Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency officials provided few answers as to why they fired a popular cook at the Cook senior nutrition site, but made clear that the program’s survival depends on public support.

“If you boycott the program, it will be gone,” warned AEOA Executive Director Harlan Tardy.

No one wants to see that happen. The program, although underutilized by area seniors, fills a crucial need for the region’s aging population by serving healthy and nutritious meals at a deep discount. For seniors struggling to make ends meet or unable to cook for themselves any longer, the program is invaluable.

But just keeping the program running isn’t good enough. The best way to ensure the program’s vitality and longevity is for the AEOA to take steps to address the issues raised at Monday’s meeting in Cook.

Admittedly, some of those problems need to be tackled legislatively at either the state or federal level. When good intentions encounter ridiculous regulations, there’s bound to be friction. Although AEOA officials say they are also frustrated by arbitrary rules, they need to get the public more involved in the fight to bring more common sense to regulations.

The same is true when it comes to funding for the senior nutrition program, which has been static for decades. Seniors have done their part by paying more for discounted meals, but the state and federal government haven’t stepped up by helping the program keep pace with rising food prices and inflation. The AEOA should shine more attention on the lack of funding for the program and enlist the aid of lobbying groups such as the AARP to press for more dollars.

Even so, there are some problems that can be traced directly to the AEOA. Billing seniors for meals they never ate or charging more than they should be paying suggests shoddy bookkeeping. And although AEOA officials claim trivial issues such as the use of bar instead of liquid soap and making too much potato salad played no role in Sue Dickson’s dismissal, it’s hard to buy that argument when Dickson said she was docked a day’s pay for making too much potato salad.

Better communication with employees and the public would also benefit the AEOA. Many seniors may not be aware of the senior nutrition program. Although the AEOA doesn’t have the budget to advertise, it could send out press releases on a regular basis to alert seniors to the program or changes in the program. Information placed in church bulletins, at medical facilities and on public bulletin boards could also help spread the word. Another option would be to find a corporate sponsor who would be willing to pay for a small ad each week in local publications to keep the program more visible.

And although the AEOA can’t air its concerns with Dickson’s work in public, their insistence that she will not be rehired seems unduly harsh. She served as cook for the site for nine years, was popular with seniors, and never failed a health inspection. AEOA should not rule out the option of her return to the post. Why not try to work things out privately?

In the meantime, however, we don’t want dissatisfaction with how the matter has been handled by AEOA to overshadow the program’s benefits to seniors. It also shouldn’t reflect on seniors’ judgment of new cook Melissa Snidarich. She deserves the opportunity to succeed in her new post.

The AEOA’s willingness to listen to residents on Monday was a good first step, but agency officials need to do more to mend fences and rebuild public support for the program. The success of the program relies on the public, but that doesn’t absolve the AEOA of its responsibility to help inform and educate people about the importance of the program and address legitimate concerns about how it is being run.