FM City Council looks at changing time of meetings

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG

PCC EDITOR -

FORT MADISON - The Fort Madison City Council, in an abbreviated meeting on Tuesday, discussed the possibility of moving the time of the meetings in 2017.

The Council voted 7-0 to continue to look into the option of moving the meetings from 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month, to 5:30 p.m.

Several council members thought the action was to actually move the meeting time, but some, including Councilman Chad Cangas asked for additional discussion on the subject. Mayor Brad Randolph also reminded the council that any time change would have to approved by ordinance.

"This is asking if you'd like to consider it," said City Manager David Varley. "We're setting the dates for the council meetings for the year because some of them...they way they fall on certain holidays we want to make sure everyone knows when we meet. But Melinda (Blind, City Clerk) and I were talking about it and some people suggested start meetings earlier. There are pros and cons to it. Some people say they could come right after work and then get home and be there in time for dinner and spend time with the kids."

Other issues concerning the change were summer and winter seasons and the shorter days, and if it's easier on the public or if it creates more problems with public attendance.

"It may work well for staff and for us, but we have to make sure it makes sense for the public, too," Randolph said.

"We're just throwing it out there to change it to 5 or 6 and see if that makes sense for people," Varley said.

A vote on whether or not to change the time of the meeting will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting, Jan. 17.,

In other action, the council

  • approved, 7-0, the hiring of one additional firefighter to replace a retiring firefighter.
  • approved, 7-0, a form of Loan and Disbursement agreement between the city and the Iowa Finance Authority to obtain access to $19,927,000 in sewer revenue capital loan notes
  • approved, 7-0, the City Council meeting dates for 2017.

 

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