Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Hurley — Three Iron County departments expect to move to a 4-day week for the months of June, July and August, thanks to action by the county’s Finance Committee last week.
The change in schedule pertains to the offices of County Clerk Michael Saari, County Treasurer Clara Maki and Register of Deeds Daniel Soine, and it is contingent on approval by the Iron County Board of Supervisors in its April 25 meeting.
In approved by the county board, the three offices will exchange in summer months their normal 5-day schedule of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to a 4-day schedule of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those offices will be closed on Fridays during the summer months.
County Treasurer Clara Maki said that a disadvantage of the 5-day schedule is that citizens who work during the day sometimes say “I can’t get there” when they learn that the office doesn’t open until 8 a.m. and that it will close at 4 p.m.
Maki said that opening the office earlier and closing later would help to resolve those issues.
She also explained that Wisconsin’s Pepin County, effective Jan. 1, started a Monday through Friday schedule from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a Friday schedule from 8 to 11:30 a.m.
There was some discussion of alternating staff on Mondays and Fridays to assure service over five days a week, but that idea was dropped.
“Personally, I’m leaving,” said County Clerk Michael Saari, who plans to retire later this year. “I don’t care. Whatever the departments want, I’m fine with.”
Saari noted that his office also has had situations in which it was necessary for him to arrive early or stay late in order to accommodate a citizen who could not get to his office during regular working hours.
Clerk of Courts Karen Ransanici questioned whether some employees would continue to feel productive past the standard 8-hour work day.
“I don’t see any problem with it,” said Soine of the change in scheduling.
County Forest Administrator Eric Peterson said his office already works a 4-day schedule at 10 hours per day year-round. But he added, “We don’t have the public coming into the office like the other departments do.”
“Why don’t you let the department heads determine that?” said Committee Chairwoman Opal Roberts, who pointed out that the county handbook states that such scheduling decisions are up to the individual departments.
Committee Member Larry Youngs suggested starting the change on a small scale.
“I don’t disagree with that,” added Committee Member Scott Erickson. “See if it works.”
He added, in relation to recent changes that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, “I don’t think there’s a better time to try it.”
Finance committee members voted unanimously to approve the change in schedule during their April 13 meeting.
Youngs also suggested urging tech staff to post the schedule changes on the county website and to provide a contact number for emergency needs on Fridays.
In other news, Peterson suggested increasing the number of atrial defibrillators throughout county buildings, based on a recent assessment.
Joseph Pinardi, chairman of the Iron County Board of Supervisors, said he will pursue funding options, and Maki also noted the need for related employee training.
At the end of the meeting, the committee went into a closed session to discuss the pending county clerk opening and wage adjustments. No action occurred afterward.
