THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 21, 1994 TAG: 9410210642
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CAMDEN LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
The director of the Camden County Department of Social Services has resigned to accept a more lucrative job with a similar Guilford County agency.
John Pleasant, who has directed the agency since July 1993, said Thursday his departure was not influenced by a building proposal that has run into some opposition.
``My decision to leave this agency has purely to do with money and compensation,'' Pleasant said in a telephone interview. ``I'll be able to make more money at Guilford County. The timing is coincidental.
``My departure has absolutely nothing to do with the building situation.''
Pleasant tendered his resignation Wednesday morning, just a couple of days after speaking to the Camden Board of Commissioners about the dire need to bring the county's social services building up to state codes.
A May 1993 state inspection of office space and facilities indicated the current building at the courthouse complex does not comply with Division of Social Services standards set in 1988.
Among its findings:
The staff lacks a private area to interview clients, forcing people to divulge personal matters in front of others and to have their data on a computer screen that anyone can read.
There is no space to accommodate visitors on social service business.
There are not enough telephone lines to handle calls and conduct business.
The lighting in work spaces is poorand electrical system problems are common.
When someone vacuums the floor, for example, another worker regularly flips a breaker switch to complete the cleaning.
A trailer attached to the main building lacks adequate cooling and heating systems.
Restroom facilities are not cleaned on a regular basis.
A public hearing was held Monday to discuss plans to build a $860,000 social services building and courtroom addition.
A couple of citizens spoke against the project, saying renovation of the existing two-story building would be a better move. A school official also suggested that $350,000 now earmarked for the project could be shared with a new school project.
``We also had a lot of people who spoke out in favor of it,'' said John Smith, Camden's county manager.
The remainder of money needed to build the one-story, 4,990-square-foot brick building and a larger courtroom addition would come from a bank loan to be repaid through the county's sales tax, Smith said.
A $100,000 grant to build an elevator is also being considered. Property taxes would not be affected by the building costs, he added.
On Thursday, Pleasant again stressed the urgency of the matter.
Failure to fix some of the current facility problems could result in the state withholding money used to administer income-maintenance programs.
``That means Camden County will face a levy by the state of at least $100,000 in federal and state monies for being out of compliance,'' he said.
The county, which contributes 10 percent of the agency's $3.8 million budget, would have to make up for the shortfall, Pleasant said.
The Camden County Department of Social Services provides public assistance programs to about 15.3 percent of the county's 6,000 residents.
These programs include Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Medicaid and food stamps. It also investigates child abuse cases and assists in adoptions and children placed in foster care.
Pleasant's resignation will take effect Nov. 2.
``I think Camden County was very fortunate to have someone like Mr. Pleasant,'' Smith said. ``He's one of those people who's very organized, and he makes sure to cross his t's and dot his i's...I think he'll be greatly missed.'' by CNB