City hall hours could change

The hours of Grand Coulee City Hall could change so that it isn’t closed during the 12-1 p.m. lunch hour, but would close a half an hour earlier, at 4:30 p.m.

City Clerk Lorna Pearce explained at the Feb. 18 city council meeting that with a newly adopted union contract allowing for half-hour lunches instead of a full hour, she and Deputy Clerk Andrea Shumaker could alternate their lunches to stay open during the lunch hour.

Councilmember Gary Carriere remarked that it makes sense to make the change and have city hall open during the noon hour, when citizens could pay their utility bills, or do other city hall business, while they were on their own lunch breaks.

The city’s Labor Committee, which consists of Carriere and Councilmember Tom Poplawski, will look at the idea and consider concerns, such as what if one of the clerks were absent for one reason or another, and from there will recommend, or not, a resolution to change the hours at the city’s March council meeting.