County to relocate Social Services
By Donna Comella

Although several suggested that moving the County's Department of Social Services would have a significant impact on the Village of Lyons' economy, a plan to move the offices will begin.

When the Board of Supervisors met Tuesday, Lyons Mayor Corrine Kleisle, Wayne County Treasurer Tom Warnick, Lyons Supervisor Jim Fabino, DSS Director Josh McCrossen and County Planning Director Sharon Lilla all spoke against moving the DSS to the former County Nursing Home on Route 31 near Nye Road.

For nearly 20 years, the county has leased a 40,000 square-foot building at 77 Water Street in Lyons. The old nursing home has 114,000 square feet of available space.

Mayor Kleisle said that moving the facility would have a 'severe impact' on the village's downtown economy. Lilla agreed, saying that supervisors should consider itself an industry and that moving some of that industry would effect downtown Lyons.

Interim County Administrator Keith Kubasik told county officials, 'We've paid for 20 years for this building, and we don't own anything.' According to Kubasik, the county pays about $368,000 a year in lease payments and another $130,000 in taxes. That $500,000 a year 'will go away' said Kubasik. 'We've talked about this for two years and we need a decision within 30 days.'

The county's lease ends in September 2007. The Water Street building has had a 'For Sale' sign on it for several weeks and has a price tag of $1.1 million, according to McCrossen. He told supervisors that he has 'conservative' estimates that his department's annual operational costs could increase $150,000 to $200,000 if it is moved, although he gave no specifics. He advised the board that they may need additional information before they made a decision.

Arcadia Supervisor Joe DeSanto addressed the board, telling them that consolidating county offices near the Nye Road complex would save taxpayer dollars. 'It's not the county's job to take care of Lyons. It's Lyons' job to take care of Lyons.' Butler Supervisor Dave Spickerman stood to say that he had been 'on the fence for quite some time' on the issue, but that he now believed that 'consolidation is the way to go.' Only 3 supervisors voted against the move: Fabino, Don Colvin (Savannah) and Leo Jenkins (Galen).

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