Council to Discuss Extending City Hall Hours

Residents may have more access to city hall should Lemon Grove’s City Council vote in favor of extending hours at tonight’s regular council meeting.

Council members will consider ending a furlough program that had cut the number of hours employees worked by eight per month, according to a staff report.

City Hall had originally closed every other Friday. To cope with the cuts, the council voted to close every Friday.

The council is being asked to consider two options:

Return to the previous operating schedule of being open every other Friday, with City Hall open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Extend City Hall operating hours by 1.5 hours per day and remain closed every Friday. City Hall would be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday - Thursday. This would put employees on a 4/10 work schedule, according to a staff report.

The reduction in work hours reduced employee salaries by about 5 percent, officials said. The city saved an estimated $115,000 in 2011-12.

But on June 5, Lemon Grove adopted the City’s 2012-13 budget, which included the elimination of the city’s furlough program as of Jan. 1.

“Regardless of City Hall operating hours, Public Works field staff will work every other Friday due to workload issues,” officials wrote. “Also, some city staff will work on Fridays, giving the public an option for appointments while City Hall is closed.

As a comparison, Chula Vista and National City are closed every Friday, while most other cities in the county are closed every other Friday.”

The council will meet at 6 tonight at the Lemon Grove Community Center, 3146 School Lane. Phone: (619) 825-3800.