The Carbon County Prothonotary’s office will resume passport services Feb. 27 to county residents, Prothonotary Kayla Semmel said on Friday.

Passport services are not a requirement of the duties and responsibilities of the office but it is a service that has been provided as a convenience to county residents, Semmel said in a statement.

“The work to staff ratio in this county is a critical issue that is creating burn out in our employees,” Semmel said. “Despite the challenges to keep up with the demands of the courts and offer elective services, my staff and I are the most experienced and best suited for this specific challenge. The overwhelming need for these services has been made apparent over the last week.”

Semmel said in her statement that it is not fair to threaten a tax increase and put that on the backs of Carbon residents in an attempt to address an obvious work to staff ratio issue in the county. She also said it would not be beneficial to the taxpayer or county itself to transfer the services to untrained and inexperienced members in other offices.

Appointments are needed for passport services. Call 570-325-2481.