Write a commentDSS Lobby Opens Feb. 4 –
Restoration efforts at the Oswego County Department of Social Services (DSS) building, located at 100 Spring St., Mexico, are underway and offices are expected to re-open this week.
“Due to extremely cold temperatures, a 4” water pipe in the building ruptured and was discovered last Monday (Jan. 26),” said Oswego County Legislator Stephen M. Walpole, District 14, chairman of the Legislature’s Infrastructure, Facilities and Technology Committee. “Some areas of the building experienced flooding and other impacts, such as loss of heat.
“Mitigation began immediately to clear the water and related damage,” he continued. “That work is now complete and we can confirm the water was not contaminated and no mold or mildew was found. We are now in the restoration process to ensure our employees continue to have a safe, functional place to do the important work of serving our residents.”
Flooding impacted the first floor including the Medicaid, Integrated Services and Child Support areas. The loss of heat also affected these areas along with other parts of the building such as the Child Protective and Preventive services units on the second floor, leaving only a portion of the space available.
For the last week, DSS staff have maintained their regular schedules through a combination of remote work, alternate work sites and the in-house locations that were determined to be safe and fully operational.
“Throughout this difficult process, our staff have been nothing short of amazing – patient, flexible and professional – providing essential services both in-person and virtually,” said Oswego County DSS Commissioner Lee Sullivan. “As we begin the transition back into our building, they continue to stand at the ready to ensure public access to these services and support our most vulnerable community members.”
DSS will utilize a staggered return to normal operations to avoid downtime during the transition.
- Monday, Feb. 2: staff who were temporarily transitioned from the first floor to the second moved back to their regular work areas.
- Tuesday, Feb. 3: staff who were working at the County office building in Fulton will transition back to their regular work areas in the morning.
- Tuesday, Feb. 3: staff who were working at the Bunner Street building in Oswego will transition back to their regular works area in the afternoon.
- Wednesday, Feb. 4: staff who were working remotely will move back to their regular work areas and the lobby will open to the public.
“Those who need assistance or have questions should reach out to their usual point of contact,” Sullivan added. “We thank residents for their continued patience and understanding at this time.”
A follow-up deep cleaning will be conducted in the spring and additional restoration work to be completed includes the replacement of molding and trim as needed and painting in impacted areas.
Updates will be provided as needed and posted on the Oswego County website at https://www.oswegocountyny.gov/.
