Board nixes

shorter

hours for

courthouse

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Brown County commissioners on Tuesday voted against changing the hours for most county buildings.

Discussion about truncating county employee lunch breaks to close the Brown County courthouse 30 minutes earlier resulted in the vote, which denied the request on a 4-1 margin.

The request came from the county personnel policy committee, which received comments from 22 county employees, who felt the standard office hours should be shortened to allow for decreased day care and energy costs and increased family time and better office coverage during peak hours.

Ultimately, most commissioners felt that offices needed to stay open until 5 p.m. Commissioner Charles Guggisberg voted against a motion to keep the current hours but ultimately supported the overall 2004 county personnel policy, which originally contained a provision about the revised work hours.

"I can understand why the employees would like to have it changed," Guggisberg said. "I support the policy, I just would've liked more discussion. But the board felt (county offices) needed to stay open from 8 to 5."

"We just felt we should serve the public as much as we can and staying open until five o'clock does that," said Commissioner James Berg. "It's nothing against the employees. We just want it to stay open longer."

Guggisberg said an amendment to the personnel policy is possible in the near future, because revision may come in December. However, he added that he doesn't think the other commissioners will change their minds.

During the discussion, Brown County Personnel Director Leah Crabtree noted that the 2001 policy allowed county department heads flexibility to adjust schedules. She cited the reasons given to the personnel policy committee, including that the county has already added a drop box and an ACH program for property taxes along with 24-hour Web access to county data, better coverage during peak office hours because of the shortened breaks and "morale issues."

She said some employees in Public Health and Family Services were concerned that shortened hours would limit usage of their services, since most contacts in those departments happen between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. She also noted that 70 percent of Minnesota counties use 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. schedules.

In related news, the board authorized the Extension Committee to fill the agriculture technical advisor position, possibly with an agreement with Nicollet County. The position was opened by the resignation of Wayne Schoper, who is now working for the Farm Service Administration in Slayton. Brown County had split Schoper's position with Cottonwood and Watonwan counties.

The county board also:

* Approved the sale price for tax-forfeited land in Sleepy Eye at $1,000.

* Approved agreements with the Comfrey, Springfield and Sleepy Eye public school districts, St. Raphael's Catholic School, New Ulm Cathedral High School and the cities of Comfrey and Springfield for mass dispensing sites in emergency situations.

* Authorized the purchase of a $4,780 generator for the radio tower at the Highway Department's Sleepy Eye shop.