Meals on Wheels director called to appear before legislative committee

The executive director of Western SD Senior Services Inc. - the agency that manages senior nutrition sites and the Meals on Wheels Program across the region - has been called to appear before the legislative Government Operations and Audit Committee next month in Pierre to answer questions about the agency's financial situation and management.

George Larson is scheduled to appear before the committee on Wednesday, Dec.11.  The Government Operations and Audit Committee has the authority to recommend investigation or action by the state Attorney General's office.

The action was prompted by Sen. Ryan Maher (R-Isabel) after Western SD Senior Services announced in September - with just two days notice - that it was closing the senior nutrition site in Timber Lake. Sites in Bison, Faith, Martin, and Hot Springs were slated for closure two weeks later.

Larson told community members from Timber Lake and Isabel that Western SD Senior Services needed $55,000 in additional funding to continue operating the local site for another year.  At the time, the site provided meals to 28-30 clients every Monday through Friday.

Larson blamed the closure on the rising costs of operations and the need for clients to pay more for meals.  He also acknowledged that Western SD Senior Services Inc. did no fundraising or promotion for the nutrition site, as it did for several others in or near Rapid City.

Days after the Timber Lake Topic reported on the site closure, the South Dakota Dept. of Human Services notified Western SD Senior Services Inc. of its concerns over the handling of the closures and the continuation of services to the areas affected. 

Heather Krzmarzieck, director of Long Term Services and Supports for the Dept. of Human Services, reminded Larson in a letter that her agency did not approve any site closures and that Western SD Senior Services is under contractual obligation to provide continuity of services through the current contract period, which ends at the end of September 2025.

Western SD Senior Services Inc. did not re-open the Timber Lake site but introduced a new meals program in mid-October through which clients receive five frozen meals delivered each week. As of Friday, Nov. 15, five clients - two in Isabel and three in TImber Lake - are on the meal delivery plan. 

Also in mid-October, Larson appeared in a Rapid City television news report in which he blamed the nutrition site closures on volunteer shortages and encouraged the public to volunteer at any of the agency's remaining sites to ensure it can maintain operations.

Unpaid Bills

The Topic reported during its coverage of the senior nutrition site closures that Western SD Senior Services Inc. was in arrears to multiple vendors, including a past-due bill for more than $50,000 from the Sioux YMCA - Seven Fires for preparing, serving and delivering meals in and around Dupree.  

Kristy Doty, manager of the now-shuttered Bison Senior Nutrition Site, said in mid-October that Western SD Senior Services was still nine months in arrears on its rent for the site.

In addition, several current and former staff members claim that some Western SD Senior Services Inc. employees had to cancel or postpone medical appointments and treatments for a brief time when the agency failed to pay its health insurance premium, causing it to be dropped by the carrier and leaving employees with no coverage.

Employee Concerns 

The Topic recently obtained email correspondence showing employees of Western SD Senior Services Inc. had expressed concerns to the board of directors about the agency's financial situation and Larson's management of the operation as early as June 2024.

An email to board president Corey Hopfer from a regional manager for the agency addressed Larson's frequent absence from the office and how it was affecting the operations and staff morale.  The regional manager, who said she and other employees were promised whistleblower protection, was later terminated.

"We seem to be falling back into the previous pattern where people are noticing his absence and reimbursement vouchers are not being paid," she wrote.  "Checks went two weeks without a signature.  I had to call our Sysco rep and tell him that checks were printed, just not signed yet.  I then emailed a copy of the check so that our northern sites were able to put their food order in for the following week."

The email went on to address staff concerns about projects and fundraising campaigns that were at a stand-still due to Larson's absence.

"George told us that we need to increase participant donations ... and sent out a lengthy email to the admin team (May 2023) and since then we have had zero input from George on how to accomplish it or getting this approved for print as he, again, has not been working."

Messages left for Corey Hopfer were not returned.