The Southbury Record

At last night’s highly-attended Board of Selectmen meeting, town leaders worked toward a compromise on Southbury’s four-day work week pilot program.

The board voted to recommend to the Board of Finance the creation of a 35-hour-per-week floater position, with its primary responsibility being to serve at the Senior Center, allowing its hours to be restored on Fridays until 1:00 p.m.

The goal, officials said, is to keep the four-day schedule for most Town Hall operations while ensuring the Senior Center remains open for residents on Fridays.

Members of the board, including First Selectman Jeff Manville, spoke to the success of the pilot program, which has been in place since June.

“This would give us the ability to keep a successful pilot program that showed the need for extra programming in the evening and extended hours in the Senior Center,” said Manville. “It would give us the ability to open up until 1:00 on Friday like we were.”

Manville said that the pilot program was put in place to address employee retention and morale within Town Hall, as well as provide services to residents outside the traditional work hours of 9-5.

The pilot program was met with concern from some members of the Senior Center, who attended public meetings and said they would like to see the center remain open on Fridays.

“It’s pretty evident that the Senior Center should be open until 1:00, as it was on Friday,” Manville said at Thursday’s meeting.

Board members praised the idea of finding a balance that could satisfy both members of the Senior Center and employees within Town Hall.

Selectman Holly Sullivan said she favored the idea that would keep extended hours for the Senior Center, making it possible for working seniors to attend classes and for town business to be conducted for residents at a later hour on Wednesdays.

“I think that this is a really good balance, where we’ve learned from what we heard over several months,” said Sullivan. “We’ve adjusted to it and found a solution that can make all things possible for all the needs of the community.”

The board discussed the compromise before members of the public addressed the board during the meeting’s public comment period.

Public Comment

Some speakers during public comment expressed gratitude to the idea, while others expressed their desire to see operations within Town Hall reverted back to their Friday hours.

Donna Smith said she appreciated the talks of a compromise but said she would have liked to see it handled differently from the beginning.

“It felt like COVID all over again,” said Smith. “I felt very discounted and disrespected as a senior. I do appreciate the staff, but I think the way this was done put us at odds with each other.”

Francesca Sergi spoke to some of the parking concerns under the condensed schedule, with cars being parked in the adjacent Pomperaug Elementary School parking lot due to overflow. She expressed concern that closing the Senior Center on Fridays could negatively affect the town’s reputation and housing market.

“I’m totally for this floater, but if you choose not to go that route, then I think this crucial decision should be put to a public vote,” said Sergi.

Over a dozen people spoke during the public comment period, making the meeting one of the most highly attended this year.

An internal survey sent to affected Town Hall departments and staff last week revealed that 76 percent of those surveyed would like to keep the four-day workweek permanently.

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. 

Plan in Motion

After nearly half an hour of public comment, the board discussed the logistics of a reinstated floater position and their duties.

Although some members of the board were not aware of the idea before Thursday’s meeting, such as Selectmen Tim O’Neil and Justin Bette, they remained receptive to the idea of reverting back to a five-day schedule for the Senior Center.

Selectman Bette stated that he was, in fact, not in favor of the all-encompassing four-day work week.

“I think we should go back to the four-and-a-half day workweek,” said Bette. “I think we should figure out how to move folks around.. to keep both buildings completely open, with a half day on Friday.”

The idea of having the floater also serve as a liaison to the business community was brought up, but Selectman O’Neil said he would like to see the town have a dedicated Economic Development Director position.

Before the Senior Center’s hours are reverted back to opening on Fridays for a half-day, the position will need to be posted, and interviews will need to be conducted.

Selectman Anne Armeno expressed a concern about putting the plan in motion, requesting that the idea be put on the “fast track” to implementation. 

First Selectman Manville said that Friday operations at the Senior Center would be back, “as soon as we get someone hired.” He floated an estimated timeline of a month and a half, noting that the Board of Finance will meet next month.

“It’s going to take a little time,” explained Manville, adding that he would task the town’s Finance Director with having the position financially ready for them to act on at their next meeting.

Next Steps

Until a floater is hired, the Senior Center will continue to operate on the condensed four-day workweek schedule. 

With the Board of Finance’s next scheduled meeting planned for Monday, September 15, it means that it will be at least another month until any changes are formalized, unless a special meeting is called before then.

First Selectman Manville said that members of the public, including senior citizens, should take advantage of other programs available around town, including those at the Southbury Public Library.

He announced that the library is planning to open ahead of schedule, potentially as soon as September 2.

With the board passing the motion to recommend the floater position to the Board of Finance, members of the board reflected on the months-long issue that brought residents to voice their concerns over the summer months.

Selectman Jason Van Stone noted that the employees of the Senior Center were put in an “unfair position” and that they should be praised for their dedication to the aging population they serve.

“This building and the programs it offers should be something the town really leverages and leans into,” said Van Stone. 

“It’s very rare that we get to come up with a solution that makes almost everybody happy. I’m glad that there was such agreement tonight,” he added. 

The next scheduled Board of Selectman meeting is set for Thursday, September 4.