El Paso County clerk's solution to budget cuts: don't answer phones
The Rocky
Published February 16, 2009 at 5:21 p.m.
COLORADO SPRINGS — One Colorado county clerk has an unusual response to staff cuts caused by budget shortfalls: Don't answer the phones.
The El Paso County clerk and recorder's office stopped answering telephones in three offices last month. The change was ordered by county clerk Bob Balink, who was forced to lay off 19 staffers late last year.
Balink hasn't commented on the phone shutdown, but the unanswered calls have two other local officials demanding a change.
El Paso's county assessor and county treasurer say the phone boycott is a bad move. They point out that some people don't have Internet access and can't drive to the clerk's office to see a county employee in person. Voice messages on the clerk's phones would refer people to the assessor's and treasurer's phone lines.
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February 16, 2009
5:57 p.m.
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lthomasco writes:
Why would El Paso County hire a five year old as clerk?
February 16, 2009
6:15 p.m.
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ashbuck writes:
Why did they hire a 5 year old county clerk? Budget cuts....duh
February 16, 2009
6:43 p.m.
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Barbarosa writes:
Honestly, they never really answered the phones much even before this.
February 16, 2009
6:46 p.m.
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windskull writes:
What ever became of the switch board operator? Oh that`s right! Progress
February 16, 2009
8:04 p.m.
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eddieb12002 writes:
Why would El Paso County hire a 5 year old ?
Cuz it's El Paso County and Doug Bruce is only 4 ....
February 16, 2009
8:20 p.m.
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angryrepublican writes:
Why would El Paso County hire a 5 year old?
Because the Christian Taliban supports child labor.
February 16, 2009
9:07 p.m.
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leavemealone writes:
El Paso county on Meth...Just don't smoke Meth!
February 16, 2009
10:04 p.m.
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glacierdude writes:
I live in Southwestern Montana in Ravalli County. Recently, when you call the treasurers office (for license plates, etc.) you get a recording that says they are too busy to take your call and for you to try again later. Obviously, you can call till your ears fall off and nobody will answer. The only way to get anything out of that office is to send registered mail. Once again, if private industry conducted business in that way, they'd be out of business in no time at all. Ah, the benefit of monopoly is soooooo obvious.
Just be aware, El Paso County and Colorado as a whole.....you are not alone. The problems that this country are experiencing due to the outrageous corruption of private industry AND government shakedowns is reaching and affecting every nook and cranny of this once great country.
February 16, 2009
10:48 p.m.
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The_Punnisher writes:
I wonder if they would do a better job with a NOOSE around their necks...
Especially after the Gallows were used on their superiors...
February 17, 2009
2:34 a.m.
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charst46 writes:
We could follow the libertarian path and put a private company in charge. Say Lehman Brothers. They could handle the funding (this now being a profit oriented enterprise, and they are 'experts' at raising funds) of the project. We could get KBR to do the work (they have plenty of experience 'building' things from the R&D funding they got for working in Iraq) and all the roads would be in excellent condition for years....
but wait, that is right, Lehman Brothers no longer exists. We can get Merrill Lynch to do the funding...no those folks were bought out. It must have been all those inefficient workers who worked so slowly redoing Thain's bathroom at the Corporate office. Maybe if BoA had done due dilligence. But that is silly of me, with no government there is no reason to do due deligence as there would be no Congress to pass laws impeding the rights of corporations.
oh, I understand now, this would be a population control measure: the bridges would fall into the rivers reducing the population by the numbers on the bridges. This would occur because we won't need regulators in this new non-government society as government workers do not know what they are doing otherwise they would be working in industry. But as we all know, government workers are lazy and inefficient so who needs them. And what ever, we can use horses and buggies to get around...the owners can clean up after the animals or else the Health Department would be up in arms from the spread of contagions created by all the waste products...but I KEEP FORGETTING, there would be no government. There would just be the monthly bill sent by KBR....and we know that the senior managers of companies like Merrill Lynch have only the best of intentions in maximizing corporate profits. Just like all those mortgage companies who have been renegotiating the loans and increasing the monthly payments...only the best in mind...
Because we all know, there is no such thing as market failure, there is only a failure to adjust to new market conditions immediately. And corporations can do that so much better: they can see when 4 months supply of cars are on hand, 2 year supply of houses are on the market, 6 months of electronics supply are on the shelves. Getting rid of government would let them plan better...We would not need to talk about tax cuts to businesses to invest in new plant and equipment to produce goods that consumers would then happily buy as soon as they hit the show room floors after the 4 month wait....consumers who have lost their jobs because companies are so good at reading the market and doing planning.....those consumers who have lost their jobs would need to get right back out there and do their patriotic duty and spend money...forget about worrying about the need to plan and save....just spend...
February 17, 2009
3:45 a.m.
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rdamurphy writes:
I think it's a GREAT idea! Cut "services", close offices, take out the phone lines, eliminate Government employees, and then, cut taxes, spend the money on roads, schools, parks, put the money to work for the taxpayers instead of the other way around! Make prisoners work for their upkeep, eliminate welfare, WIC, medicaid, marraige licenses, and all of the rest, and eventually, keep going through all levels of Government!
Naw. Never happen. The Democrat "solution" to every single problem is to raise taxes and increase spending. Americans have a terminal case of "Gotta-do-something-itis." Note the word 'terminal.'
February 17, 2009
5:23 a.m.
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WSY writes:
Bob Balink is a great County Clerk.
How many of you realize that much of the county services are supported by money the clerk's office collects.?
The office is fully self funding, and returns the excess of it's operating revenues collected, back to the commissioners to use in the other departments.
ASK the County Commissioners WHO committed the $$ that allowed them to build a new El Paso County Sheriff & Fire dept in the N/E side of the city , when their funding fell short.
