QUINCY, Fla. (WTXL) — Gadsden County seniors are voicing concerns after Laytoya Fryson, the longtime director of Elderly Affairs, was reassigned to a county department unrelated to her background in health services.
- Seniors say Fryson provided critical support, from healthcare information to food access and daily resources.
- County officials say the reassignment followed a financial review that was initiated after concerns by the clerk of court.
- Watch the video below to see why the seniors say the move will disrupt services and why they're calling for transparency and stability within the department.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Gadsden County seniors say they're feeling unsettled after learning that Laytoya Fryson has been moved out of her role as Director of Elderly Affairs.
I reached out to Fryson and she did not want to be on camera, but she told me she's held that position since October of 2022 and has a background in health management and healthcare administration.
But the county has now moved her to Roads and Bridges, a department she has no experience in.
One Gadsden County senior told me, "Ms. Latoya reaches out to all seniors. She doesn't just concentrate on the seniors that attend our center she reaches out to the community."
The county administrator tells us his decision came after the Clerk of Court sent a letter raising financial concerns surrounding Elderly Affairs.
An investigation was launched. But county officials say they won't discuss the findings until the December 16 meeting.
Reginald James, the interim county administrator, said, "At the December 2nd board meeting of the county commissioners, the board authorized interim County Attorney Louis J. Baptiste to conduct a formal investigation into reported improprieties within the Department of Elderly Affairs."
And while the county says services will continue, seniors say the timing and lack of transparency have left them feeling overlooked and unsure about the future.
One senior said, "And all of the works and the things that she has with the citizens and the seniors there at the center, there are projects and things for them in their household that she's been working on."
For many, Fryson was the person they could always call. And they're now asking the county to reconsider, or at least explain, why she's being moved out of a role they say she did well.
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