On Sept. 17 the Kent City Council voted to move the start time for committee meetings to 6:00 p.m., a change supporters said would help avoid rushing items late at night and allow more time for substantive discussion.

Council member Jeff, who introduced the motion, said long committee nights previously left important agenda items rushed at the end of meetings. "Are people getting their due time?" Jeff asked, urging an earlier start so the council could avoid "blitzing through" items late at night. Several council members raised scheduling and public-access concerns. Some said an earlier start could make it harder for residents and council members who work evenings to attend. Others argued that predictable, consistent start times matter to the public.

After discussion, council approved the motion to move committee meetings to 6:00 p.m. Council members said staff would work to better plan agendas so longer items receive sufficient time and so the public can attend when possible.

Why it matters: Changing meeting start times affects public accessibility, staff schedules and the ability of working residents to attend. Council members asked staff to balance earlier starts with predictable times so residents know when meetings occur.

Next steps: Staff will publish the new committee start time and consider agenda-management techniques to reserve longer time blocks for substantive items.