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Council approves town‑office closure Wednesday–Friday around Christmas, opts not to hold staff luncheon
Summary
Richmond Town Council voted to close town offices on Wednesday through Friday during the Christmas week in lieu of the prior half‑day-and‑luncheon tradition, with the council citing staff morale and operational considerations. Public services that require coverage (e.g., plowing) remain under departmental protocols.
The Richmond Town Council voted Oct. 15 to close town offices on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that include Christmas and the day before, replacing the prior practice of a half‑day closure plus an afternoon holiday luncheon.
Why it matters: Staff and department heads told the council they preferred extended time off for employees — particularly public‑works crews who have limited ability to take vacation during the busy winter season — and that a three‑day closure would be a stronger morale boost than a half‑day event.
Council action: After hearing department feedback, the council approved a motion to close town offices on the three‑day block in lieu of a staff luncheon. The council asked department heads to submit vacation requests and to ensure critical services (trash, transfer station operations and emergency responses) remain covered; public‑safety and public‑works emergency staffing will follow existing on‑call procedures if storms or emergencies require it.
Implementation notes: Department heads were asked to coordinate coverage for routine services such as recording and permitting that residents may need the week before year‑end (title recording, real‑estate closings). The council asked staff to collect outstanding vacation requests and confirmed that public works will remain available for operations such as plowing and landfill/transfer‑station needs.
Ending: The three‑day closure and elimination of the holiday luncheon for this year was intended as a one‑time operational decision to support staff; councilors said the approach could be revisited in future budget cycles.
