TOP STORY: Is 4:00 p.m. quitting time too early at the Winneshiek County Courthouse?

(Should Winneshiek County offices in the Courthouse be open later than 4:00 in the afternoon?  That's the question posed in this Letter to the Editor from Ana Olson-Johnson of Decorah):

My name is Ana Olson-Johnson and I lived between Decorah and Ossian on Centennial Road.  I teach science at South Winneshiek Elementary/Middle School in Ossian.

My question to you is this, why are the courthouse and its various offices only open until 4:00 p.m.?  I recently needed to renew my driver's license and was able to do so only because I was in town, during the school day, for a funeral.  Pretty sad when the only way to get business conducted at the courthouse comes when I am home with a sick kid or out for a funeral. 

Banks are open for extended hours on certain days, even on Saturday mornings in many cases.  Given that the courthouse houses offices that serve the needs of, and are funded by, taxpayers, it would seem reasonable that offices should be accessible to those taxpayers.  I am contracted to work until 3:45 p.m., making arrival at the courthouse before the end of the business day safely nearly impossible. 

I am not alone in this situation.  If you don't work in Decorah or have a job that doesn't allow for you to have time to run errands, you are basically out of luck when it comes to county business. 

I would ask that you consider amending the hours of our county offices to be open later on at least one night a week.  Lots of businesses have employees that work staggered shifts so that they can do exactly this--be open later to better serve their customers.  Many downtown businesses are open later on Thursdays, perhaps the courthouse could be open until 5:00 p.m. that night. 

I know that some services are accessible online but I also think that if we are to continue to have a courthouse full of employees, then the services offered in the courthouse should be accessible to Winneshiek county residents even if they can't get to the courthouse before 4:00 p.m.

You can vote on a Saturday before a major election, why can't I renew my driver's license or do other county business after 4:00 p.m.?