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Proposal to shrink Town Hall public hours put on hold after debate over access and staffing
Summary
Town administration proposed reducing in‑person public hours to three shorter weekday blocks to let staff focus on administrative work after staffing cuts; selectmen expressed access and union/compensation concerns and tabled the item for further review at an August meeting.
Town administration proposed changing Town Hall public counter hours to Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Tuesday 9 a.m.–6:30 p.m., and closing Fridays, to allow staff more time for complex administrative work following recent staffing reductions.
Administration said the change would not reduce paid hours for staff but would concentrate public counter availability into fewer hours while preserving an evening option on Tuesdays. The goal, officials said, is to reduce interruptions to functions like payroll, reconciliations and public‑records processing and to improve turnaround on administrative tasks.
Several selectmen and residents objected to limiting daytime access for people who work standard 8–4 schedules, warning that concentrating evening hours to a single day may produce long lines and inconvenience. Questions were raised about potential union negotiations or compensation changes if staff duties shift, and whether the change would actually save money.
After discussion, selectmen agreed to table the proposal and asked administration to return with additional information at the Aug. 11 meeting, including anticipated workflow impacts and any union‑related consequences. No changes to hours were implemented at this meeting.
