To open a just-completed facility that is actually two buildings in one, the Warren County Board of County Commissioners held a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for new Warren County Social Services Agency offices, then headed to the other side of the structure to cut the ribbon at the front door to the new home of Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Warren County.

The new building at 3 Shotwell Drive just off Route 519 in White Township joins a growing complex of County government facilities, next to the existing Human Services building and the Richard D. Gardner Branch of the Warren County Library that opened in April 2013. Nearby are the main garage of the County Road and Bridge divisions, the Warren County Correctional Center, and the Wayne Dumont, Jr. Administration Building. Staff will be moving into the new facility in the coming weeks.

Joined by representatives of the project team and some municipal officials, Commissioner Director James R. Kern III and Commissioners Jason J. Sarnoski and Lori Ciesla wielded oversized scissors to snip red ribbons that adorned the entrances to the building.

Kern noted that the COVID pandemic showed the increased demand for human services programs and the need for more space to provide those services.

Saying “It really took a team to make this happen,” Kern saluted the project team: Warren County Administrator Alex J. Lazorisak; Public Works Director Emily A. Hammer; architect Raymond E. O’Brien; Finelli Consulting Engineers; Settembrino Architects, Construction Manager; and De Sapio Construction, Inc., General Contractor, who “did an absolutely beautiful job on this building.”

The Commissioners stressed that the project was accomplished through the County’s long-standing “pay as you go” policy, without borrowing money and spending on interest payments.

Warren County “has a history of doing the right projects for the right reasons with the right people,” Sarnoski said. “When we build, we build with a purpose” and not to expand government but to consolidate, which results in lower operating costs, he explained.

Sarnoski noted the building includes secure entrances for the public and for employees, and is set up to enable safe interaction. Meanwhile, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Warren County will be moving to “fresh, bright offices” for serving youth involved in 4-H programs and to provide services to farmers and other residents, Sarnoski said.

Ciesla pointed out that once again, Warren County is able to construct a new facility without incurring any debt. “It helps us help our residents with whatever they need,” Ciesla said. “I can’t wait for you all to see it,” she added, noting a tour of the building would follow the ribbon-cutting.

The new building is approximately 10,000 square feet, designed for operational efficiency and energy conservation, with state-of-the-art technology to provide program access, safety and security.

The Warren County Social Services Agency side of the building will be used for Intake and Client Services for programs administered by the Warren County Department of Human Services, as a point of public service and in-person interface for all social services resources. Programs provided include temporary cash assistance and other support services through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program for families and General Assistance (GA) for single adults and couples without children; homelessness assistance and prevention; the NJ SNAP food assistance program that helps low-income individuals and families buy the groceries needed to eat healthy; the New Jersey Child Support Program; and Medicaid programs, including NJ FamilyCare and NJ FamilyCare Aged, Blind, Disabled Programs.

Meanwhile, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Warren County helps the diverse population of New Jersey adapt to a rapidly changing society and improve their lives and communities through an educational process that uses science-based knowledge. The office provides research-based information to county residents in the areas of:

•           4-H Youth Development

•           Agriculture and Resource Management

•           Family and Community Health Sciences

Programs are delivered in a variety of modes including: classes and conferences, telephone and in person consultations, newspaper columns, fairs and clubs, field meetings and demonstrations, newsletters, fact sheets, exhibits and displays, and websites.