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Seniors tell Benton County commission they were 'left in the dark' after staff dismissal; ask mayor to revisit decision
Summary
Three senior‑center attendees testified that the dismissal of a staff member named Haley was handled without transparency; they asked the mayor and commission to hear seniors directly and to provide an explanation or reconsideration.
Several Benton County Senior Center participants used the commission’s public forum to press elected officials for information about the recent dismissal of an assistant director identified as Haley, saying center users felt excluded from the decision and requesting that the mayor speak directly with seniors.
“I'm there every day and I can't tell you what's going on... We're left with a lot of rumors, a lot of hearsay,” Kimberly Benefield, a Meals on Wheels coordinator who attends the senior center, told commissioners. Benefield said the termination of Mary Ellen Worsler and later Haley were handled “in secret,” leaving center participants uncertain about activities and programming.
Denise Jensen, another center participant, described Haley as “professional, compassionate, and genuinely dedicated” and said the dismissal left seniors feeling unheard despite a petition of signatures. “We want him to talk directly to the seniors to hear what we have witnessed or heard,” Jensen said, urging Mayor Mark Ward to revisit the decision.
Sue Webb, who said she had worked at a prior center, asked for a clear explanation and for Haley to be returned or given closure. “She loved the seniors. It wouldn't be the same without her,” Webb said.
Commissioners and the chair acknowledged the concerns but said personnel matters have confidentiality limits; the mayor’s office and the aging committee were referenced as involved. The chair stated county practice and state law set boundaries for what the commission can and cannot disclose about personnel decisions.
Speakers asked the commission to include seniors more consistently in decision‑making affecting the center and to clarify how the center’s building and programming decisions were made. Commissioners did not announce a formal investigation or an immediate policy change at the meeting; several said they would consider the concerns and that the mayor’s office could be asked to meet with senior‑center participants.
The public comments on the senior center illustrate persistent local frustration among seniors about transparency in county decisions affecting services for older residents. The commission did not take a vote related to the center during the meeting; the comments were recorded in the public‑comment portion of the agenda.
