As Southbury weighs the possibility of a four-day workweek, an internal survey of affected employees in Town Hall shows strong support for the ongoing pilot program.
The one-question survey, distributed on Tuesday to affected Town Hall staff, asked employees whether they prefer to continue the four-day schedule or return to a traditional five-day week.
Although the survey remains open until next Wednesday, responses from affected departments and their employees have already been submitted, with 75 percent in favor of continuing the four-day week and 25 percent preferring a return to five, according to the town’s Finance and Human Resources Department.
The pilot program, which has been in place since June 2nd, allows certain town departments to operate on a condensed schedule, with longer daily hours.
Affected departments saw their hours on Wednesday extended one hour to 6:00 p.m., and their lunch breaks reduced to 30 minutes from one hour.
Town officials have stated that the goal of the pilot program is to evaluate the work-life balance for employees, as well as public accessibility under the adjusted schedule.
It is not yet clear whether the pilot program will be extended, modified, or made permanent. The Board of Selectmen’s next scheduled meeting is set for Thursday, August 14, where the topic is anticipated to appear on the agenda.
Senior Center Spotlight
One of the most closely watched departments in the conversation has been the Southbury Senior Center, of which nearly 1,000 people are members.
Some classes originally scheduled for Fridays were moved to other days of the week, including a Tai Chi class now held on Wednesday afternoons.
Bruce Porzelt, a resident and attendee of the Tai Chi class, said he adapted his schedule to the pilot program this summer.
“It affected me and my routine a little, but I wouldn’t miss the class for anything,” said Porzelt. “It would be hard to find another place that does Tai Chi.”
For Roseann Adiletta, the change doesn’t make a difference in her own schedule, but she says she understands both sides of the issue that affects the employees and patrons of the senior center.
“If I were a worker, I’d want a four-day workweek,” said Adiletta, as she attended a class at the senior center this week. “I can see both sides of it.”
Andrea Corcoran, the town’s Director of Senior Services, says the pilot program has allowed her and her staff to attract a different type of senior, including those who may still be in the workforce.
She emphasized that nothing has been reduced within the senior center, with employees still working the same number of hours.
“We implemented some new programs during the pilot program that have been well received,” Corcoran told The Record. “Having a long weekend allows us a chance to get things done on a Friday that we weren’t able to do during normal work hours.”
Corcoran previously spoke to the Board of Selectmen to provide an update on the pilot program’s implementation. A split vote that month allowed the program to continue at the Senior Center through the summer.
Even so, some residents have pushed back. Several spoke during public comment periods at recent meetings, urging the town to keep the Senior Center open on Fridays. They said they would have liked to be surveyed before the Senior Center was closed for 13 Fridays this summer.
A petition with 71 signatures was submitted, though town officials noted some signers were not registered members of the center.
Meanwhile, the Senior Center Commission was unable to meet in May and June due to a lack of quorum. The commission does not typically meet in July or August.
With the pilot program set to conclude at the end of August, the Board of Selectmen will need to decide before the end of the month whether to continue the adjusted schedule for the affected departments.
Correction: This story has been updated as of Wednesday, August 13 to reflect that the four-day pilot program began on June 2, 2025.
The Southbury Record 