Seniors express outrage at Issaquah Senior Center board over loss of van during meeting

Members of the Issaquah Valley Senior Center filled the room at the long-awaited meeting of the general membership on Dec. 21, but were disappointed when the board refused to answer many of their questions.

Fifty-five seniors signed a petition calling for the meeting so that certain matters could be discussed before IVS dissolves as a nonprofit at the end of the year and the city takes over operations on Jan. 3. On the agenda of discussion topics was the distribution of IVS assets, the disclosure of financial information and the revelation of information pertaining to former Executive Director Courtney Jaren’s sudden departure at the end of August.

Senior center member David Kappler served IVS Board President Craig Hansen and Vice President Carmen Llewellyn with a temporary restraining order on Dec. 9 to ensure that state law is upheld when IVS dissolves. Hansen and Llewellyn will appear before the judge for a hearing on Dec. 23 at the King County Superior Court in Seattle.

Llewellyn told the seniors that “the assets will remain, including all furniture, all kitchen supplies and all artwork.” She further stated that the baby grand piano will stay because it was donated to the Issaquah Singers, who rehearse in the senior center, and that the pool table will remain because “it was purchased with a donation from our firefighters, and they’d like to see it stay here.”

However, nearly all of the seniors in the room expressed dismay when Llewellyn announced that the center’s 14-person van, which is designed to accommodate passengers who have limited mobility, is going to be donated to the Sno-Valley Senior Center in Carnation.

“What’s the service area for IVS?” senior center member David Waggoner asked the Reporter. “It is Issaquah, not Carnation.”

The senior center had previously owned two vans and two pool tables, but seniors reported that the other van and other pool table had gone missing several months ago. The question of what happened to these items was on the list of discussion topics, but it did not get answered.

“We as a community have gotten those things. Those items were not given to the board, they were given to the senior community, and you don’t have the right to donate them,” senior center member Reva Turtel told the board.

“State law [RCW 24.03.230] says the board will prepare a plan of distribution of assets … that has not occurred,” senior center member Inez Peterson stated to the assembly. “Instead, they’ve been looting the place … that’s why we’re here today.”

Board members said that they did not feel that the senior center’s possessions should be owned by the city.

“Why should we give [the assets] to another organization that is not a nonprofit?” Hansen responded.

“[The city] will be able to afford to buy vehicles you can use,” Llewellyn said.

Senior center members asked Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler, who is a member of the senior center and was in attendance at the meeting, if it would be possible for the city to purchase the senior center’s van for $1. Butler affirmed that yes, this would be possible. He symbolically took a dollar out of his wallet and walked to the front of the room while the crowd erupted in cheers and standing ovations.

The board members stated that they did not have to follow the procedure laid out in RCW 24.03.230 because this only applies to voting bodies.

Peterson, Waggoner and other members countered that they were a voting body because they elect the board members.

Senior center member and former Issaquah Mayor Rowan Hinds told the board that regardless of whether or not the senior center members are a voting body, it is still the duty of the board to consider the members’ wishes when making decisions.

“I don’t think the board is acting with the best interests of the general membership … just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should,” he said. “I would encourage the board to cut the losses … and find some accommodation to make everyone happy.”

“It’s unfortunate that we have to go through this dog and pony show again making the senior center the laughing stock of the city,” Peterson said, calling the board’s actions “the height of poor management.”

When addressing finances, Llewellyn said that IVS “has been operating off of savings only” since losing funding from the city in February of this year.

Seniors asked the board how IVS could in that case afford to throw a luncheon for seniors on the last day of operations, Dec. 30.

“I’m sorry that we did it if you’re not going to appreciate it,” Llewellyn responded.

Many senior center members made noises of outrage at this statement.

Llewellyn went on to say that “if there are any remaining funds [when IVS dissolves], they will be donated to charity.”

The board spent barely more than a sentence on the topic of Jaren’s resignation, with Llewellyn telling the crowd that “Courtney’s [resignation] letter is confidential.”

Hansen then declared the meeting adjourned, much to the chagrin of the gathered seniors, who cried out that their questions had not been adequately answered. Llewellyn told the seniors that any other issues would be resolved “in court.”

“We voted for you people because we believed you had our best interests at heart,” senior center member Geri Andersen said. “I implore you to do the best for all of us.”

Board secretary Judi Schrager said that board members are “trying to do the best we can” in light of the city’s “hostile takeover.”

Schrager’s comment received boos throughout the room.

“It’s all about revenge … to give our van away is ridiculous,” senior center member Sue Wagner told the Reporter. “No empathy for seniors.”

“The seniors have been put through hell for two years,” senior center member Jeannette Hudson said.

Seniors said that they remained hopeful that Friday’s hearing before the judge would force Hansen and Llewellyn to comply with state law and draft a plan of distribution of assets.

“I’m very, very excited about standing in front of the judge,” Waggoner said. “Let’s let the judge decide.”

When the Reporter asked Hansen for comment, Schrager responded that there would be no comment given before the hearing.