CORNWALL – No one is answering the phone at Cornwall city hall – at least not a real live person.
“People want to talk to a body,” an upset Coun. Andre Rivette told Cornwall Newswatch after speaking at council Monday night about the city’s phone system.
While striking inside CUPE workers have been back on the job for about two weeks, it seems not all their duties are being performed, namely greeting people on the phone who call 613-932-6252.
CUPE workers “had no cutbacks” so there’s no reason why service “to make it easier to communicate with city hall” should be cut back, Rivette told CNW.
“I’ve tried myself this week a couple times and I can tell you, I wasn’t happy. I’ve received a few calls on it and why is this stuff being changed without council knowing about it?” Rivette asked rhetorically.
“Put it back the way it was. You didn’t lose any manpower. The money is still there. Put it back to make it easier. Don’t make it harder for people to communicate.”
City Clerk Manon Levesque acknowledged the practice of letting the system go to the automated attendant was taking place and the system “hasn’t been put back.”
There’s already been two formal complaints, she said.
The phone service will be reviewed and if the city needs to “reinstate the way it was before, then we will do so,” CAO Maureen Adams said.
“Your point’s well taken,” Adams said to Rivette.