Town Hall hours change in New Hartford

NEW HARTFORD — New Hartford will scale back the number of days Town Hall will be open in an effort to save money on heating bills this winter. The new hours will begin Monday, Oct. 6.

First Selectman Earl MacInnes said all town offices, including the town clerk, tax collector and assessor, land use and selectman’s office, will be affected by the new hours. The police department, public safety and public works will not be affected.

Currently town offices are open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to noon. Beginning Oct. 6, Town Hall will be open one hour later on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday hours will stay the same and Friday the building will be closed.

While saving energy prompted the change, MacInnes said in the end the town will provide better service to residents.

“We’re trying to conserve energy. The cost of energy fuel oil and the cost of electricity is simply unpredictable and we have to take steps to preserve energy and stay within the budget approved by the town,� said MacInnes.

MacInnes added that extending the hours of Town Hall by one hour will meet the needs of more residents who need to do business in the town offices.

As for Fridays, MacInnes said he doesn’t feel the closure will have a great impact on the residents.

“We did a survey of the number of residents that come into Town Hall on a Friday morning and the most we had on a Friday was four,� he said.

“I think it is going to help people being open later,� said Assistant Town Clerk Nancy Eldridge. “Donna has been working on the indices for the land records. They will be online. So those will be available for title searches [when we’re closed]. I don’t really see there being any issues in our office. I think we will still be able to serve the public.�

“It will definitely help cut back on energy costs,� said Eldridge.