Certain Town Offices

Set New Hours

By John Voket

A pilot program to offer increased access to key municipal offices has been initiated by First Selectman Herb Rosenthal. The program goes into effect this week.

Until further notice, the selectman’s office at Edmond Town Hall will be open and staffed from 7:30 am until 5:30 pm. This adjustment will give residents who work out of town during conventional hours a chance to access Newtown’s top political official if needed.

“Basically it’s a pilot program which may become permanent if people are taking advantage of it,” Mr Rosenthal told The Bee last week. He said total staff hours would remain the same because personnel will work flex schedules consisting of four ten-hour days each week with a third day off on a rotating basis.

The suite of building and health offices at the new Peck’s Lane municipal center will also adjust their operating hours on a trial basis, Mr Rosenthal said. The health district, building inspector, fire marshal, zoning and planning departments will be staffed Monday through Friday from 7 am to 4:30 pm.

Health District Director Donna Culbert said the adjustment to earlier opening makes sense to accommodate builders and contractors who usually begin their day getting permits and other municipal business in order before heading to job sites.

“We will also be covering the offices with staggered schedules, so as far as I know, there won’t be any additional work time or overtime,” Ms Culbert said. “It really makes sense. Now workers will be able to get their inspections and paperwork taken care of, and they won’t have to leave their job sites in the middle of the day to get over here.”

The health director said an extra day off would be especially beneficial to those like herself who have to travel some distance from out of town to their jobs at the new town office facility located within the Kendro Laboratory Products building.

All other offices at Edmond Town Hall, the Board of Education, Town Hall South, and the Senior Center will remain on their existing schedules. Mr Rosenthal said he would gauge the effectiveness of the pilot program before suggesting other offices adopt new hours or the flex-scheduling practices.

“Besides, most of those offices have union contracted hours, so any changes to those would occur during contract negotiations,” he said.