Commissioners to consider closing Glacier County offices the day after major holidays

A Glacier County commissioner proposed adding an agenda item to evaluate closing county offices the day after Christmas and the day after New Year's Day, citing low traffic on those days and the fact that state offices and banks are typically closed.

Why it matters: Commissioners said closing on those Fridays could reduce wasted staff time when key state services (for example, motor vehicle systems) are unavailable and could align county operations with state closures. The proposal includes investigating whether the county would provide administrative paid leave or require staff to use accrued leave.

What was discussed: Commissioners compared local practice to neighboring counties that close those days and described operational constraints — for example, the motor vehicle division is closed at times and the county cannot complete certain services when the state is offline. Staff were asked to prepare a proposal with options and cost implications and to solicit department-head input before the next formal discussion.

Next steps: The item will be placed on a near-term agenda; staff will check how the state handles closures and whether paid administrative leave is feasible. Commissioners said they preferred to gather department-head feedback before final action.

Ending: No final decision was made; the proposal will return to the board with a formal recommendation and fiscal details.