By Ken de la Bastide
After at least two decades of operating in a cramped office in the Howard County Government Center, the Veterans Services office will relocate next month to the county Administration Center.
The space became available earlier this year after Key Bank renegotiated its lease with Howard County for a smaller space on the first floor of the Administration Center.
A goal of the county commissioners has been to make a more useable area available to Veterans Services that would be more accessible to the county’s veterans.
Selma Bliss, administrative assistant, said the move means there will be two individual offices that will provide privacy when veterans are discussing their private information.
“There will be space to work with veterans and there will be a small waiting room,” Bliss said. “Now the waiting room is in the hallway.”
She said the main advantages of the move is the privacy for veterans and the location on the first floor of the Administration Center, which will be more easily accessible for veterans.
“We’re counting down the days,” Bliss said.
A familiar sight in the window of the Veterans Services office along North Union Street is an American Flag curtain.
Bliss said the curtain was made by the wife of a veteran and will be moved to the new location to be displayed in an office window at the Administration Center.
Scott Reed, supervisor of the county maintenance department, said the hope is to complete the remodeling work by April 15. He said the work includes installation of some doors and trim along with electric, computer and telephone lines.
Most of the work was done by the maintenance department except for the telephone lines and installation of the doors. Reed said the cost to remodel the space is approximately $6,000.
The maintenance department and sheriff department inmate work crew will assist with the actual move of the Veterans Services office to the new location.
Reed said Veterans Services will use an estimated one-third of the available space on the ground floor of the Administration Center.
“It’s a good move for the veterans,” he said.
Commissioner Bill Thompson said before the move takes place, the Veterans Services office will be provided with enough time to reschedule appointments.
“At this point it is the only office moving to the Administration Center,” he said. “The main thing is the office will have the appropriate space. It will be a more veteran friendly facility.”
