Date: Fri 25-Jun-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

public-office-hours

Full Text:

Public Office Hours Cut Back To Cope With Workload

The offices of the town's land use, building and health departments will close

their doors to the public on Friday afternoons starting July 23. These

departments are all located at Canaan House on the campus of Fairfield Hills.

Town officials say they need that time to catch up on paper work which has

begun to pile up due to the building boom.

"Our workload has increased the past few months and I have noticed that we are

reacting to crisis or immediate response, leaving less time for paperwork and

plan reviews," land use director Rita Macmillan stated in a memo to First

Selectman Herb Rosenthal.

The agencies will be closed from 1 pm to 4:30 pm. The Parks & Recreation

Department will remain open.

Mrs Macmillan said increased construction has greatly increased the amount of

clerical work, along with the number of commission applications, plan reviews

and certificate of occupancy inspections. Due to the strict enforcement of

land regulations, the departments have also increased their daily inspections,

cease & desist orders, meetings with the public, and time at court.

The Building Department has been closed to the public every Thursday

afternoon; the department will reopen on Thursday afternoons in favor of the

Friday afternoon closing.