CLEARFIELD – The planned retirement announcement of long-time Executive Director, John Kordish, was released Tuesday at the monthly meeting of the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, Inc. Board of Directors. Kordish initially announced his plan to the Board, Advisory Council, and Agency staff in an open letter on Jan. 10. Both Kordish and his wife Susan, Director of Planning & Program Operations, will be retiring from their work there during 2012.
In his letter, Kordish indicated that Susan will likely leave after the end of the fiscal year, sometime in July. He intends to remain till autumn, after the audit is complete and all reports are filed with the state. “My intent is to remain and work with the CCAAA Board of Directors and staff to pursue successful funding for the Compressed Natural Gas project for our Meals on Wheels fleet, and to work with the Office of District Attorney to see the successful prosecution of a pending court case,” Kordish wrote. “In addition, the Agency’s Four Year Plan is due in Harrisburg by the end of June and I want to see the end of the year reports completed and submitted to the necessary state offices. This time frame will also assure the Board has adequate time to form and activate a Search Committee, hire a new CEO, and plan for a smooth transition,” he added.
Mr. Kordish has a 30 year history at the CCAAA, while Susan has been there 34 years. “Sue was Acting Executive Director when I was hired by the Board in 1982,” he noted. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kordish have work experience in aging services and health care dating back to the early 1970’s. “We don’t plan on stopping. I want to continue with my work in guardianship services and Sue in nutrition counseling, and we both expect to continue our activity in training and teaching roles with non-profit agencies and colleges throughout the region,” Mr. Kordish commented.
In other business, the Board heard an update on anticipated state funding for the next fiscal year. Governor Corbett released his proposed 2012-13 Budget on February 7. The proposed Aging budget reflects $726 million for the new fiscal year to begin in July; the figure for the current year is shown at $735 million. While Mr. Kordish noted that the aggregate appears to be slightly less funds available next year, most service categories are flat rather than reduced. “We won’t have specific allocation amounts for some time yet, but we know that our job will be to keep expenses from climbing and to find every operating efficiency we can in these fiscally tight times,” he stated.
It was also reported that the Planning Unit staff have been working on the initial pieces of the Four Year Plan, required to be submitted to the PA Department of Aging before June 1. A variety of surveys for the local plan are in process and responses are being returned to the CCAAA. That input will be incorporated into the plan as it is formed.
The Department of Aging will be holding regional focus groups for their own Four Year Plan required by the US Administration on Aging and they have solicited nominations for attendees from each AAA. The regional event for the Northwest Region of the state will be held in Meadville this Thursday. Eleanor Fenton, Director of Community Services, and Rikki Ross, Marketing Coordinator, will be the CCAAA staff representatives attending, while Rita Olszewski, Administrator of Clear Med Corporation at Clearfield Hospital, will serve as a community representative.
Finally, the Board reviewed and approved the application to be submitted for funding from the DuBois United Way for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).
Next month’s CCAAA Board meeting is scheduled for March 27 at noon at the CCAAA corporate office.