follette proposed tabling the contract. She wanted more answers before commissioners moved forward.

"I don't believe that we have a HIPAA emergency, which is basically how this is being presented to us," she said.

Christopher Forsyth, the county's civil counsel, said the county didn't face immediate liability. He said private citizens can't sue over HIPAA violations, but rather the federal government kickstarts a lengthy formal process to make agencies compliant.

The COA's lack of a HIPAA policy could affect an agreement with the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan which provides the county about $40,000 in reimbursement each year. County Deputy Administrator Jen DeHaan said AAANM officials pushed back a January deadline for county commissioners to approve such a deal.

She said the situation prompted a regional awareness of HIPAA issues for other COAs.

Commissioner Addison "Sonny" Wheelock Jr. questioned the contract itself. He said administrators proposed a $327,000 per year contract without a formal request for other bids.

"If I'm spending $327,000 a year I want a really detailed explanation of exactly what I'm going to get for it, and that's certainly not in this packet," he said.

A memo provided commissioners states the COA already had a partnership with Comfort Keepers, which was the only company to bid for certain services in 2016. But Wheelock said that bid covered different services and was approved by the dissolved COA board.

DeHaan said the proposal would help expand COA services, especially through technology.

"We're not looking to change the status of county employees or benefits or compensation," she said. "We're really looking to grab hold of a whole host of opportunities to enhance these services for our COA clients."

Menzel told commissioners he felt administrators made a compelling case for the contract, but understood if they needed more discussion.

Ickes said COA staff have done a great job for more than 40 years. They should be able to address any problems themselves, she said.

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