Workload prompts need for additional Treasurer’s deputy

     Things are busy and only getting busier inside the Jones County Treasurer’s Office. With that in mind, County Treasurer Amy Picray spoke with the Jones County Supervisors during their Nov. 20 meeting, asking to hire an additional full-time deputy treasurer to assist with the workload.

     “It’s gotten to the point where it’s very difficult to get anything done other than wait on customers,” Picray said.

     The Treasurer’s Office is the only place testing for and issuing driver’s licenses. In one day they issued 104 licensees, more than they’ve ever issued before, Picray said.

     Picray provided the board with statistics on the number of licenses coming out of her office, predominately from counties outside of Jones. Ten years ago, in FY 2008-09, the Treasurer’s Office issued a total of 6,697, bringing in $46,270 in revenue. For the current fiscal year, 2018-19, they’ve already surpassed that number (currently at 6,982) with seven months remaining in the fiscal year!

     So far for this fiscal year, the Treasurer’s office has been issuing well over 1,000 driver’s licenses every month.

     “We’ve rarely seen four digits in a month,” Picray said of the past trends. “We used to think 20 a day was a lot.”

     Picray said Jones County is in a unique situation with people from Cedar Rapids and Linn County pouring into the courthouse to either renew or receive a new driver’s license.

     “And it’s not slowing down,” she said.

     In the 81 counties who have the ability to issue licenses, Jones County ranks third in numbers. However, Jones County is also making it work with less staff at five not including Picray.

     “We operate on a lot less than other locations,” Picray said.

     Some locations don’t have a full staff trained to issue licenses. All of the staff in the Jones County Treasurer’s Officer is cross-trained so they can step in and help customers at any time.

     “Three out of six (office employees) issue driver licenses at one time,” she said of the office flow.

     Picray said the hustle and bustle has now gotten to the point where it’s taking away from the flexibility of her office, or the chance to do daily work.

     The constant foot traffic also cuts down on how many test drives Picray’s office can do with perspective new drivers.

     Picray said hiring a full-time deputy would allow someone to be cross-trained and spend time driving with customers.

     “We can expand on the number of drives per week,” she said.

     Picray said already her office is booked on driving tests for the next month.

     One of her deputies, Ben Stout, is interested in offering the CDL (commercial driver’s license) skills test for the public. She said right now, with the traffic flow in the office, that service would be impossible.

     With more services offered out of any county office, Picray said that tends to increase revenue for other offices, like the Recorder’s Office.

     Sheri Jones, county recorder, said she has seen an increase in traffic in her office as well, attesting to Picray’s statement.

     “They eat and shop here,” Picray said of people coming from Linn County to do business in Jones County. “They bring revenue into the community.”

     Supervisor Jon Zirkelbach asked if the addition of one staff member would hinder local (county) customers.

     “Adding staff makes us more efficient in helping all people, and people of Jones County,” Picray said.

     She said her office has never asked customers to sign in upon entering. Now, they ask people to do so to make sure everyone gets helped on a first-come first-served basis.

     Supervisor Wayne Manternach proposed hiring someone on a part-time basis. Picray said she took that into consideration, but there is definitely enough work before DLs and tax services to justify full-time at a salary of $43,700.

     “I don’t think having six staff members is out of line,” she said.

     Picray said she’s wanted to bring this to the board’s attention for a while. “I held off as long as I could.”

     While another full-time deputy treasurer is not built into her department budget, Picray said it would obviously increase her budget.

     “But a lot of offices don’t have the opportunity to increase the revenue in their offices,” she said of the unique situation in her office. “But because of the services we do and could provide, we can do that.”

     The board did not make a decision, wanting to take a week to think it over.