Not Everyone Likes 4-Day Week

I have noted your article (Feb. 16) regarding the four-day workweek in Duarte City Hall. Although you printed quotes from those who feel that the hours that serve them best are after 5 p.m. or before 8 a.m., there is an entire other side of the coin.

I believe there are scores of city residents who are being left without services because there is no city staff in the office on Fridays.

Your article leads the reader to believe that most of the residents “go along” with the four-day week and that “few” residents are unhappy with it. However, there was no indication in the article that a statistically valid study of residents’ opinions was made, and I know of no such study. But I can cite examples of cases in which people called City Hall on Friday and there was no staff on duty and the tape-recorded messages on the phone did not in any way address the problem.

I have suggested that there are a number of government bodies whose staff work on rotating schedules so that there is a smaller crew on duty on Fridays, but enough to help citizens with their problems. Such scheduling provides benefits for employees and at the same time serves the taxpayer.

Your article points out in many ways how such a four-day system is a boon to the employee. No doubt about that. I would address only one question as to the benefits to employees. For what benefit basically do the jobs in City Hall exist? For the benefit of the employee or to serve the taxpaying citizen of the community? To me, the employees--yes, even the city manager quoted in your article--are paid with taxpayer’s money to serve the people of the community!

Palmer Campen

DUARTE