Don’t Panic!

Those words were written on the summons I received in the beginning of January.  I didn’t exactly panic, but some trepidation is to be expected when receiving a summons to serve jury duty. And not just any jury duty, this is Grand Jury duty and the term of service is one year.  I had visions of traipsing down to the courthouse once a month to fulfill my civic duties, but those concerns were laid to rest after the 7 of us were selected and sworn in. Then we  learned that as part of the Grand Jury duties, which tend to be few, we would be privileged to tour many of the county offices and buildings and have the opportunity to speak with many of our county’s employees. We also learned that the Grand Jury has convened only once in the past 14 or so years and the likelihood of that happening is actually very slim.

On the morning of February 26th, at an hour I am unaccustomed to being out and about, I found myself making my way across snowy sidewalks to the court house in Vinton and up to the 3rd floor.  I had no idea what to expect but I hoped I was sufficiently prepared. Six of us jurors met with Jo who was to be the Grand Jury Clerk and District Attorney Thompson. We were given the reports from the previous two Grand Juries and given an opportunity to read through them and ask any questions before beginning our tour.

I must add here that this is based solely on my experience. My thoughts and opinions might possibly be shared by my fellow jurors however, I will not presume to speak in their behalf.  We began our tour in the court house on the 3rd floor and moved down from office to office. I wonder if there are many residents of Benton County that realize that our courthouse really is a beautiful building with striking wood and iron work throughout the building. It is obvious to me that those in charge of keeping the building clean and in good repair take that responsibility seriously and I hope that they take pride in their good work.

Another observation that I made was that, although everyone wished they had a larger budget and more space to work in, everyone was aware that budgets are tight and space in the old building is at a premium. No one had any major complaints and everyone I asked if they liked their job seemed to genuinely do so. I was impressed that our County Recorder so enjoyed working with the county records and appreciates the wealth of knowledge stored there in the office.

Several employees did express to us their concerns over security in the building citing a few incidents involving citizens who appeared to be on the verge of losing complete control of their temper. It had not occurred to me prior to this that many county employees (outside of law enforcement and DHS)  have the unfortunate  task of sometimes dealing with the frustrations and anger that people exhibit when things don’t always go their way. I do not foresee this as getting better and I believe it would be wise for our county leaders to recognize that someday there will be a greater need for security and should start planning for that day.

We finished our tour of the courthouse and went across the street to DHS. I must be honest: I don’t believe that I have ever been in a more dreary work place. The lighting was appalling, the interior was dismal, and the layout of the building cramped and confusing. Despite those drawbacks the employees were pleasant and generally upbeat.  I had to smile when they admitted to office jokes and banter to help lighten the mood.

From there we boarded a bus and went out to Secondary Roads. That is an impressive operation. Admittedly much of the conversation was not in my realm of expertise, but everyone was pleasant and willing to talk to us. Once again I had not given much thought to the time and work that goes into maintaining county roads. We were impressed that they do as much of their work in house as possible. There were a few minor things that we noticed and were written into our report but overall it was an interesting experience.

Following our tour of Secondary Roads we returned to Transportation. Did you know that Benton County has a public transportation system that is affordable and available to the general public? I didn’t. The bus we took was clean and seemed well maintained. Our driver was ever so kind and friendly. Little did I know that instead of arranging things around my husband’s schedule when we take my car in for repairs, I can call Benton County Transportation and make arrangements to take pick me up instead. That number is 1-800-339-0836 or 319-472-2413.

From Transportation we walked over to the Law Enforcement Center. It is an impressive building and it was a fascinating experience. I would have liked to have stayed longer and asked more questions but our time was running out and a winter storm approaching. We did stop in at the Emergency Management office. I was really looking forward to this part of the tour and was not disappointed. They have a fantastic set up in the event of a catastrophic disaster. I asked Mr. Hansen if there were something he would like changed he said he would like to see every county resident to have a 72 hour kit and able to take care of themselves in those first few hours of a serious emergency. County resources are limited and it may take some time to reach residents. If they can help themselves and their neighbors first it would go a long way in stretching resources and saving lives and property.

After touring that facility we returned to the court house to have lunch and write our report. It was a wonderful and surprising experience. Never had I know just how much work and man hours it takes to keep our county government running and the responsibilities that so many people have. It made me realize the importance of our local elections and the choices we make or don’t make in our elected officials. I am impressed with the kindness of county employees, their willingness to answer our questions, and show us their offices. I now appreciate the amount of work that they put into making our country run so well. And, despite the negative aspects that sometimes come from working with the general public, most people seemed to enjoy the work.

I have come away from this experience with a heart filled with gratitude for the people who work so hard in our behalf and I hope to remember to thank them the next time I have an opportunity to cross paths. I especially am thankful for Jo Kuennen who was so helpful and kind throughout this process. She cheerfully answered all of my questions and helped me through the process of writing up the report. She helped to make the experience a good one. I would also like to thank everyone who took the time to speak with us and gave us a tour of your offices and work space. I cannot forget our County Supervisors who took time out of a meeting to speak with us. You have a job burdened with many responsibilities. It is my hope and prayer that you, and indeed all county employees, will be blessed for all the good things you do for us.

-Stephonie K. Williams

(Editor's Note: We asked Stephonie to share her experience with Vinton Today Readers. See an earlier story about the 2013 Grand Jury with a link to its full report HERE.)