Pasadena City Hall Ends Friday Closures
The city of Pasadena has expanded its counter service to every Friday as of this week, ending a three-year period when residents wishing to pay their utility bills, parking tickets or obtain a dog license at City Hall would find the offices dark every other Friday.
As part of City Manager Philip Hawkey’s drive to bring what he calls “Nordstrom-style†service back to City Hall, the doors of the Municipal Services Office swung open Friday on a day where in recent years they would have stayed shut.
The service office, Room 121 at 100 Garfield Ave., will be open every Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
In addition, the Public Works Permit Counter is opening every Friday morning for public rights of way permits, and in two weeks, the city’s Permit Center, at 175 N. Garfield Ave., will also open every Friday morning for permits for everything from rummage sales to filming.
In April 1993, facing a large budget shortfall, the city closed its offices on every other Friday.
Employees began to work the so-called “9-80†track, meaning city offices opened 80 hours in nine days during any two-week period. By implementing “Dark Fridays†every other week, the city reduced its energy costs by $50,000 annually and saved an additional $100,000 in state mandated ride-share programs.
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