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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The city&#8217;s Help Line coordinator and her backup are out indefinitely, leaving the mayor&#8217;s office to pick up the phones and take calls from residents.</p><p>Carol Smith, appointed to the position that pays $54,079 a year plus benefits, has not been in her third-floor office since the beginning of the year, according to Mayor Tony George.</p><p>Mary Ann Spellman, who fills in for Smith, also is out, the mayor said. Spellman, a clerical assistant is paid $54,755 annually plus benefits.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s being answered,&#8221; George said Wednesday of the service he restored upon taking office in January 2016.</p><p>The mayor honored a campaign promise to bring back the dedicated phone line to add a personal touch to his administration and do away with the process of leaving a voicemail message at City Hall and awaiting a return call. Smith fielded calls and either resolved them or directed them to the proper department for resolution.</p><p>Automation wasn&#8217;t completely eliminated with Smith answering the phone during business hours, however. If she was on the line calls went into voicemail, and she immediately returned them, George explained. She also responded to emails sent to her, the mayor said.</p><p>George said he even answered some calls, taking them before 9 a.m. when Smith got into her office.</p><p>But George said some callers got upset about having to wait a while for return calls. Tyler Ryan, assistant to the mayor, or Lisa Sanfilippo, administrative assistant, have been answering the Help Line calls transferred to the fourth floor.</p><p>They still have to do their work in addition to answering Help Line, he said, adding they can answer &#8220;only one phone at a time.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s unfortunate they&#8217;re both gone,&#8221; the mayor said of Smith and Spellman. He said he did not know when either of them would return and added that if they have accumulated sick time they can use it during their time off .</p><p>Still he stood behind the service and its continuation.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s working. People are happy,&#8221; the mayor said.</p><p>Smith had been keeping a log of the calls, but George said he did not have a tally available.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The Help Line coordinator for the city of Wilkes-Barre and her backup are out on leave indefinitely, and the mayor&#8217;s office is taking the phone calls. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_Help-Line.-jpeg.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Help Line coordinator for the city of Wilkes-Barre and her backup are out on leave indefinitely, and the mayor&#8217;s office is taking the phone calls. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>Wilkes-Barre Mayor&#8217;s Help Line</p><p>Call 570 821-1111</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre’s Help Line needs help, gets it from mayor’s office