A Walnutport official has questioned why the borough office has been closed at times during regular office hours.

Councilman Michael Gaston brought the matter up for discussion at Thursday’s borough council meeting.

Gaston said that a few years ago, the borough hired an assistant secretary, yet there have been times when residents have come to the office and it’s been closed.

He said the assistant secretary was hired to fill in when the borough’s full-time secretary is off so that there would always be someone in the office five days a week.

Councilwoman Patrice Hunsicker concurred with that thought.

“It was to make sure the office stayed open all the time,” Hunsicker said.

Council President William Turk then weighed in on the situation.

“Somebody should be here at least four to five hours when (the full-time secretary is) not here,” Turk said.

Gaston said it becomes difficult to explain to residents when they stop at the office and see there’s no one there.

“We have two secretaries,” Gaston said. “What do you tell somebody?”

Hunsicker said the matter needs to be examined further.

“They have to be there for the residents,” Hunsicker said. “I think you would have to call the union for a meeting.”

The borough’s secretaries are union employees.