Court Administrator Kathy Ouren, recently appointed to a combined position that serves both Wadena and Otter Tail counties, appeared before the Wadena County Board of Commissioners on July 8 to request additional space in the courthouse for her department, and proposed a remodeling project to meet her needs.

Ouren told commissioners that Wadena County Court Administration faces serious space proble She gave five reasons why employees of her department need more room.

First, her staff's work stations on the upper level of the courthouse are too close together, leading to feelings of being crowded. Staff can hear all phone calls and conversations that go on, as well as

the comings and goings of the public at

the service counter. These disruptions "chip away at our focus, productivity and

accuracy," Ouren said.

Second, the department's storage needs are not met at the staff work stations. Under the desks, there are piles of files, boxes, folders, notebooks, and other materials that have no place to go, Ouren explained. There is no store room, shelf space, or file cabinet available for these materials.

Third, the crowding of employees and lack of storage space has had a negative effect on morale, Ouren said. Her employees feel stressed.

Fourth, the existing work stations are not ergonomically designed. Chair and desk height, computer keyboard and monitor location, and lack of shelves for storage lead to physical pain for employees who have to sit and work in conditions that don't fit their needs.

Finally, the lack of privacy requires that employees go into another room to discuss confidential matters. This leads to suspicion and wondering what is being discussed.

The solution Ouren proposed for these problems is to remodel the office space, including the current jury assembly room, into offices and cubicles with dividers that will provide more room, more storage and more privacy. She said that the Seventh District Regional Office in St. Cloud would purchase new work stations out of its budget, if Wadena County would remodel the space and hand over the jury assembly room to court administration.

Seventh District Judge Jay Carlson attended. Ouren's presentation to lend his support to the proposal. Judge Carlson said he fully supported "the request to have the tools to manage the office as efficiently as possible, and provide opportunity to discuss matters confidentially. We'll do everything we can to keep the costs down," he said.

Ouren presented a cost estimate of $6,800 for the remodeling materials prepared by Building Services Director Sean Uselman. Ouren said that her husband, a licensed general contractor, had offered to direct the work at no cost, and would volunteer his time after hours and on weekends to complete the remodeling, with the possible assistance of STS crews.

Commissioners reacted negatively to Ouren's proposal.

Commissioner Lane Waldahl said, "We have a building committee. Phases were set up (to complete our current remodeling plans). This should go to the building committee for them to look at and discuss. It's hard for us to say we're cutting our budgets and then spend $6,800 on you, which is the State of Minnesota, and the state cut us."

Commissioner Rodney Bounds agreed with Commissioner Waldahl, and added, "We need to complete Phase I before we jump into something else."

Commissioner Bill Stearns said, "I'm a little unsettled that we'd no longer have a secured place for jury deliberations."

Assistant Court Administrator Jeri Scheller corrected Commissioner Stearns. "This is the assembly room, not the deliberation room."

County Attorney Kyra Ladd also opposed the change, saying "I think the problem of jurors encountering witnesses is already a problem near my office, and the idea of construction by friends raises liability and insurance issues."

Judge Carlson said that he thought volunteer workers would not be a problem, as long as they were licensed and bonded contractors.

Commissioners took no action on the proposal, and directed Ouren to present it to the building services committee for discussion.