DEAR EDITOR:
SCOPE Inc. of Trumbull County has been in the news often in recent weeks. As president of the senior services agency's board, I want to assure SCOPE clients and their families, as well as taxpayers and our employees, that we are working diligently to resolve the concerns of the Ohio Department of Aging (ODA), the Area Agency on Aging 11 and the Senior Services Advisory Council.
With the welcome assistance of Diane M. Drawl, CPA, senior levy administrator, and county commissioners, our new SCOPE project manager, Ralph H. Smith, along with dedicated SCOPE employees, we are following a plan designed to demonstrate that the agency is in full compliance with ODA rules.
Mr. Smith is reviewing SCOPE's operations, finances, policies and procedures in order for SCOPE to continue its mission of helping older adults live as independently as possible with an enhanced quality of life.
The plan's objective is to obtain the funds allocated for this fiscal year from the current senior levy. This will enable SCOPE to keep open its six local activity / service centers in the county. SCOPE also seeks to continue as far as possible to provide client assistance, including in-home services, supportive services and recreation. Clients and their families are counting on these services and have voiced their support.
SCOPE has requested a hearing in Columbus by ODA on the state agency's finding that timely criminal background checks had not been completed on some SCOPE employees as well as other findings. We are optimistic that the hearing will be held soon.
The community can be confident that our volunteer board is intent upon maintaining SCOPE as the vital local resource it has become over the past 50 years. Our seniors deserve no less.
Genevieve Bauman
Board President