Congratulations to Douglas County Treasurer Paula Gilchrist for coming up with an economical way to extend her office’s services to residents in the southern part of the county.

Starting next month, the treasurer will operate a branch office in the Baldwin City Market one week each month. A branch treasurer’s office in Baldwin City was closed several years ago for financial reasons, but Gilchrist has come up with a plan that can be implemented with only minimal expense to the county.

It will cost $4,280 to equip the office and get it up and running, but after that, the costs will be small. The county will pay $150 a month for rent, about $100 a month for Internet access and $125 a month for employee mileage. No additional employees will have to be hired to staff the Baldwin City office. Those costs may be reduced even further if the county is able to implement Commissioner Jere McElhaney’s suggestion of moving the office to the county’s ambulance station in Baldwin City which would be rent-free.

A creative approach and a small investment by the county will provide a big service for people in Baldwin City and the surrounding area.