County departments are having a tough time with reduced staff shouldering more responsibilities and this is evident in the clerk of the courts office.

Denise Lundin, Clerk of the Superior Court, presented her department budget during talks with the county Board of Supervisors and commented on the time delays caused by the loss of four positions due to budget cuts. People do have to wait 20 to 30 minutes in line for passport applications, marriage licenses and other requests.

Her office maintains civil, domestic, criminal, juvenile and probate records and issues writs and warrants. Staff takes and transcribes all court minutes for all court proceedings. She also acts as the registrar of probate matters and maintains all court exhibits used as evidence.

Lundin is the jury commissioner and provides qualified jurors for trials from the lists of all registered voters and holders of drivers licenses. Staff records Notary Public bonds and commissions and prepares appeals to the Court of Appeals and State Supreme Court. She also collects all fees, fines, bonds and restitution for the court.

Revenue for the clerk’s office is a combination of fees for services, such as marriage licenses and passports, and forfeited money from bonds on criminal cases.

Though she has to hold those four vacancies and cut costs by 11.28 percent in her 2010-2011 budget, Lundin will finally get that new customer counter and redesigned staff work area that has been floated for the past few years. Her office went from the original 1930’s one-counter box to a three-counter hand-me-down from the treasure’s office a few years ago. Now, that is too small to meet the needs of the public, so the supervisors agreed that a new counter with more customer windows and space for staff can proceed.

ABOUT THE BUDGET

• Clerk of the Superior Court

Revenues, $251,500

Expenses, $$1,668, 208