MERCER COUNTY Official suggests consideration of 4-day workweek to save gas

Unions here would have to be consulted first, a commissioner says.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MERCER, Pa. -- Two Pennsylvania counties are considering adjusting county employees' workweeks, and one Mercer County commissioner says if gas prices stay high, the same should be considered here.
Commissioner Michele Brooks said at the chief clerk's meeting Tuesday that Fayette and Armstrong counties are considering extending the workday and going to a four-day workweek to save employees the cost of driving to work one day a week.
Brooks said that the unions would have to be consulted and court schedules taken into consideration.
Chief Clerk Norma Anderton said Mercer County Community Transit has started a weekday bus service to transport county employees who live in Greenville to Mercer.
She said 10 people are riding the bus, which picks them up at the former Z & amp;Z Lanes on South Mercer Street between 7:30 and 8 a.m.
Will consider requests
Contacted after the meeting, Transit Manager Bill Jones said that the employees requested the bus and that the agency is open to requests from other areas. The cost is $2 per ride. He added that a bus has been transporting courthouse employees from the Shenango Valley for several years, but until now the agency had not found much interest in other areas.
He said anyone interested in riding any of these buses should call his office at (724) 981-6222 ahead of time to make sure there are enough seats. He said at least 10 riders are necessary for adding a pickup.
Commissioner Brian Beader also commented that some county travel budgets will have to be reviewed because gasoline will cost more than the amount previously approved.