County buys DSS building
By Donna Comella

After months of planning to move the Department of Social Services from downtown Lyons, county officials will buy the Water Street building for $1.025 million.

For 20 years, Wayne County has paid about $500,000 a year in lease payments and taxes. With the lease expiring in September 2007, the County Board of Supervisors made plans to vacate the building and move the department to the old Nursing Home. With costs at an unknown, that plan came to a halt in November.

The county was then looking at two options - extend the lease or buy the building.

Then on January 19, the owners of the building informed the board that there was a purchase offer in on the building. The county was down to one option and picked up on its 'Right of First Refusal.'

Lyons Supervisor Jim Fabino, an opponent to moving DSS from downtown, was the sole 'No' vote in buying the building. Savannah Supervisor Don Colvin was absent. From Fabino's comments prior to the vote, it appeared that the closed-door session to discuss the purchase, also contained discussion about eventually moving DSS from the building.

The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be held Thursday, February 22 at 9 a.m.

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