Flathead County Agency on Aging Director Lisa Sheppard will keep her job despite one county commissioner’s attempt to oust her.

Tuesday was the last day of Sheppard’s six-month probationary period. 

The commissioners held a meeting with her — opened to the public at her request — to consider her continued employment with the county. The Agency on Aging has been in the spotlight in recent months as the commissioners have weighed a proposal to build a new facility and last week stalled the project by backing away from a federal block-grant application.

In front of an emotionally charged overflow crowd, Commissioner Gary Krueger made a motion to terminate Sheppard’s employment. 

When that motion died for lack of a second, Krueger made another motion to extend her probation for another three months. That, too, died for lack of a second.

Because there was no other motion, Sheppard will become a permanent county employee.

Applause went up from the crowd and the relief felt by dozens of seniors was palpable.

“I think they made the right decision,” former Commissioner Dale Lauman said. “This is a step forward for Flathead County.”

B.J. Carlson called the commissioners’ action “wonderfully surprising.”

Lois Katz, who serves on the advisory boards for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Agency on Aging and Senior Wellness program, said afterwards that Sheppard has been an inspiration to the senior population of Flathead County.

“This woman has made such a difference in so many people’s lives,” Katz said. “She has inspired us. My enthusiasm is because of her leadership.”

Before Sheppard spoke in her own defense, each of the commissioners weighed in on her job performance.

Commissioner Pam Holmquist said she has had trouble communicating with Sheppard, but believes they can work through the problem.

Krueger said he has tried to learn as much as he could about the agency since taking office in January.

“It hasn’t been demonstrated to me that Lisa Sheppard has the ability to manage the operations of the Agency on Aging,” Krueger said, offering no further explanation.

Commissioner Cal Scott said he fully supports Sheppard and has found her work to be exemplary. He apologized to Sheppard for what he deemed a “kamikaze attack” to oust her.

Sheppard spoke at length, methodically going through the details of her job description.

“I don’t see anything I haven’t done or that I haven’t done well,” she told the commissioners. “I feel like I’ve followed the job description to a tee.”

Sheppard, 47, relocated to Flathead County last fall from Austin, Texas. She replaced longtime Agency on Aging Director Jim Atkinson, whose contract wasn’t renewed in February 2012.

During public comments taken Tuesday morning, Atkinson said he couldn’t find any good motive for the commissioners to terminate Sheppard. Safety concerns at the rented Agency on Aging building on Kelly Road “have been apparent for years and years,” he said, adding that a $450,000 Community Development Block Grant could have been a good source of funding for a new building.

“The only motive I can find is arrogance and self-service,” Atkinson said. “Then to shoot the messenger for providing information is ridiculous. I support Lisa Sheppard.”

Sheppard said she’s “not used to tooting my own horn,” but explained to the commissioners about her prior work experience.

“I’ve worked at every end of the spectrum,” she said.

Sheppard has an extensive background working with people with disabilities and before moving to Kalispell worked at a nonprofit to move children with disabilities out of institutions and back with their families or alternate caregivers. 

That job included business and financial administration and budgeting. She noted she has managed multimillion-dollar contracts and has experience as an auditor.

Sheppard has three degrees, including a master’s degree in public affairs, commonly known as public administration.

In her job as Agency on Aging director, Sheppard said she has been very involved in the daily operations of the agency, from attending potlucks and myriad board meetings to working through a strategic planning process.

“I’ve spent many hours going over the budget, working with the finance department,” she continued. “I instigated a new way of reporting the budget, to be more transparent.”

Program development, keeping abreast of emerging information about the senior population and identifying gaps in service are other areas of the job that she said she has worked hard to address.

Sheppard also has worked closely with the county’s risk management team to address safety concerns at the leased building.

“I’m here because this is where I want to be, not where I have to be,” she said.

After there were no further motions to terminate Sheppard, Krueger said he respected the decision of the commission and pledged to “put my full effort behind AOA. I’ll give her 110 percent because that’s the way it works.”

Holmquist, too, voiced her support.

“I think there is some things I have to work on with Lisa,” she said. “It will be good for both of us to do that.”

Holmquist also acknowledged the need for a better facility for the agency, but said the county “is in a better place” because it doesn’t have “strings attached” to the project by applying for grants.

Sheppard said after the meeting she was “immensely grateful and humbled” by the outpouring of support from the senior community and thanked the commissioners for allowing her to continue on the job.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.