The county plans to allow Rutherford Life Services to use a rear building at the former Carolina Classical School facility to house an adult day care center. The county is purchasing the former school to house the adult day care facility and the Meeting Place Senior Center, which will move out of the Jervey Palmer building on Carolina Drive in Tryon.

The county has cut about $50,000 from original estimates from the adult day care project and is using $106,417 to begin some renovations while fundraising is being done. The funds the county will use are from savings from other projects, state sales tax refunds from capital projects and interest on fund balance money. The funding for the adult day care will not come out of the county&squo;s general fund, commissioners said.

Commissioners approved Monday a contract with Hayes Backhoe Service to widen the existing road, add a new road section and parking, fill and add a gravel base to the road, estimated at $36,000. They also approved other upgrades such as a new canopy and ridge vent on the building ($22,490), exterior concrete and fence work ($3,000), and outside work for a new sprinkler system that includes a tap ($7,800), water line and hydrant ($8,200) and a meter pit ($15,420).

&dquo;Right now I&squo;m so proud of you folks,&dquo; said Margaret Kell who has worked with the department of social services adults beginning in 2001. &dquo;Thank you for all your hard work.&dquo;

Kell said in 2007 about 100 people in Polk County were in need of an adult day care facility and local doctors then anticipated another 200 would be in need in a few years.

Commissioners discussed what all it has taken to get the adult day care project off the ground, including many talks with contractors and architects to get the prices of the project to a feasible level.

Polk County is now searching for grants and fundraising from the community to get the project completed as soon as possible. Donations can be sent to Polk County Government, P.O. Box 308, Columbus, N.C. 28722, attention Pam Doty, Meeting Place Director. Checks can be made payable to the Polk County Council on Aging with &dquo;adult day care&dquo; written in the subject line.