The Affluent N/E side at that.
All Balink asked in return was for future space in the same building to allow for expansion of motor vehicle licensing services.
The Clerks office collects $$$ from licensing, title searches, etc, it records the County Commission meetings, it conducts municipal and county elections.
Allll from funding it collects as it operates on self funding.
Then when the budget cuts hit, the WHOLE county takes a bite including the hand that feeds them.
what did Mr. Balink get in return??? He was forced to cut staff and close facilities.
That's a slap in the face to an office that works their tails off to accommodate the ever growing , ever stingy tax whiners.
Good job Bob!! Keep up the good work. Don't give in to the hypocrites that want everything at the touch of their cellphone but won't pay for it.
You've done your part, now tell them to do theirs!!
I was in the City Treasurers office this week, and they have nasty little signs up on unmanned windows that state, "This Window Closed Due To Lack Of Taxpayer Funding"
Bob, let the phones ... RING! BABY! RING!
February 17, 2009
6:23 a.m.
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denverrose writes:
Those that voted for the Obamassiah just increased
taxes, but they lie when they say they put the money to work for taxpayers. Instead they did it for themselves... the other way around! They increased welfare, WIC, medicaid, and a whole lot more AT OUR EXPENSE!!!
February 17, 2009
7:29 a.m.
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Slimjim_800 writes:
I think it was a good idea. Most of the phone calls were probably from people too lazy to look up the information on the internet.
February 17, 2009
8:25 a.m.
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WSY writes:
"
Slimjim_800 writes:
I think it was a good idea. Most of the phone calls were probably from people too lazy to look up the information on the internet.
Eggzactly.
Less government means less $, and less taxes supposedly, but
B.O. would rather send that stimulus money of yours to research the effects of frog armpit odor on the environment, than helping out real public services.
He's sending a big chunk of it to community colleges because their enrollment is down, and they need the $$.
If Johnny cain't read but at a 4th grade level when he graduates from high school, he won't be needin no clerk and recorder office anyway.
Next time you visit the Clerk & Recorder's office which is probably
once or twice a year, think of all the people standing in line half the day at the Dept of Motor Vehicles. LOL
At least you'll be happy knowing that illiterate students are able to sniff a frog, and download music, rather than read , write, or learn the effects of fiscal budgets.
Let'em ring Bob!! :) There were a lot of very skilled and highly trained personel you had to let go, and tough decisions you had to make in the careers & lives of your dedicated staff.
Alll, because some one needs to know the effects of frog armpit odor.
Now your current staff is going to be even more swamped.
They can get a lot more work done if they don't have to answer a phone and stupid question at the same time they wait on a taxpayer that is right in front of them. Don't sweat it, let the phones
RING! BABY RING!
If a plumber came to my house and was charging me $100 an hr to work with one hand and talk on the phone and field business calls with a cell phone in his other, I'd fire him with out pay.
I'm not getting my money worth , nor his undivided attention.
Let the phones ring Bob, sooner or later if it's that important they'll get off their dead a**es and go visit your office.
Orrrr learn how to find the answers to trivial questions themselves.... ;)
February 17, 2009
9:55 a.m.
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opinionatedcolo writes:
It is hilarious that people like denverrose are so obsessed with attacking the president that they will take any unrelated article and post their rants and name calling. I expect to see rose on the sports articles soon, blaming the president for the Rockies problems. Losing power seems to have driven some of the righties even farther out into la la land.
February 17, 2009
10:02 a.m.
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jbowen43 writes:
The El Paso County Clerk's office serves too large an area for such juvenile shenanigans.
February 17, 2009
11:08 a.m.
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HankReardon writes:
There's nobody here but us chickens!
February 17, 2009
12:04 p.m.
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Bookeroo writes:
Only government workers seem to think that if times are tough they can pout and stomp their tiny feet yet still get paid...
February 17, 2009
12:08 p.m.
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DUScooter writes:
WSY you may have a point, yet it sounds like you support the "child like" behavior of Mr. Balink.
This is absolutely wrong behavior for a county worker.
Answering the phone is polite and a part of running an office. May be in cutting 19 staffers they hire 1 person to man or woman the phones.
If not this wonderful Republican laden county will opt to out-source the phone answering services to India. LOL.
This is NOT a solution, rather a band aid to a bigger issue.
Mr. Balink, be a man, answer your phone because it is polite. Deal with the other issues other ways.
February 17, 2009
12:11 p.m.
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sawzallartist writes:
Hey...all you no government libertarian types.....do me a favor.
Eat a peanut butter sandwich and take a drive on the Evans bridge over Santa Fe.
February 17, 2009
1:24 p.m.
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enough321 writes:
That's ok. It's the Republican solution. Cut taxes so that there are no essential services. The free market will take care of it. Better break out your credit card before dialing 911.
February 17, 2009
5:27 p.m.
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texvet writes:
Its obvious many have a vested interested from the posting wishing to make an arguement that more taxation and bigger government is a good thing, however the simple truth is now and has been since the founding of this country big government is a bad thing... taxation for social programs is simply theft, and any system which does not police itself does become arrogant because if the private sector pulled a stunt like not answering phones from their clients "taxpayers" they would be out of business. All levels of government should learn to live on a budget like the rest of America, but oh yea, government never cuts spending, only increases its need for it... thats a historical fact.
February 17, 2009
7:38 p.m.
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StillUndecided writes:
This seems pretty black and white to me. These people who are paid by the taxpayers have defined duties and services that they must provide. If they do not provide them, FIRE THEM ALL!
With all the job cuts announced in the last few months, people who are actually willing to work would be lined up around the block to replace them.