Jamestown council is giving borough secretary/treasurer Diane Helbig three weeks to comply with new office hours it set for her last month, or else it will begin advertising for her replacement.

Council members in August approved changing Ms. Helbig's work schedule from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. four days a week to 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. five days a week.

Some council members said then that several residents had complained it was difficult for them to make it to the borough building by 3 p.m. to pay their water bills or take care of other borough business.

Ms. Helbig has yet to work the council-mandated hours.

Ms. Helbig, who has worked for the borough for seven years, said the new office hours would make it impossible for her to also do her job as a mother of two.

"I have children to get on a school bus and off to school every morning and then pick up after school," said Ms. Helbig, who had offered to work from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. five days a week.

Council met behind closed doors for more than an hour Tuesday to come up with a resolution.

Council said it would permit Ms. Helbig to work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next three weeks. The borough office would remain open until 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with council members picking up the extra two hours each day.

If Ms. Helbig chooses not to follow the 11-to-5, five-days-a-week schedule by Oct. 8, council would immediately begin advertising for her replacement and aim to tap one by Dec. 1.

Ms. Helbig asked council after they informed her of its decision why "the extra hours were more important than (her) experience." Council declined to answer, saying it was a personnel matter.