Decorah’s Social Security office will remain staffed, Decorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski announced to the Decorah City Council Monday night.

In August, the mayor reported she had learned the Social Security Administration (SSA) was not intending to replace an employee who will be retiring from the SSA’s Decorah office as a “direct result” of less funding for Social Security. She said the SSA was considering providing a video service in Decorah instead.

Because the Decorah office is extremely busy, Borowski encouraged citizens to contact their legislators and federal lawmakers about the situation.

On Monday, she told the Council a representative of the Social Se-curity Administration had informed her there would be an employee in the Decorah office. After the current employee retires, Borowski said the Social Security office may be relocated to the U. S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency building on Oil Well Road.

“We will have a face-to-face person in Decorah. I’m happy to hear it,” she said.

After hearing from community members worried about the closure, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer wrote to the SSA last month to express concerns about plans for the Decorah office.

In recent a letter to Finkenauer, the SSA Regional Commissioner Linda Kerr-Davis wrote, “… we currently do not plan to close the Decorah, IA resident station. Rather, we plan to supplement our in-person service by offering an additional video service option and provide tailored public service through accessible community-based facilities.”

“I heard from community members in Decorah, including Decorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski, about how serious a potential office closure would be,” Finkenauer said in a statement issued Tuesday.

“It was important to make sure the SSA was hearing the voices of our friends and neighbors that would be impacted. I am happy to hear that the SSA will keep the Decorah office open and will still offer in-person service.”

The Decorah office serves benefi ciaries from Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.