Council agrees to trial basis for city hall summer hours

The New Prague City Council approved, 4-0, a recommendation at its Monday, May 5, meeting a trial basis for summer hours at city hall.

City Administrator Josh Tetzlaff recommended from Memorial Day (Monday, May 26) to Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 1) city hall hours be Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Tetzlaff had proposed the change at the last council meeting. He noted some residents and business people preferred coming in before 8 a.m. to take care of bill payments and permits. There were also residents and businesses who did their work with the city online and Fridays at city hall are relatively quiet days, Tetzlaff said. The proposal had been tabled to allow for public feedback and for council members to provide some ideas.

Tetzlaff said Mayor Duane Jirik, who was absent, had sent two ideas. One was to keep city hall hours as they are (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), but to allow employees to work adjusted hours that still provide coverage at city hall throughout the summer. The second idea was to keep city hours as they are and allow employees to possibly work four 10-hour shifts throughout the week, as long as there was someone there during city hall’s open hours.

Councilor Shawn Ryan asked if the hours were changed, would it change any contract agreements for employees. Tetzlaff replied the city department heads...

To see more on this story pick up the May 15, 2025 print edition of The New Prague Times.