Ida Crawford describes work in Treasurer's Office

One of the employees you’re likely to interact with when you visit the Treasurer’s Office on the first floor of the Douglas County Courthouse is Ida Crawford.

With a background in customer service, Crawford said she likes “everything” about her job. She enjoys computers and helping people. “Being able to talk to customers and help meet their needs is always nice,” she said. “My co-workers make it fun, too.”

The Treasurer’s Office provides services related to motor vehicles and taxes for Douglas County, and it has an annual budget of about $1.3 million. In addition to the main office inside the Courthouse, which is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, there are three satellite offices located in:

• West Lawrence, 3000 W. Sixth Street inside of Dillons. Open: 7 a.m.-6p.m. Monday-Friday.
• South Lawrence, 2000 W. 31^st Street, Suite B. Open: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
• Baldwin City, 112 Eighth St. inside of Baldwin City Market. Open the second full week of each month, 8 a.m.-11 a.m. and noon-4 p.m. 

Crawford is one of 21 full-time employees who work in the Treasurer’s Office, which has software systems, so residents can make payments online and even check wait times and then get in line by website, text or the QLess App. Although those features are available, Crawford believes people still prefer to pay for services in-person. “They want to know that their taxes are getting paid, and they like getting the renewal stickers for their vehicle license plates,” she said.

One of Crawford’s favorite experiences at work is helping young adults register their first vehicle. “You can see the excitement in their eyes, but then when they pay the taxes, they are like, “Oh, my gosh. Owning a car isn’t cheap,’” she said. “It’s adulting.”

Crawford began working for the Treasurer’s Office in December 2018 and recently was promoted to Registration Clerk II. With experience in customer service, it has proved to be a good career fit. She has worked as a legal assistant and in property management and banking. She most recently worked for Dillons.

Treasurer Paula Gilchrist said a visit to one of their offices can be stressful due to the expenditure, lots of paperwork, and often long lines and wait times. “We do our best to assure your investment is protected by having well-trained staff that are good communicators and willing to go out of their way to help,” she said. “Being on the front lines of public service is not always easy. That’s why we are very proud of Ida and all our staff that can take the pressure, work efficiently and enjoy their job year after year.”

Crawford was born in Singapore and then moved to Sedgwick County, Kansas, when she was 9 years old. Her family later moved to the small Kansas town of Florence and then the even smaller town of Ramona, where she graduated from high school with 32 classmates. “Ramona is a super small town and the school was in the middle of a field,” she said.

After graduation, she returned to Singapore where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and then worked in sales for a couple of years before returning to Kansas, where she and her husband, Joshua, also lived in Russell and Salina before moving to Lawrence. “We just love it here and are hoping to settle down.”

For more information about the Treasurer’s Office: https://dgcoks.gov/depts/treasurer.

* Story by Douglas County Communications Specialist Karrey Britt