Minnetrista to pilot shortened City Hall Friday public hours this summer

Minnetrista staff proposed a summer pilot to shorten public-facing City Hall hours on Fridays, and the council gave staff direction to bring the item to the consent agenda for formal consideration.

Director of Administration Ellie Palfus told the council that because Friday afternoons see low foot traffic and few public visits, staff propose Monday'Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. to noon during the summer. The pilot would align with typical summer schedules (Memorial Day through Labor Day) and is intended as a test: if residents report problems, the pilot can be ended.

Several council members expressed concern about public perception and police front-desk availability. Staff clarified that police officers would remain on duty during normal shifts, that nonemergency lines roll to county dispatch after hours, and that some exempt staff would continue normal hours for prescheduled meetings. Staff proposed practical mitigations: door signage with an emergency or call-back number; an auto-attendant or menu directing callers to a building department option; and an internal cell number to triage Friday-afternoon issues.

Council asked staff to track complaints and foot traffic during the pilot and to provide monthly updates. The council agreed to a noon Friday closing (rather than 11:30) and directed staff to present the pilot on the consent agenda for formal authorization.