Mold in DHS office forces staff relocation

By Rupert Howell
Sixteen Panola County Department of Human Services employees have been displaced and moved to other locations since Thursday following testing that indicated dangerous mold in their office building located on East Lee Street in Sardis.
County DHS Director Patsy Kilpatrick told supervisors Monday that the mold was noticed while moving file cabinets and her office contacted county officials. County Administrator Kate Victor had the building inspected and by Thursday afternoon employees were being moved to the Tate County DHS office and to the Batesville-Panola Incubator Building in the Harmon Industrial Complex near the power plant.
Kilpatrick indicated that work continues for the approximate 200 clients per month who maycome through the offices in the Tate County and Batesville location.
Some interviewing for economic assistance such as Suplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) can be done on the telephone although documents must either be mailed or brought by the offices.
The current address is Panola Co. DHS, 275 Nosef Dr., Batesville and the new P.O. Box is  1461, Batesville, 38606.
Telephone numbers have changed and are in the process of being installed. They are (all 662 prefixes) 563-6292 and 563-6296. The Senatobia office phone number can also be used at 562-4478 as well as can the FAX machine located there at 562-7222.
Supervisor Board President Cole Flint said several ideas of where to locate the office both temporarily and permanently were discussed after the mold was found.
Panola Partnership Director Joe Azar, who attended Monday’s meeting, said DHS could have use of that Enterprise facility for up to 18 months at no charge.
Road Manager Lygunnah Bean, who is familiar with the building, advised supervisors that many office spaces could be put in the building, “With just a little bit of carpenter work.”