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Pennington County launches study of administration building hours after months of debate
Summary
The Commission approved a human-resources-led study to evaluate whether the county should keep four 10-hour days, move back to five days, or pursue other hours; the study will analyze citizen and employee input, transaction data, and cost implications.
Pennington County commissioners voted March 18 to begin a study of the Administration Building’s hours of operation and to gather citizen and employee input before making any change to the work schedule.
Human Resources Director Carol Bancroft presented a multi-phase proposal that would: review current hours and service demand; conduct listening sessions and public town halls; compile comparative analysis with peer agencies; model staffing and budget implications; and produce implementation and communication plans. Bancroft proposed a flexible timeline with Phase 1 planning and data collection beginning within two weeks and recommendations developed in July–August.
Commissioners, department heads and the county treasurer discussed operational impacts. Treasurer Annette Brant said the treasurer’s office processes mail and back-office work on Fridays and that motor vehicle and property-tax services are available remotely and by self-service terminals at other times. Brant asked the Commission to consider that some functions already operate five days a week in the background even if the public counter is closed on Friday.
Commissioner Jerry Drews urged the study to include detailed, extractable data for high-contact offices. Drews and Treasurer Brant requested that the study analyze historical transaction volumes, transactions per employee, average wait and processing times, and how a switch to a five-day schedule would affect FTE needs — particularly in the Treasurer’s Office, which has the most public-facing traffic. Commissioners also raised childcare and staffing fairness as considerations.
Bancroft said the study will prioritize face-to-face listening sessions over anonymous online surveys, include a work group of staff and commissioners to model scenarios, and develop a communications plan for internal and external stakeholders. Commissioners approved the study by voice vote on a motion by Commissioner Drews, seconded by Commissioner Durr.
