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Families who say they rely on disability services from Duet voiced anger at the Douglas County Board meeting on Tuesday. Duet, formerly known as Encor, serves about 400 people in the region, the organization says. They’ve been around since 1968. Earlier this month, the organization laid off dozens of employees, Duet Agency Director Tiffany Milone said. She said she’d needed to make tough financial decisions since she took over four months ago.Milone said she can’t elaborate on reasons for the financial chaos, as the matter is the subject of an investigation. She said she was told she’d inherit a financially stable organization, but that was far from the case. “Part of me had to mourn the job I thought I was going to have and pivot,” Milone said.The Douglas County Board’s resolution on Tuesday noted “concerns have recently been raised regarding management and finances.” The board voted 6-1 to give its intent to leave an interlocal agreement that supports the organization in six months unless Duet complies with actions, including financial transparency.Board Chair Roger Garcia said the board needed to give notice by April 1 if it wants to leave an interlocal agreement supporting Duet. The Eastern Nebraska Regional Agency on Human Services was created in 2008 by Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, and Washington counties, overseeing Duet and other agencies.Family members of adults who use Duet’s services urged to the board not to support the resolution. “Is my little sister going to be shoved out on the street?” one family member asked, “Taking money from indigent people, Duet is wrong and pathetic.” The board’s amended resolution did not immediately reduce Duet’s annual payment from $880,000 to $500,000 a year, as originally proposed.Commissioner Jim Cavanaugh was among those who argued it’s the county’s responsibility to be wary of potential wasted taxpayer dollars.”If there’s waste there, we need to eliminate it and take those resources and focus on the people who need those services,” he said.Milone said Duet is happy to comply with the required actions. “I want to get us back to being the gold standard,” Milone said.Milone, who started four months ago, planned to sell properties Duet owns, only to have them lease them back. She says it’s a necessary step they’ve tried to avoid. She explained that the reason for the financial chaos is under investigation, so she can’t elaborate.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Families who say they rely on disability services from Duet voiced anger at the Douglas County Board meeting on Tuesday.
Duet, formerly known as Encor, serves about 400 people in the region, the organization says. They’ve been around since 1968.
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Earlier this month, the organization laid off dozens of employees, Duet Agency Director Tiffany Milone said. She said she’d needed to make tough financial decisions since she took over four months ago.
Milone said she can’t elaborate on reasons for the financial chaos, as the matter is the subject of an investigation. She said she was told she’d inherit a financially stable organization, but that was far from the case.
“Part of me had to mourn the job I thought I was going to have and pivot,” Milone said.
The Douglas County Board’s resolution on Tuesday noted “concerns have recently been raised regarding management and finances.”
The board voted 6-1 to give its intent to leave an interlocal agreement that supports the organization in six months unless Duet complies with actions, including financial transparency.
Board Chair Roger Garcia said the board needed to give notice by April 1 if it wants to leave an interlocal agreement supporting Duet. The Eastern Nebraska Regional Agency on Human Services was created in 2008 by Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, and Washington counties, overseeing Duet and other agencies.
Family members of adults who use Duet’s services urged to the board not to support the resolution.
“Is my little sister going to be shoved out on the street?” one family member asked, “Taking money from indigent people, Duet is wrong and pathetic.”
The board’s amended resolution did not immediately reduce Duet’s annual payment from $880,000 to $500,000 a year, as originally proposed.
Commissioner Jim Cavanaugh was among those who argued it’s the county’s responsibility to be wary of potential wasted taxpayer dollars.
“If there’s waste there, we need to eliminate it and take those resources and focus on the people who need those services,” he said.
Milone said Duet is happy to comply with the required actions.
“I want to get us back to being the gold standard,” Milone said.
Milone, who started four months ago, planned to sell properties Duet owns, only to have them lease them back. She says it’s a necessary step they’ve tried to avoid. She explained that the reason for the financial chaos is under investigation, so she can’t elaborate.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
