EVERETT – Starting on Friday, April 17 the Auditor, Assessor and Treasurer’s Office will decrease customer service hours each Friday as part of a countywide budget cutting measure. The first floor of the Customer Service Center will be open to the public, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and each Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
“These tough economic times force difficult decisions. The Auditor, Assessor and Treasurer are adjusting our customer service hours to implement the recently negotiated reduced work week and mandatory staff furloughs that will help reduce the budgetary shortfall,” said County Auditor Carolyn Weikel.
Beginning April 17, the Customer Service Center will close at 3:30pm on Fridays for the remainder of 2009. The early closing will affect Licensing and Recording services provided by the Auditor’s Office as well as Assessor and Treasurer services.
The Customer Service Center is located on the first floor of the Robert J. Drewell Building on the County Campus and includes vehicle/vessel licensing; pet licensing; marriage licensing; public records search services; document recording, assessor and treasurer services.
Beginning May 1 the Customer Service Center will close daily between noon and 1 p.m. providing internal operational efficiencies. This change will impact Auditor, Assessor and Treasurer services.
In addition, as part of a negotiated agreement between the County and its labor unions, the County will substantially shut down most of its facilities on the following six days during the 2009 calendar year requiring mandated leave by most county employees:
Friday, May 22, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Friday, Aug. 14, 2009
Friday, Sept. 4, 2009
Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009.
“Our offices will do everything possible to continue to provide the highest quality customer service,” said Cindy Portmann, County Assessor. “We ask that our customers understand that these changes are due to budget limitations and operational realities the County currently faces,” stated Kirke Sievers, County Treasurer.
