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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-13-2007-5gORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 13, 2007 Action Agenda Item No. Gj SUBJECT: Request for Social Services to Use Facility on Valley Forge Road DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Coston, 245-2802 Pam Jones, 245-2650 PURPOSE: To consider authorizing the use of a building on Valley Forge Road, previously the site of Orange Enterprises, for use as DSS program space; and to authorize the Manager to retain architectural services necessary for the upfit. BACKGROUND: In November 2006, the Board received information regarding space needs in County departments and how those needs might be fulfilled. While needs were addressed for most County departments, there was an obvious gap in how needs of the human services departments housed in the Whiffed Building might be met. In January 2007, the Manager provided the Board an update and recommendations regarding the implementation of the plan. This update included a recommendation that the Valley Forge Road building previously occupied by Orange Enterprises be reallocated for use as programming space for the Department of Social Services. This project is being brought to the Board's attention at this.' time in order to meet a June 30, 2007 deadline to draw down DSS funds that are available to help offset upfit costs. As reflected in a memorandum provided as part of the January 2007 update, Social Services Director Nancy Coston indicated the Department would use the building as a training center for Work First clients as well as utilize the space to relieve some of the immediate crowding at both the Whiffed Building and the Southern Human Services Center. Use of this property could provide some immediate relief for the Work First program and would also provide space for some of the client meetings that are conducted by staff in both the Chapel Hill and Hillsborough offices. The Department of Social Services envisions creating. some offices as well as classrooms and meetings spaces at this site. The Department would create office space for eight permanent and ten temporary staff working on the Work First program. Additional space would be made available to staff from Chapel Hill who could then conduct some of their interviews in Hillsborough. There would be at least one meeting room developed that could be used as the Work First. classroom. Other purposes for the facility would include child welfare team meetings, independent living meetings for older foster children, group sessions for adolescent parents, group training for potential foster and adoptive parents, and group training for parents in child protective service cases. The agency would also like to have one room large enough to provide training for all the staff located in Hillsborough. This design would allow the DSS staff to have some relief at the Whitted Building and would also allow for some of the functions at Southern Human Services to occur there. Rooms for serving clients and for any meetings have become problematic at all sites. During space study discussions regarding the use of this building, the Board expressed interest in accommodating the KidsCope program at the site, assuming it was required to vacate the existing space at Central Elementary School. It is staff's understanding that the issue under discussion between the Orange County Schools (OCS) Board of Education and the KidsCope program is centered on fiscal responsibility for the space, rather than whether the space will remain available to the program. Staff has requested and been told that the County will receive additional information regarding OCS's discussions concerning KidsCope. Review of the DSS space needs leads to management's recommendation that the DSS space requirements are sufficiently urgent to warrant use of the Valley Forge site and is the better use far the building. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Social Services currently has pilot funds available through June 30, 2007 that could help with the furnishing of the Work First office space. The agency can also receive reimbursement of part of any renovation costs through administrative procedures. In order for Social Services to utilize some of these existing funds, it is important that the project move forward. Therefore Social Services requests to use existing funds within its budget to hire an architect to design the space and to develop plans for the renovation of the site. The cost for the design phase will be provided through funds already available in the Social Services budget. Depending on the recommendations and on the planned use of the building, Social Services will be able to use some existing funds to help with the costs of the actual renovations. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board authorize the use of the building for DSS programs as outlined above; and authorize the Manager to sign a contract for architectural services with a firm that will be selected following a short selection process.