The organization that provides services for domestic violence victims in Merced County will soon have an office in town thanks to approval given by the City Council this week. </p><p>Council members voted unanimously to allow Mountain Crisis Services - the Mariposa-based parent company of Valley Crisis Center of Merced County -- to lease office space at the Police Annex building at 545 J St. Valley Crisis Center will pay the city $1 every 30 days as part of the month-to-month lease. </p><p>In western Merced County many of the services for domestic violence victims became unavailable when their former provider, A Woman's Place, ceased to exist in 2008.</p><p>Interim Police Chief Mark Knapp said it is important to have an office where services can be made available in town.</p><p>"It's one local place where people know to go," Knapp said.</p><p>He said often when domestic violence or sexual assault victims are interviewed by police it's advantageous to have an advocate present. He said without an office in Los Ba&#241;os, advocates have to drive from Merced to meet with abuse victims.</p><p>Genevieve Bardini of Valley Crisis Center said the office space will help women who have to travel to the facility to receive help.</p><p>"Many times victims of domestic violence or assault lack transportation," Bardini said. </p><p>She said the Los Ba&#241;os office will be open for 16 hours a week until more volunteers can be recruited and trained. </p><p>Bardini said Valley Crisis Center is searching for volunteers on the Westside. But, she said, volunteers must have 80 hours of training, which sometimes makes it difficult for people who work.</p><p>Bardini said she still needs to talk to Knapp to get an exact date when Valley Crisis Center can move into its new office space. The police department has been in need of more room for its personnel for years.</p><p>However, Knapp said providing Valley Crisis Center the space at the Police Annex will not cause any further hardship because additional room became available when the city's building department vacated the facility.</p><p>Reporter Corey Pride can be reached at (209)388-6563 or by e-mail at cpride@losbanosenterprise.com