Public commenters allege missing Expo Park financials and raise elder-abuse concerns at senior center

During the public-comment period, two speakers made allegations about county operations and senior services.

James Fenner of Cascade County said he submitted a public-records request about six months earlier seeking 25 years of Montana Expo Park financials and that he had not received the records. “I have yet to see anything,” Fenner said. He said he had contacted county staff including the auditor and others, and that he had been advised to contact the FBI and Montana DCI; he asked why the county had not provided the requested financials and questioned county management of the Expo Park.

Later, a speaker who identified himself as Josh with the Prayer Warriors Tribal Council raised allegations of elder abuse and exploitation at the county senior center, saying he had collected documents and recordings over roughly three and a half years and had reported the matter to state lawmakers in Helena and to the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Josh said he had also contacted James Brown, the county auditor, and that some alleged victims had died. He said the concerns included improper use of donated items and retaliation by the senior center board when elders complained.

Both speakers said they had reported the matters to outside agencies and sought county attention; no formal investigation outcome or county action was reported during the work session. Commissioners did not record any immediate follow-up action on the record in the work session transcript.