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In a 4-1 vote, the Hollister City Council made the first step in changing its meeting time from evenings to daytime.
Councilmember Rolan Resendiz voted “no.”
During the March 4 meeting, the council agreed to move its regular meetings to 9 a.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month.
Currently, meetings are set for 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month. Twice over the last several months, meetings have gone to midnight and beyond. Though the first introduction of the ordinance was approved, it does not count as the first reading since the change is so significant, City Manager David Mirrione told BenitoLink.
There were no members of the public at the meeting and no requests for public comment.
Resendiz claimed that the meeting time change was to limit public interaction and said he wanted to see more public engagement instead. Resendiz also said the council could hold special meetings instead of changing the meeting time.
“I think that the only reason that this is being put on the agenda is because certain members of the council do not like being criticized by the public,” Resendiz said. “And there is a current movement to shut the public out from participating in democracy within our city. That to me is a major injustice,” he said.
Mayor Mia Casey said that the council meetings tend to end late at night and many residents need to wake up early to commute to work. “For myself, particularly, when it goes up to 10 p.m. it becomes harder and harder to make good decisions,” Casey said. “And for me, that’s why we’re here—to make good decisions.”
Responding to Resendiz, Casey said: “I understand why this was proposed. And I don’t think it has anything to do with shutting anyone out. I think that’s kind of a bold statement.”
Councilmember Tim Burns said, “It has absolutely nothing to do with trying to quiet the participation in this community.”
Councilmember Rick Perez was concerned that late meetings were burdening the city’s department heads who attend them after a long day of work.
Perez asked Mirrione for clarification on staff time on meeting days. Mirrione said the department heads start work about 8 a.m. and finish when the council meeting is over.
“I think it is an injustice to have our employees do that,” Perez said, referring to the recent late-night sessions.
Several meeting time options have been considered since early February.
Casey said during the Feb. 5 meeting that she was supportive of the time change but suggested that the meetings end no later than 10 p.m. Burns expressed a need for more frequent meetings.
The first reading of the ordinance will be agendized for the next council meeting on March 18, Mirrione told BenitoLink.
A vote on the proposed ordinance will take place after the council brings it back for a second reading, he said. If approved, it will take effect 30 days after final passage.
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