Washington City Council approves earlier meeting times, changes City Hall hours

WASHINGTON — The Washington City Council has approved changes to the start time of its meetings and the daily hours of operation at City Hall, with the new schedule set to take effect at the beginning of the year.

The council unanimously approved the changes during its Dec. 16 meeting, moving city council meetings 30 minutes earlier and adjusting City Hall’s operating hours. Under the approved resolution, council meetings will now begin at 5:30 p.m. instead of 6 p.m., and City Hall will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The current schedule has City Hall open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The decision follows several months of discussion regarding both meeting start times and City Hall hours. According to a memo from City Administrator Joe Gaa, city officials and staff had been reviewing the schedules during that time as part of broader operational considerations.

When the topic came up during the Dec. 2 meeting, council members discussed the possibility of adjusting both the meeting start time and City Hall hours but voted to table the discussion. The matter was postponed so all council members would be present before a final decision was made.

The original proposal included multiple options. Council members considered starting meetings at either 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. and closing City Hall at either 4 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. Ultimately, the council approved a 5:30 p.m. meeting start time and a 4 p.m. closing time for City Hall.

City Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month. The earlier start time is expected to slightly shorten the length of evenings for council members, staff and attendees while maintaining the same meeting schedule.

City Hall’s earlier opening time will provide public access beginning at 7:30 a.m., while the earlier closing time will shift staff hours accordingly. The approved changes will take effect Jan. 5.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com