Town of Longboat Key operating hours change permanently

Most Longboat Key town departments will continue operating under new hours year-round. 

This season, from Jan. 2 to April 30, the town embarked on a pilot study to change the operating hours one hour earlier, now from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Previously, most town departments operated from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

The idea, according to Town Manager Howard Tipton, was to address concerns about traffic congestion getting off the island during peak times. 

“It seemed to go well. It’s one of those fixes that doesn’t cost anything, but can make something better,” Tipton said. 

Traffic congestion remained the No. 1 concern for the town to address in the 2024 citizen satisfaction survey, with 63% of respondents agreeing that it is one of the most important issues. About 59% of residents were dissatisfied with traffic flow and congestion, according to the survey. 

Tipton said the town received similar responses in an employee survey, which prompted the pilot program. 

Similar hours are worked by neighboring barrier islands, like Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach. Tipton said he believes Longboat Key was the only barrier island working those later hours. 

Tipton said he heard that ending the day one hour earlier helped employees get off the island about 15-20 minutes faster, which then put them ahead of traffic elsewhere, like downtown Sarasota. 

According to a memo sent out by Tipton in December 2023, 97% of town employees live off-island. 

The Longboat Key Police and Fire Rescue Departments were not a part of the pilot study and did not have a change in operating hours. Tipton also previously said that the majority of Public Works and Tennis Center employees already began work at earlier times. 

In some cases, the earlier hours helped to enhance the customer experience, Tipton said.

“It seemed to work, and the customers seemed to adjust easily,” Tipton said. "Certainly the building customers loved it, in particular, because they get their day started earlier.”

For the Planning, Zoning and Building Department, Tipton said the majority of contractors want to get an earlier start to the day, which could happen with the office opening at 7:30 a.m. 

Tipton said if the fix helped maintain or enhance the town’s customer service at no cost, then “why not” implement it year-round.