Radical staff reductions have prompted El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Bob Balink to turn to the public for help.

Balink has launched a program in which he hopes volunteers will pick up the slack in elections, recording, motor vehicles, information systems and clerk to the board.

It’s the latest volunteer program in county government, which also puts citizens to work at the Sheriff’s Office and Parks Department.

But not just any Tom, Dick or Mary should apply. The requirements call for applicants to be proficient in certain computer programs, have a valid Colorado driver’s license, pass a criminal-background check and be able to work in four-hour blocks of time each week.

“Our staffing level is the same as 1994, at 111,” Balink said in an e-mail. “We had 137 a year ago.” The reduction is largely due to Balink’s budget being slashed by roughly $1.5 million this year.

“We keep striving for new efficiencies, and some of that will come through technology,” he said.

But some tasks require hands-on help.

Although the office put a handful of interns to work last year, Balink hopes the volunteer program will consistently beef up the work force.

“It’s going to be a big benefit for people,” said Mary Lynn Black, who’s overseeing the program. “Anytime you come into an office, you learn a lot – experiencing what that office does, how they service the public.”

Although volunteers will work in sensitive areas, such as elections, Black said they won’t be assigned proprietary duties such as counting ballots.

“We are always very selective, as far as who is assigned to what duties, especially when it comes to the Election Department,” she said.

For information: http://car.elpasoco.com/ and link to Volunteer Opportunities.

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Call the writer at 636-0238.

REQUIREMENTS

• Must be 18 or older, or be a high school senior.• Be proficient in Excel, Word, Outlook.• Verbal and written communication and customer-service skills.• Must be a U.S. citizen, registered to vote in Colorado (for election positions), possess a Colorado driver’s license and pass a criminal-background check.• Must adhere to ethical standards of conduct and maintain confidentiality of records and information.

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