Butler County officials are expressing solid confidence in Beth Herold’s ability to excel in the growing challenges facing the county’s Area Agency on Aging.

That confidence seems well-placed. Herold’s experience working with the elderly and the responsibilities she has shouldered in a fiscal management role make her ideally suited for her new position.

Herold, of Butler Township, who will assume her new position on Oct. 24, currently is manager of the private duty division of the Visiting Nurses Association in Butler. Previously, she, as an employee of Butler Memorial Hospital, served as coordinator of the Community Health Network.

In the view of county officials, Herold’s qualifications stood out among the 26 applicants for the job, 12 of whom were granted interviews.

County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton was correct in stressing the importance of having the right person in the position.

The county’s elderly population continues to grow at a time of shrinking federal and state funding.

That money issue will require that Herold use all of her managerial skills to make available funds stretch as far as possible, while providing exemplary service to those whom the agency serves.

Meanwhile, the agency already is in the process of an overall reorganization of staffing and functions.

Herold’s hiring at this time will enable her to have important input in that reorganization before all aspects of it are finalized.

“This is a good balance,” said Carmine Scotece, director of county human services, commenting on Herold’s experience working with the elderly and her adeptness in money matters.

“It was the consensus that (Herold) would be a perfect fit for the job,” said Commissioner Jim Lokhaiser, who serves as the agency’s liaison.

It’s clear that this appointment was made on the basis of Herold’s ability to keep the agency running smoothly and efficiently and avoid some of the problems associated with it in the past, such as failure to provide reports to the state in a timely way.

Herold’s hiring should be regarded as a positive new start for this important agency, whose responsibilities, all considered, are only destined to grow.