Staff writer
Several times each day, Marion County Appraiser’s Office employees climb up 21 stairs to the temporary office at Great Plains Computers and Networking at 324 E. Main St., Marion.
“We’re getting our exercise,” Appraiser Cindy Magill said.
Employees make frequent trips to Marion County Courthouse because department files remain there.
The relocation was made while the county addresses mold issues in the office that were causing health problems for employees. The department moved in mid-September.
Employees’ respiratory issues have cleared up during their time away from the office, Magill said.
“Nobody’s had problems since we’ve been here,” she said.
The office has two employees working on the main floor of Great Plains for mapping and personal property. Another six employees work upstairs.
Most taxpayer inquiries this time of year are related to personal property, Magill said. If an inquiry requires an employee from the upstairs office, the employee will meet the taxpayer downstairs.
She said she feels a little bit disconnected being away from the courthouse.
“I think we’ll all be glad when we get back,” she said.
There is no timeline for their return to the courthouse yet. The county is paying $525 weekly to rent the office space. Magill said she would miss the wide-open space at the temporary office, but she would prefer to be at the courthouse.
“I definitely hope we’re back over there before the first of the year,” she said.