Norwich — A century of knowledge of the city's working poor families, troubled youths, struggling neighborhoods and complex state laws walked out the door of Norwich Human Services Thursday.

Caseworker Mary Bartlett retired Thursday after 28 years in the department. Colleague Matthew Hinchey joined her after 38 years as a Norwich caseworker. And Kay Eyberse, the agency's clinical youth services coordinator, retired with 35 years of experience.

Budget cuts by the City Council on June 6 cut Norwich Human Services from three to one caseworker handling adult and family services cases. Seven-year veteran caseworker Hallie Axtell will remain, with Norwich Human Services Director Lee Ann Gomes helping when possible. But Gomes also was assigned to oversee the city Recreation Department, without a director for 2½ years.

“It just hit me,” Gomes said Wednesday as the three retirees sat in her office to discuss their careers. “The wealth of knowledge, the institutional history, the compassion, the vision, the heart of this agency will be leaving with them. They will be greatly missed by not only the staff, but by the people they serve.”

The budget cuts this spring will force a structural change in the Norwich Human Services Department that soon could include a move from its longtime home in the original Otis Library to City Hall.

The bigger changes will come within the department, as it cuts back or eliminates some programs for which it has gained statewide attention for excellence, Gomes said.

Norwich Human Services no longer will handle fuel assistance for Norwich residents facing utility shutoff or empty oil tanks. The department processed $70,000 in fuel assistance applications through Operation Fuel in 2015-16, plus many more for oil tank fill-ups in Project Warmup, Gomes said.

"It's always a crisis when people's lights are shut off,” Gomes said. “We're hoping some other agencies come and pick that up. But I'll tell you, nobody knows the utility laws like we do.”

One tenant recently had her water service shut off and was unaware that lack of water in an apartment meant condemnation, meaning her landlord also faced the state-mandated $4,000 relocation lien if the apartment was shuttered, even though the tenant pays the water bill.

“She called me, and I was able to have her landlord pay the $200 water bill to avoid paying the $4,000 relocation bill, and the tenant will pay him back,” Gomes said. “It's one thing not to have water but another to be told you have to leave your apartment.”

Norwich Human Services already has stopped homeless intake assessments, a service that has led the region in the transition from placing people in shelters to so-called “rapid rehousing” into permanent homes as soon as possible.

Norwich caseworkers would take a person's information and work on solutions: Could the person stay with a friend or family temporarily? Is there family out-of-state that could be reached with bus ticket fare? Does the person have income to rent a room or share an apartment? Through rapid rehousing, Norwich was able to eliminate its former winter overnight shelter and use that grant money for such things as bus tickets, security deposit or an emergency rent payment.

Now, Norwich homeless people will be directed to call state Infoline 211 to be referred to the regional shelter in New London for an intake evaluation.

Last Wednesday, a 76-year-old man who had been sleeping in his car for two days went to Norwich Human Services office.

“We got him somewhere safe,” Gomes said Thursday. “I just got off the phone with someone to get him to see a one-bedroom apartment. The nature of our job as an adult and family service was to be the place to go for people in crisis. We need to rethink our services. We can't handle the crises anymore.”

In an unsuccessful effort to stave off the budget, Gomes presented the City Council with a four-page list of clients served during the week of May 23 to 27. Of the 185 people, 55 sought utilities or fuel assistance, 33 housing or rental assistance, 15 were homeless, 11 came for job assistance and one sought help with burial costs.

Gomes said she will seek help from other agencies, but she is not hopeful. The Community Care Team, a multi-agency effort that works to solve crisis situations, has lost four members to layoffs or program changes at agencies such as the state Judicial Department, the Thames Valley Council for Community Action and the Southeast Mental Health Authority.

“Several agencies have put a hold on taking new clients, because of budget cuts,” Gomes said. “We're trying to maintain that safety net and not backslide.”

c.bessette@theday.com