The Board of Supervisors voted to authorize the award and execution of an owner contract for construction of a new Nelson County Department of Social Services (DSS) building to Coleman Adams, in an amount not to exceed $5,684,799. County staff said the authorization allows staff to finalize the agreement with the county attorney and to issue a notice to proceed after required bonds and insurance are on file.
County staff also recommended and the board approved a purchase order for furniture through Image Business Interiors in an amount not to exceed $305,191.84; staff said the furniture total fits within the $330,000 allocation in the project budget and will be procured through a public‑sector cooperative.
Meanwhile, the meeting included a presentation on DSS operations and a public comment by Edith Napier (who identified herself as chairperson of the Nelson County Department of Social Services), thanking the board for pursuing a suitable facility and noting ongoing staffing and communication challenges. Separately, a speaker providing statewide child‑welfare statistics said referrals to investigations in Nelson had declined; he warned the board the decline in investigations warranted attention. He summarized statewide data showing fewer investigations had been completed from 2020 through 2024 and told the board “to have no investigations… is trouble.”
Why it matters: The board’s construction authorization moves forward a multi‑million‑dollar capital project meant to provide a permanent facility for DSS programs that staff said were temporarily housed more than the five years planned. The procurement and furniture approvals are normal steps to ready the new building; however, oversight and service‑delivery issues discussed during the meeting underscore operational challenges the agency is addressing.
Next steps: Staff will finalize and execute the owner contract, obtain required bonds and insurance, and issue a notice to proceed. County‑led corrective action processes and state reviews of DSS practices will continue as staff and regional reviewers work to improve case documentation and backlog clearance.