PORT ANGELES — Doing business at the Clallam County courthouse will be a little more convenient this summer.
The three commissioners Monday said they would restore for six months a 40-hour work week for union-represented employees who are still working a 37.5-hour schedule.
As a result, the courthouse in Port Angeles may be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May 1 though Oct. 31.
Presently, the doors are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“Forty hours is a win-win for the public,” Commissioner Mike Chapman said in a board work session.
“It gives them another half hour access to the courthouse. It gives each employee extra time to get their work done.”
In a later interview, County Administrator Jim Jones said the board may simply restore the old courthouse hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“I’m not sure which way the commissioners are going to go,” Jones said late Monday afternoon.
Commissioners will take a formal vote on the 40-hour work week today.
Chapman said he was “shocked” that the 40-hour week wasn’t universally supported by elected officials and department heads in a closed-door meeting with Jones last week.
“I just can’t believe that will hurt morale to give [40 hours] to them for six months,” Jones said in the commissioners’ session.
“We know we need the work. I believe we know we need the work for the great, great majority of that working staff, and I’d love to do it permanently.”
Commissioners said they would revisit the 40-hour schedule as part of the 2016 budget process.
The county will use general fund reserves to pay for the longer week for about 185 Teamsters employees through October.
Jones has said that the 40-hour work week would cost about $350,000 over the six months.
Commissioners this year have decided to spend up to $2.5 million in general fund reserves for one-time investments that stimulate the economy.
Last week, the board approved a 0.2-percent sales tax reduction for goods and services purchases in unincorporated areas.
Commissioners have said they would contract with nonprofits that help the poor and invest in the replacement of the failing sewer systems in Clallam Bay and Sekiu.
The longer work week is the fourth component of the broader spending plan.
“This conversation is not over,” Commissioner Jim McEntire said.
“We’re going to take each chunk of this thing and develop it in the coming weeks.”
Commissioner Bill Peach said he attended Jones’ meeting with elected officials and shared some of their concerns with his colleagues.
“There’s the recognition next year’s budget might not provide for the money to do what we’re going to do this year,” Peach said.
“Honestly, I think the other thing that was driving a lot of it was ‘Why don’t we just save up the money until we can make a permanent switch?’ They would rather struggle along, and they have for eight years, and wait until the time when the coffers are filled well enough to go ahead and proceed.”
Based on his conversations with elected officials and department heads, McEntire said the 37.5-hour week is “rock bottom minimum.”
“We have the means now to provide some additional capacity to get work done,” McEntire said.
“So I don’t see any reason, really, not to do that.”
Jones said the temporary, 40-hour work week will coincide with the busy time of the year, particularly in the assessor’s office, community development, environmental services, roads, parks, fair and facilities.
“Quite frankly, I can see doing this every year,” Jones said.
“I can see rotating back and forth in those departments as money continues to remain tight saying ‘Man, we need to make hay while the sun shines.’”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
