The Haines Borough office is cutting back its hours.
Starting Jan. 2, the borough will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., slicing an hour off the public’s access to staff and officials.
The borough is currently open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Interim manager Julie Cozzi made the decision to open the office later. “I’ve been asking for it forever, since like 2003.”
Though she pitched the idea to former managers, they were reluctant to adopt it, she said.
Cozzi said staff who start work at 8 a.m. will still be in the building, but doors to the office will be locked. Phones will also go unanswered from 8 to 9 a.m.
“Opening the office at 9 a.m. will give staff time to organize their day, get important work done without interruption, and allow time for staff meetings,” Cozzi said. “I think this is going to help staff be more productive and still allow the public eight hours of access to the administration.”
Cozzi said few people come in from 8 to 9 a.m., anyway.
“Many municipal, state and federal agencies are closed to the public for the lunch hour, but we stay open because this is a valuable time for the public to take care of their business. If someone is in a real bind, we will do what we can to accommodate them before 9,” she said.
Once hired, a new manager could reverse Cozzi’s decision.