Washoe County: A Tale of Frozen Accountability
Could someone please point out to Washoe County Human Resources Staff that we are all able to count here in Washoe County. All you need to do is look at a “cal·en·dar” and you can see seniors were served cold meals for 14 days.
While watching the presentation yesterday by the Human Services team at the Washoe County Commissioner Strategic Planning meeting. Commissioner Mike Clark asked about the COLD MEALS seniors had been served for days, well actually 14 days. Adult and Senior Services, quickly answered 11. Really, 11?
In a performance worthy of a magician trying to make numbers disappear, Washoe County officials attempted to transform 14 days of cold meals into 11 through the magic of bureaucratic math. Spoiler alert: The seniors who endured two weeks of frigid fare aren't fooled.
At Tuesday's meeting, Adult and Senior Services Division Director Cara Paoli performed an impressive feat of numerical gymnastics, stating just 11 days of cold meals. Perhaps she was using the same calculator that convinced the county that cold sandwiches qualify as proper nutrition for seniors.
The timeline tells a different story: January 8-27, 2025. That's 14 days of dignity served cold, for those keeping score at home.
Enter Human Services Director Ryan Gustafson, who couldn't resist talking about seniors' "complimentary" response to switching from sandwiches to salads. That's like boasting about upgrading from cardboard to paper plates - technically an improvement, but hardly worth celebrating.
The plot thickens with whispers from a Meals on Wheels driver: Those first three days of cold meals? Supposedly planned to help TRIO during the kitchen transition. Fourteen days later, we're watching salad portion sizes shrink faster than the county's credibility.
When federal guidelines threatened to crash their cold meal party, the county pivoted to salads. Nothing says "we care" quite like being forced into compliance by regulation rather than compassion.
Here's some math even the county might understand: 14 days of cold meals + 0 accountability = A big serving of disrespect, served chilled.
And on a side note: County Manager Eric Brown sat quietly during the exchange.
Let's talk about Commissioner Jeanne Herman's curious case of selective memory. Remember that glowing review and bonus you championed for Brown? Funny how that enthusiastic support doesn't extend to ensuring dignified meals for your fellow seniors. But then again, when you're cashing county checks, cold sandwiches are somebody else's problem.
The irony is frost-bitten: A commissioner who represents many seniors voted to reward the very administrator who couldn't keep their meals warm. That bonus could have bought quite a few hot lunches - but hey, who's counting? (Besides hungry seniors, that is.)
Here's a thought: Maybe next time before voting on executive bonuses, Herman could spend two weeks eating what the county serves its seniors. Nothing builds empathy quite like a fortnight of below par meals.