re: Tarsha Clark-Amar (EBR Council on Aging) responds (PG. 7), mentions being "witch hunt."

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There is an implied responsibility to improve the situation of anyone who helped get you elected, and the cronyism fosters from there. That culture is strong throughout LA, and particularly so in smaller/poorer communities.

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Kinda need something explained. I work for the public at a city fire dept.

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Full statement released by Tasha Clark-Amar the Executive Director of the East Baton Rouge Parish Council on Aging.



“ I Have Earned My Success Based on Service to Others, Not at The Expense of Others”

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

I have decided to make my own official statement, that will be shared on multiple media outlets as an attempt to prevent the distortion and dilution of my words.

I eagerly took the helm of the East Baton Rouge Council On Aging in July 2011, fully aware of the monumental task I was facing due to the agency’s fiscal state and its unstable history. I was empowered and elated to have the coveted opportunity to serve and assist the most valued assets of our community, the senior citizens of EBR Parish. I had been equipped with the teachings of my parents – Aging is not “lost youth” but a new stage of opportunity and strength (Betty Freiden) and I was hell-bent on strengthening the seniors and improving their plight holistically.

The first weeks of my tenure proved to me that I had began an eye-opening undertaking of exponential extremes. The agency had a deficit in excess of $600k, a defunct inactive line of credit, no cash on hand, a bloated workforce, dismal seniors attendance at senior centers, the meals being served weren’t good, staff moral was low, and the burden of making payroll with out adequate resources was looming. The staff and I, with the advice of consultants created a strategic plan to right the ship. We immediately streamlined the workforce reducing it from 120 to 62 full-time employees. Several roles were combined to decrease cost while driving to simultaneously increase operation efficiency and effectiveness.. All remaining staff members, myself included, took a 5% reduction in pay as well as the elimination of some Holiday Pay and reduction in the accumulation of vacation and sick leave. The individual who served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board at the time, accompanied me to the bank with the intentions to request financial assistance on behalf of the agency to meet the looming payroll that we were facing only to discover we had defaulted on a prior loan that would have to be resolved first. I made the conscious decision not to allow the staff to suffer early in my tenure as Executive Director and I utilized my families personal credit for a $50k line of credit to ensure that payroll would be met. There have been instances when Board Members have made the same type of personal investments into this agency all for the benefit of our beloved seniors.

The staff, board members, seniors and our relentless group of supporters have worked tirelessly over the past six years to reduce the deficit while increasing revenue simultaneously. We decreased the employer percentage of the employee health insurance benefits package by 12%. The creation of a Resource Development Department and fundraising arm went to work rebranding the agency, writing and raising funds with a multifaceted approach, while every year being responsible for raising their own salaries and benefits not to put further undue burden on the budget. An Employee Giving Campaign was created, even during times of cuts, reductions and struggles our employees, who earn $9 an hour, managed to give back nearly $13k per year to benefit the mission of caring for seniors. The Board of Directors, in fulfillment of their annual commitment the agency, collectively raised $18k with their Get, Give or Get Off Initiative combined with the Taste of Baton Rouge Fundraiser. Then Board Chairman, Johnny Anderson sold Gumbo Dinners at his home for donations to raise money, we raffled several cars, sold ads in the seniors “Polished” Magazine, sold Concert tickets, conducted Charitable Gaming, held Music Festivals, and the list goes on.

The agency was rebranded and rebirthed with a vibrant fresh new look, Seniors and the community began to notice. We reopened the kitchen and began making fresh hot meals that were edible. The newly prepared in house meals began to be delivered to Meals On Wheels clients. We created and revived the programs and activities in the senior centers, we went from having 14 seniors in some centers on any given day to currently having a125 or more on some days. The demand for services began to grow exponentially some programs experienced requests increased exceeding 26%. Our waiting lists have continued to grow daily with seniors demanding assistance that are fiscally unable to provide. Even as we were serving more, there was a conscious effort to reduce the deficit with some success but nearly not enough to meet the pace of growth and demand.

Collectively, but at the behest of the Senior Advisory Board which, if I may say had been making this request for 8 years, the Board of Directors and Administration broached and opined that we had reached the fork in the road and we would venture into the world of dedicated millages and property taxes. I had been researching and doing my due diligence with my counterparts across the state about best practices and pitfalls. I was told by other Council On Aging directors that I would never pass a Millage in Baton Rouge even though they’ve had one for years in West Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish, our next door neighbors, has one. I was truly hesitant and skeptical about the unknowns of tax campaigns, but the sheer desire to enhance the seniors lives and the ambition to prove naysayers wrong was the driving force to take the risk. We contacted a consulting firm that we researched as passing one of the last successful major taxes in this Parish CATS. Contrary to popular belief and spewed lies, their selection had nothing to do with political party affiliation, we could care less. We simply wanted assistance with 3 issues — tax campaign fundraising, how to run a tax campaign for a non-profit agency, and to win! The staff, seniors, volunteers, and some board members, worked day and night for months as political campaign novices to bring home the victory for the seniors, and we learned great results can be achieved with small forces.

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I made the conscious decision not to allow the staff to suffer early in my tenure as Executive Director and I utilized my families personal credit for a $50k line of credit to ensure that payroll would be met. There have been instances when Board Members have made the same type of personal investments into this agency all for the benefit of our beloved seniors

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we've been told you'll be fired.

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These truly have been some very difficult months, this last week has most definitely been a culmination of a barrage of shots and blows, with the most difficult being the calls for my resignation from the spokesperson. I have given considerable thought to it and reflected on the hundreds of texts, phone calls, Facebook messages, prayers and positive notes that I received. Most importantly, the seniors have been calling me saying “you better not quit and we need you”.

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