Polk County Commissioner Ray Gasperson said the new facility should serve the county for many years to come. Gasperson gave special thanks to Cecil Cannon, who served as project manager during the construction.
Commissioner and social services board vice-chair Renée McDermott recognized the social services board and thanked Polk County Manager Ryan Whitson and the DSS staff for their support. She also thanked Greene for lending his name for the building.
“(Greene) is not only a war hero, but a community hero,” McDermott said.
McDermott said she told social service board chair Frances Parker when she was first on the board that commissioners would replace the DSS building. She said Parker responded that the county has been saying that for 10 years.
“Well, we did it,” McDermott said.
McDermott also said it was Parker who once said if the county had a dollar for every pancake Greene has flipped for fundraising, the county could have paid for the new building in cash.
The new building is located off Wolverine Trail in Mill Spring on the county’s recreation complex and middle school property. The building cost approximately $2 million and houses human services. The Polk County DSS provides services including child and adult protective services, adoption and foster care services, child day care subsidy, rest home licensing and monitoring, guardianship, health support services, home/intermediate care/skilled nursing care placements and adult care home case management.
DSS also issues work permits, fishing licenses and voter registration. Other services in the building include vocational rehabilitation, the department of employment services, services for the blind, Section 8 services, juvenile justice, the Western Carolina Community Action and child support.