Senior Center to get OK for $1.25 million
By Steve Herring
Published in News on March 19, 2012 1:46 PM
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This is a rendering of how the new Wayne County Senior Center will look. Wayne County commissioners will be asked to approve a $1.25 million budget ordinance Tuesday that would allow the project to begin.
Approval of a $1.25 million budget ordinance that would allow work to begin on the county's new Senior Center will be before Wayne County commissioners when they meet Tuesday.
Commissioners last month approved a $1.2 million contract for the new Senior Center with the design-build team of Daniels and Daniels Construction of Goldsboro and Dunn and Dalton Architects of Kinston.
The center, that will be housed in the former Sportsman's World building, is expected to be completed before fall.
Design-build is a team approach that includes the architect/engineer and contractor working together on a project from design to construction.
The county purchased the old Sportsman's World building and two outlying buildings last May for about $1.5 million.
The new center will replace the older, cramped facilities at the current downtown center.
It will have an airlock-type door designed to keep out cold air, a large dining area, plenty of restrooms, a kitchen, an arts and crafts room and an exercise area as well as enclosed outside areas.
It also includes a number of offices that can be utilized by agencies that offer programs to assist senior citizens.
Commissioners also will hold a public hearing at 9:15 a.m. on the requirements of the North Carolina Community Development Block Grant program.
Wayne County intends to apply for $400,000 in grant assistance under the Scattered Site Housing category. The application has to be submitted to the North Carolina Division of Community Investment and Assistance on or before March 30.
Local residents are encouraged to offer suggestions concerning the following proposed housing activities: Housing rehabilitation, reconstruction, acquisition, clearance and relocation assistance. The activities will be undertaken at scattered sites throughout the county.
In other business, the board will consider approval for the patient fees, eligibility and bad debt write-off policy for the Wayne County Health Department and proclamations for Intellectual and Development Disabilities Awareness Month and Girl Scout Week in Wayne County.
Tuesday's meeting gets under way with an agenda briefing at 8 a.m. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the county courthouse annex, 224 E. Walnut St.