Tax Collector Office Hours

At a glance

What: The Tax Collector's office (motor vehicle registrations and tax payments) is understaffed and asked for two more clerks and for hours of 8:00 to 4:30.
Where it stands: August 4: two Municipal Revenue Clerk positions approved; the 4:30 closing was tabled 8 to 6. September 1: Board received and filed the original request and set the plan for one late night a week (Tuesdays until 8 PM), starting November 10 with an appointment system.
Next: Late Tuesday hours and the appointment system in the fall.

Masewic Adams: 65,000 visits in 2025 and 35,000 so far in 2026; staff leaving at 5:45 PM, burnout and turnover; manual processing of 600 to 800 remote registrations a day; about five years to learn the job. The door would close at 4:30 but people in line would be served. An appointment system would cost $24,000.
The Board split the report. It approved the two Municipal Revenue Clerk positions (grade 108; motion Terrio, second Trisciani). Sapienza moved to table the hours change, seconded by Dexter; roll call: yea Dexter, Bonilla, Kantor, O'Neil, Sapienza, Barry, Vincent, Thomas; nay Kaw-uh, Goonan, Fajardo, Trisciani, Terrio, Burkush. Tabled 8 to 6.
Terrio said registering took almost two hours; Bonilla and Dexter argued residents who work cannot easily come in; Mayor Ruais floated flex shifts (for example three staff working 11 to 7 on some days).

Bonilla moved to remove the item from the table and keep a late night (Tuesday until 8 PM) once two new staff finish about six weeks of training in mid October. Masewic Adams said the appointment system purchase order had been signed with a mid October launch and that the Mayor would help publicize it; mornings are the pressure point. Dexter asked whether absorbing credit card fees would send more people online.
Mayor Ruais proposed October 27; after discussion Bonilla noted the first Tuesday in November is Election Day, so the date became November 10. The committee's original report was received and filed (motion Bonilla, second Dexter).
Terrio described waiting 2.5 hours behind 65 people in July.

Plan set for Tuesday evening hours starting November 10 and an appointment system; original request received and filed.

Two clerks approved; 4:30 closing tabled 8 to 6.