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Prothonotary's office asks for flexible pool of preapproved hours instead of a permanent 20‑hour hire
Summary
A prothonotary's office representative told Warren County commissioners that, after six months on the job, a permanent 20‑hour/week position is unnecessary and requested a flexible pool of preapproved part‑time hours to cover variable workload; commissioners agreed to include the approach in the 2027 budget.
A representative from the prothonotary's office told Warren County commissioners that an earlier request for a permanent 20‑hour‑per‑week part‑time position is no longer necessary after six months on the job.
"I don't really feel that the permanent part‑time position is really required," the prothonotary's office representative said, explaining that temporary hours previously granted by the commissioners allowed the office to manage busy periods and learn the workload. The speaker said some weeks and months are slower or busier than others and that work such as preparing a dozen pending appeals for superior court required extra time early in the year.
The official asked instead for a flexible arrangement, modeled on other county offices, in which the office would have a set number of hours available per year and call in preapproved workers when needed. "I would like to see very similar to what we've already done, just having a set amount of hours per year when my job doesn't have the same workflow every day," the representative said.
Commissioner Lisa Bar offered a practical example: her office budgets roughly an extra $5,000 annually for part‑time help and calls in preapproved workers when workload spikes. "I will call in Mary Sue and she'll come in and work four hours or maybe she'll come in and work eight hours," Lisa Bar said, describing the approach as a budgeted pool rather than a permanent hire.
The prothonotary's office representative named several former and current courthouse employees who could serve as on‑call fill‑in workers, including the previously used Jen Phillips and others familiar with county operations. Commissioners said they could accommodate the request in the 2027 budget and that the hours already allotted earlier in the year could be used for the remainder of 2026. The body moved and approved the staffing approach by voice vote.
The discussion also noted that updating the office fee schedule — described as long overdue — should help offset some of the costs associated with additional temporary help. The prothonotary's office representative said they will notify the commissioners if the allotted hours prove insufficient.
The board did not set a specific permanent hire; instead, it approved the flexible, budgeted‑hours approach and signaled support to include it in next year's budget.
