Local News - January 2004

County’s DSS building dedicated

All services now under one roof

By SARAH GRANO, Staff Writer

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Community members, government officials and staff celebrated the opening of the Department of Social Services’ new building during a formal dedication on Sunday.

“This serves the needs of so many people,” said Ola Mae Foster, a former member of the Board of Social Services.

“Sometimes when you’re down and out, you can just go into a facility like this, and it lifts your spirits.”

The $3 million building now has all sections of the DSS under one roof.

By rehabilitating an old building, rather than building a new one from scratch, the county saved around $1 million said Stan Kiser, Lincoln County manager.

The building sat vacant on main street for years prior to becoming the DSS.

“It was a terrible looking site,” said Jerry Cochrane, chairman of the Board of Commissioners.

“It was really an eyesore, a degradation to this area of Lincolnton, but look at it now. What a transformation.”

DSS staff and clients have enjoyed the new bright and spacious new building. Before moving into it, they had to travel between buildings, which annoyed many clients.

“It was a lot of running around and possible inconvenience for them,” said Jennifer Sigmon, supervisor for income maintenance.

“Since the new building has opened, I’ve not heard a negative word about it from anyone.”

The new building has been such a success that representatives from Jackson County plan on touring it before building their own DSS building, said Susan McCracken, director of DSS.

Throughout the dedication ceremony, officials thanked the building’s architect Dennis Williams, a Lincolnton resident.

Williams spent time interviewing DSS supervisors and observing how the staff worked before designing the building.

He said the finished product was exactly what he pictured.

“When I get the ideas to gel, I know exactly what its going to look like before anything is done,” Williams said.

Although there was talk of the money spent and saved on the new building, the greater purpose of DSS was not forgotten.

“Quality of life goes above and beyond just taxes and sheer dollars,” Kiser said.

“You can’t really find a return investment on turning a child’s life around or helping the elderly or providing food for someone who doesn’t have it.”

Many believe the new building has helped staff do their job more efficiently.

Staff members have not lost site of the intimidating job they have to do.

“We understand very well that there is poverty in the community,” McCracken said. “We want to be here to address that need and to help eliminate it as best we can.”

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Staff Writer Sarah Grano can be reached at 704-735-3031 or sgrano@ltnews.com

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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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