Automated phone system turned down

One commissioner promised Monday morning that as long as he has a say-so, phone calls to Red Willow County's courthouse will not be answered by an answering machine. Another commissioner said he loses no love for automated answering services.

County Court Clerk Magistrate Kathy Jones went before commissioners Monday morning to let them know that offices within the courthouse field numerous phone calls for other offices in the building. Jones said, "Sixty to 65 percent of our calls go somewhere else. We don't mind being helpful, but it takes time to transfer these calls. There has to be a better way so people won't feel lost, and agitated."

Jones said that a courthouse receptionist would be helpful, someone who can guide calls and visitors to the correct offices. Jones said that she, too, finds automated answering machines "horrible," but said that an AAS could be another option.

Commissioner Leigh Hoyt replied, "As long as I'm in this chair -- the other two could outvote me, I guess -- we will not have an answering machine answering our phone calls. That really grinds me."

Commission Chairman Earl McNutt said that although it may not be fiscally responsible to hire another county employee, he is also not a fan of answering machines. "I hate listening to automated answering machines. I don't have a lot of love for that," McNutt said.

Hoyt and maintenance supervisor Greg Holthus discussed the possibility of erecting a directory in the lobby of the courthouse's ground floor -- not only giving directions and possibly a map to each office, but also briefly describing each office's duties.

Hoyt said, "We need to make this as user-friendly as possible."

Commissioners authorized Holthus to investigate the directory kiosk, and asked him to report back. McNutt said, "We need to keep an open mind and figure out how to improve our system."