Saturday, October 21, 2006

Extension office is moving to accommodate clients

Argen Duncan El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

Socorro County Cooperative Extension personnel anticipate having better abilities to serve clients after the office's planned move in November.

The extension service and other county agencies are moving into the old Bureau of Land Management building at 198 Neel Ave., which Socorro County secured with state legislative appropriations.

Extension agent Tom Dean said Socorro County commissioners had listened to the office's request for more space and a classroom.

"And we, the extension office as a whole, feel this is going to be wonderful for us because it's going to give us a place to bring our clientele in, a front door for information," he said.

Agents will be able to supply better services, he continued.

The extension area, which will not be much larger than the current space, is to have an open floor plan with three cubicle offices, a secretary near the front door and one classroom. Tom Dean said personnel would be able to put computers in the classroom for clientele to use for distance learning and other education.

Extension 4-H agent Teresa Dean said having portable walls would be different.

"If we go in with a positive attitude, we'll be fine," she said. "We're happy to finally have a classroom for our 4-H kids."

The classroom will give them a place to go instead of crowding into someone's office, she said.

In the future, Tom Dean hopes to bring Master Gardeners into the new office and have a hotline to better handle horticulture calls. He also would like to give pesticide applicator license exams for private individuals at the office, better serving the agriculture community.

"We think we're going to be able to set up in that building to run more efficiently as an office, so we don't have office personnel stepping on one another trying to get programs done," he said.

He would like to be operating out of the new building by the beginning of November. However, because of waiting for the county to finalize preparations, he expects a move-in date later in November.

"The move would probably spark some enthusiasm in the office, and hopefully the community," Tom Dean said. "And we would welcome anybody to come into our new location and find out what we're all about."

aduncan@dchieftain.com

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