Small Town News

Changing courthouse hours before commissioners

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The hours of operation at the county courthouse may change for the first time in a long time if a request made by the employee committee is granted by county commissioners.

DeDe Boyd of the treasurer's staff spoke with commissioners Monday as part of the county employee committee. She was accompanied by committee member Kathrine Shade and County Treasurer Mary Underwood.

Boyd said changing the courthouse hours to close at 4:30 instead of 6:30 p.m. on Mondays would save the county money in several ways. She said the treasurer's office had kept track of activity after 4:30 on the last three months of Mondays and found only an average of four to six titles were worked on from that point until 6:30, when the courthouse closes. She said any other business in the office could be done either electronically or through mail and wouldn't need to be done in person at the courthouse.

Boyd also pointed out the state treasurer's office closes at 5 p.m., so isn't available for reference by the county on problem cases. She said the county is the only one in the state that is open late on Mondays, and the state treasurer's office must run a special process just for Jefferson County to account for the business done after 5 p.m. each Monday.

Underwood said last-minute customers have cost the county in overtime costs to the tune of $2,700 last year and $2,000 already this year. She said a main concern of keeping the office open late on Mondays are road conditions during winter weather events, when traffic coming into the office is very little, anyway.

Underwood asked if the treasurer's office could be closed at 4 p.m. before the courthouse closes at 4:30 p.m., which would allow the staff to handle last-minute patrons without going into overtime pay.

Eloise Tichenor, planning and zoning director, said she felt the late hours on Monday were a convenience to the taxpayers that many appreciate. She said she feels the hours are a "nice service" to the public. Delia Heston, register of deeds, also spoke in support of the hours. She said she wouldn't be affected either way if the hours are changed or not, but felt the later hours gave the public more access. County Clerk Linda Buttron said she had no preference on the matter. Chris Schmeissner, geographic information systems and information technology director, also spoke in support of keeping the current hours.

Commissioner Richard Malm asked if Underwood could stagger her staff time to allow for no overtime for last-minute patrons at the office She said there was really no way to do so.

Malm asked that the courthouse offices keep track of their traffic after 4:30 p.m. on Mondays to see how much the public makes use of the later time. He said after an unspecified amount of time the issue could be revisited to see if a change should be made. He asked that Boyd spread the word through the employee committee.

The county has had late Monday hours since at least the early 1990s.

In other business Monday, the commission:

Reviewed and approved vouchers, signed tax change orders, a purchase card request and shared sick leave requests and donations.

Heard an update from Francis Hubbard, road and bridge director. Hubbard updated the commission on departmental activity.

Approved hiring for two positions in the sheriffs department. A deputy position had been advertised prior to the hiring freeze put in place by the commission, while a correctional officer spot will be filled by moving a part-time officer to full-time. Herrig said the jail as of Monday housed 51 inmates, which brought the immediate need for more help.

Heard an update from Tichenor. She reported on the recent county forum on flood insurance rate map changes. She said 45 attended the forum.

Granted the Grantville United Methodist Church a special event permit for a carnival this weekend.

Discussed workers' compensation usage with Carl Eyman of KWORCC, which provides the county's workers' compensation insurance. He gave the commission numerous stats on its workers' compensation usage. The county has a 46 percent loss ratio since 2003. The most usage comes from the road and bridge and sheriffs departments with the auxiliary services department also being a main source of payouts for workers' compensation time. Slips, trips and falls are the number one cause of on-the-job injuries in the county with spraining injuries-number two and motor vehicle accidents number three. He said the three-year history used in part to determine the county's premium has been favorable the last two years.

A county safety committee was also discussed.

Heard an update from Heston. She discussed microfilming of county indexes. She also reported the office had exceeded its expected revenue for the year.

.Granted Becky Wise of the "Best Little Mothers" group permission to use a corner of the square for a fundraiser bake sale Sunday while motorcycles on the Bikers For Babies March of Dimes fundraiser ride through town.

Heard an update from Eileen Filbert, health department director. She updated the commission on sewer district matters and other departmental matters. She said no other known cases of H1N1 had been reported in the county.

Met with Underwood regarding a contract for the next county tax sale.

Heard an update from Susan Newell, 911 director. She reported an audit by the Kansas Highway Patrol had uncovered no problems. She reported on other departmental activity.

Met with Filbert in executive session for 15 minutes to discuss matters of non-elected personnel.

In business Sept. 8, the commission:

Reviewed and approved vouchers.

Met with Miranda Juedes, Wil-liamstown, regarding a problem with dogs running in the town. She had safety concerns for children and animals in the town.

Met with Jerry White of the Lakeside Village board of directors. White discussed changes to setback requirements that affect lots in the improvement districts. He asked if the regulations could be amended to allow a building permit to be issued without a variance on the lots.

Heard an update from Tichenor.

Met with Newell and Mike and Jan Hayes, county counselors, in executive session for 15 minutes to discuss matters of non-elected personnel.

Met with Hubbard, Mike and Jan Hayes, and Buttron in executive session for 8 minutes to discuss matters of non-elected personnel.

Signed a shared sick leave request.

Met with Mike and Jan Hayes in executive session for 30 minutes to discuss matters of attorney-client privilege.



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© 2009 The Valley Falls Vindicator Valley Falls, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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