It Should Be So Simple

Councilor Ted DeSalatore, who is suddenly battling Dean Tran for busiest councilor (at least in terms of media hits), reignites the seemingly simple idea of keeping City Hall open until 6:30 one day a week.

DeSalvatore's plan would keep some departments open until 6:30 on Thursday nights, after not opening until 10:30 that day. It means no additional work hours, and employees would get to sleep in one day a week.

This seems so simply customer-friendly, and importantly, these customers are not only paying fees for birth certificates, marriage licenses, and building permits, but they pay the taxes that pay these employees' salaries. To say residents are the ultimate customer isn't enough. In fact, as pretty much the equivilent to a shareholder in the city and its government, I vote to put the new hours into effect. (Now if I just could find 19,999 more people, I'd have a mandate of shareholders, for all the good that vote does me.)

Of course, something so simple can't be easy. There are unions to deal with, and the fact that Mayor Dan Mylott already isn't optimistic (uh-oh), as similar ideas have withered on the vine in the past. Of course, if the unions can be prodded into the change, they'll need a giveback. Whatever could that be? Hopefully if it doesn't happen, the city uses it against the union later.

DeSalvatore's petition is mindful of the city's changing population. More and more people work in Boston or along 128 (or even Devens) and getting to City Hall at 8:30 and getting to work by 9 is impossible for most people. Forget getting back to City Hall by 4:30, it's impossible.

For a city struggling to do the big things, sometimes the small things can be a way to tell people government cares and is doing what it can to help. Hopefully DeSalvatore can get support for this and make it happen.