Title
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Board of Supervisors
FROM: Cathy Saderlund, Auditor-Controller/County Clerk
DATE: January 4, 2017
SUBJECT: Request to Temporarily Modify Front Office Hours of Operation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Office of the Auditor-Controller/County Clerk serves a variety of customers both in person and remotely. As required by County Code, our front office counter is open to meet the needs of our customers from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on all County work days.
I am currently severely understaffed in my front office with two vacancies and one in training. This leaves me 25% staffed at the front, while remaining staff is in training, stretched to meet deadlines, and/or simply with a workload that does not provide the ability to add additional front counter responsibilities.
To address the immediate situation, I have temporarily reassigned management and several staff to cover the front counter on a rotational basis. This in turn has put us in a precarious position for many critical deadlines, and results in our inability to be responsive to other functions within the office including property tax, accounts payable, payroll, general ledger accounting, and audit. Unfortunately, it is simply not sustainable for longer than a few weeks at best.
I would like to respectfully request your approval to slightly modify our front office counter hours to 9:00 - 12:00 and 1:00 - 4:00, through June 30, 2017. There would be no reduction in telephone or electronic communication response; this would only be for counter availability. If staffing levels return to normal prior to June 30, 2017, we would immediately restore counter hours back to what is required by County Code.
Due to the proximity of our office to the Elections Department and the potential impact on their front counter, I have discussed this proposal with Diane Fridley and she was receptive and did not express any significant concerns on the impact to her department. Recognizing the interaction between my office and the Treasurer/Tax Collector and Assessor/Recorder, I did consider how this would impact their operations and I do not see any negative impacts that would result from a modification of our counter hours. We would properly notice our customers to allow for a smooth transition.
I am confident that your approval of these modified counter hours will allow us to more efficiently address counter duties during opening, enable us to meet critical deadlines, and provide us the time necessary to maintain reasonable service levels for all of our customers.
I thank you for your time and consideration of this request.
FISCAL IMPACT: x None __Budgeted __Non-Budgeted
Estimated Cost:
Amount Budgeted:
Additional Requested:
Annual Cost (if planned for future years):
FISCAL IMPACT (Narrative): None
STAFFING IMPACT (if applicable): None
Recommended Action
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve request.