PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Courthouse will be open to the public another half-hour daily for five days a week beginning May 1, but whether the doors will open 30 minutes sooner or 30 minutes later than they do now is yet to be determined.
“I think we need to let this gestate for a few more days before we decide what’s best,” Commissioner Jim McEntire said.
County commissioners Tuesday voted 3-0 to pass an amended resolution to restore a 40-hour workweek for 185 Teamsters employees who are still on a 37.5-hour schedule.
Since union members agreed to concession agreements in 2010, the courthouse at 223 E. Fourth St. in Port Angeles has been open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Prior to that, the hours of operation were 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Schedule
Commissioners directed County Administrator Jim Jones to gather feedback from elected officials, department heads and employees about whether to restore the 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. schedule or instead opt for 8:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The board will discuss the two options in a work session next Monday.
Commissioner Mike Chapman amended the resolution to restore the 40-hour workweek indefinitely with the hope that the full-time schedule would be retained in the 2016 budget.
The original resolution would have set forth a 40-hour workweek between May 1 and Oct. 31.
“Let’s just do it and see where we are during the budget process,” Chapman said. “I think that we can get there.”
“I’m game,” McEntire said.
“Let’s see how the conversation rolls throughout the 2016 budget discussion.”
Restoration of a 40-hour workweek was discussed in a recent meeting Jones had with elected officials and department heads.
Commissioner Bill Peach attended the meeting on behalf of the board.
“I really appreciate what occurred at the meeting, and that was open and honest conversation,” Peach said.
“I do believe that people are interested in seeing that everybody gets a chance to return to 40 hours, but not at the expense of having pink slips.”
Peach said the commissioners would “take a hard look” at what it takes to keep a 40-hour week in the 2016 budget.
Spend down reserves
The longer workweek for employees — and the additional hours of public access to the courthouse — is one component in a multifaceted plan to spend down excess general fund reserves in ways that will stimulate the economy.
Commissioners recently approved a 0.2 percent sales tax reduction and indicated Tuesday they would consider contracting with nonprofit groups that help the homeless.
The fourth component of the spending plan is to invest in the replacement of the failing sewers in Clallam Bay and Sekiu.
After speaking with department heads Tuesday, Chapman said there was a general consensus that they favored a longer workweek, especially if the change could be made permanent.
“As always, we’re going to adopt a budget that fits within what we expect the revenue envelope to be,” McEntire said.
“We can be creative about how we manage, or give department heads the flexibility to manage, the business of the county government in a more nuanced way, “ he said.
“So I’m looking forward to the discussion, and we’ll see how it goes.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
