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Blue Lake will close City Hall to public on Fridays under new schedule
Summary
Council approved revised public hours to close City Hall on Fridays to give staff uninterrupted time for cash reconciliation and detailed accounting tasks, with on-call coverage retained and a requirement that staff report savings or impacts.
The Blue Lake City Council voted March 24 to adopt revised public‑facing hours that close City Hall on Fridays, a change staff said would allow uninterrupted time for detailed financial work and reduce overtime. The motion to approve was made by Council member Bayless and seconded by Council member Nate Pierre; it passed by voice vote.
A city staff member told council that reconciliations and bank deposits culminate on Fridays and that a day without public interruptions would let staff complete accounting tasks and reduce errors. "I'd like for you guys just to go ahead and approve closing on Friday," the staff member said, explaining that staff would remain reachable by an on‑call phone and that payments could still be left in the drop box or made online.
Council members asked how emergencies or payment deadlines would be handled; staff said payments placed in the drop box would be time‑stamped and recorded and that water shutoffs would not be scheduled on Fridays. The council directed staff to monitor the change and report back, noting possible future variations such as opening Friday mornings if evidence supported it.
Supporters said the schedule would improve staff productivity; some asked that the city provide a short analysis of savings or operational impacts after several months. The change takes effect after the council's action and staff said they would track overtime and other measurable effects.
