Resigning the OCSA Presidency 'under duress'

Published 2:54 pm Thursday, November 6, 2014

Dear Editor,

In the last three years and almost nine months I have served as your Board President of the Okanogan County Senior Citizens Association. I have had a Board and 13 delegates that have served the Association with a great deal of interest and support, all for the good of Okanogan County Transportation & Nutrition(OCTN) and In-Home Care of Central Washington (IHCCW). We’ve had challenges but we have also had some wonderful things happen in the area of support. We as a Board and delegates learned a lot, as the Executive Directors for the two entities above, both worked with us and tutored us in their non-profit businesses. We learned what “living on a budget” in business really means.

IHCCW runs on a budget and derives most of their funds from state and federal funds and a wide variety of regulations. Their Exec. Director, Cathy Wood runs a ‘tight ship’ as she works with Aging and Adult Care, who also keeps tabs on the regulations. OCTN retired Exec. Director Leanne Whitener in many ways, with the help of her long term Bus Manager, Deanne Konsack have been with OCTN about 23 years and have virtually built this business. Jennifer Fitzthum, a seven year employee moved to the position of Exec. Director the first of March 2014 and will continue building the business. Both entities have audits twice a year by an auditing firm and minutes are required from the Board to be given to the auditing firm for this meeting.

I can’t say enough about the job these two women are doing. OCTN runs on a very strict budget, accounting for every penny and as I have found these past years, sends them and the Board to solicit funds to stay within the budget. No “Cash Cows” in these non-profit businesses.

On our OCTN office building and property we have had the Sheriff and his Department who helped us with needed advise on a security system; PUD, with information and help, donated help by private citizens on covering buildings when damage has occurred. Volunteers to fix “maintenance” problems inside and outside, to save money. An electrician who donated time for a job. It goes on and on, the tide of people who have volunteered. If I have missed anyone, you know who you are and you have to be greatly blessed because we have been. Thank you!

We want our Seniors to continue their meal program and having the advantage of their personal trips on the buses and soon, longer ones through Okanogan County Transit Authority. We can only do this through the ability of a strong Okanogan County Senior Citizen Association (OCSCA) Board working well with IHCCW and OCTN. We still have the same board we’ve had before the Sept. 25 meeting this year. We are in compliance with our By-Laws and we will be having our annual elections Nov. 21, 2014.

IHCCW and OCTN are both operating with the original OCSCA Board in place. ‘Dolly’ Engelbretson, President; Wayne Adams, First VP; Jerry Beeman, Second VP; Karen Dahl, Treasurer and Sharron Kenniston, Secretary. Nov 21 will be an election meeting at Okanogan Senior Center, starting at 10 a.m. I ask that all delegates for 2014 be present as well as all members of all the Senior Citizens Center in Okanogan County. We want our services to continue in Okanogan County and it’s imperative to vote in a Board that’s conscientious and willing to learn and serve.

I want to Thank every person who supported the OCSCA Board and me as Board President from 2011 to 2014. I resigned under duress, the 25th of September.

Sally R. Alexander

Omak