Social Services director sworn in

The Nelson County Department of Social Services swore in a new director last week after almost six months of searching.

Michael Kohl, of Grottoes, is replacing Thomas Conner, who retired in May. Kohl previously was the supervisor of Child Protective Services at Shenandoah Valley Social Services and before that worked as a social worker at the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Department of Social Services.

“I am always looking for a challenge,” Kohl said. “I have been a supervisor for some time and this is just the next logical step.”

Kohl said that working next door in Augusta County gave him contact with people in Nelson County and helped to prepare him for the position.

“I knew the good things that were going on here,” he said. “I had been over to the court system before and had been in Nelson County before with some of my staff and really enjoyed the area.”

Kohl said he spent his first few days meeting with staff and community members and finding out how the agency operates.

“I really enjoy working with the staff here at this agency,” he said. “I thought it would be a great, great challenge and great change for me and so far it has.”

Kohl said the biggest challenge facing him and the Nelson Department of Social Services now are the tough economic times and budget cuts that every state agency is facing.

“The budget is being cut over and over again at the state level and those budget cuts are being passed on to local governments,” he said. “The challenge over the next year, two years, three years is going to be doing and having the same quality of services that we have been doing and continue to do, with less money.”

Kohl said that even with the budget cuts, his goal is to always provide “the best benefits and services to the community of Nelson County.”

“However that is accomplished the most efficiently and the best that we can do is what I’m looking at,” he said. “I think the staff here is very committed to continuing service at a high level to the community even though we’re struggling with budgetary issues.”

“That’s just the name of the game now.”

Kohl said his favorite thing about Nelson County, after only being at the job for a week, has been the people.

“The people have just been so extremely friendly, open and welcoming to me,” he said. “Not to mention that (Nelson County) is quite

beautiful.”