After email prompts confusion, Wu administration says Boston City Hall won’t shut down for two weeks over holidays

A Wu administration employee sent an email this week that seemed to place a great big gift in the form of a free vacation under the tree on City Hall Plaza.

The errant message said “all work in the city would cease” this Friday through New Year’s Day and quickly caused confusion about whether City Hall would shut down for the holidays.

Sent Monday by the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services liaison for Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Fenway/Kenmore and Mission Hill, the message appeared to indicate all city services, aside from emergencies, would shut down for the better part of two weeks.

“Reminder that all work in the city will cease Dec. 20 until the New Year (unless it is an emergency),” the Wu administration employee wrote.

Adding to the confusion was the additional note tacked on by the employee, who stated he would be out of the office Friday, Dec. 20 to Jan. 4, while wishing the recipients a “wonderful holiday break.”

But it turned out, the email was sent in error, and had nothing to do with shutting down the building. There would be no drummers drumming in celebration of a free vacation.

A follow-up email sent by the Wu administration employee about an hour later, said the staffer meant only that road and utility work would cease during the holidays, as is customary.

“I want to clarify that this only refers to public way utility excavation/occupancy work (i.e. Eversource, BWSC, etc.),” the employee wrote. “Apologies for any confusion.”

The clarifying email was sent to the Herald by the mayor’s office, after it was pitched questions about whether it was normal for City Hall to shut down for the holidays, if employees would still be paid for that time off regardless of whether they had vacation, personal or sick time accrued, and if constituent services like street cleaning and the 311 line would shut down as well.

The mayor’s office said, “The email was in reference to a pause on roadway construction, except in the case of emergencies. This is normal practice around major holidays and events throughout the year to be responsive to residents and activity happening in the city. City business continues as normal and staff will be working throughout the end of December.”

A Wu administration employee’s mistaken email last year caused a firestorm, when it was revealed that the mayor was hosting an exclusive “Electeds of Color” holiday party.