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Wilkes County sets March 5 public hearing on proposal to convert new county office building into DSS facility
Summary
The Board of Commissioners set a public hearing for March 5, 2026, after a presentation from the county's design-build team on converting the under-construction County Office Building into a Department of Social Services facility. The packet included a $3,875,931 change-scope estimate (no contingency) and options to convert floors 1—3 or include the basement; commissioners pressed for funding and contract clarity.
The Wilkes County Board of Commissioners voted to hold a public hearing on March 5, 2026, to consider converting the new County Office Building into a Department of Social Services (DSS) facility.
Kris Little, project manager for Vannoy Construction, and Maggie Carnevale, lead designer with LSP3, presented a schematic design package and subcontractor pricing for changing the interior scope. Little said the full scope presented for conversion (excluding a contingency allowance) totaled $3,875,931. He described two options: renovate floors one through three and leave the basement as a cold dark shell, or include the basement as part of the conversion.
Commissioners asked about staffing and future expansion. Kevin Brown, DSS director, said the proposed design "can accommodate all that was asked for with the DSS staff and visitors in the building" and estimated room for "ten to fifteen more staff" under current plans, with potential growth over decades depending on state and federal program changes. Little said subcontractors were asked to hold pricing for roughly 30 days to allow the board time to decide: "they could make a decision and they instructed the subs to hold for 30 days in this pricing."
Chairman Hardin C. Kennedy described funding questions the board wants answered before a final decision. He referenced a previously discussed guaranteed-maximum-price of about $22 million for the overall project and said the board needs clarity on how converting part or all of the building would affect county finances and the long-term payback scenario. DSS Director Brown cautioned that state reimbursement history has been about 47% but there is "no guarantee" that past reimbursement levels will continue or be contractually guaranteed.
The hearing will be held at 5:00 p.m. on March 5 at the County Office Building, followed immediately by the board's regular meeting. The hearing provides a formal opportunity for public comment on the proposed change in use; the board asked staff to publish notice and collect public input before taking any contract-level action.
