St. Lucie County commissioners voted July 22 to modify the board meeting schedule beginning in October: the first-meeting and second-Tuesday informal will remain as currently scheduled, the second-Tuesday informal will be held at 9 a.m., and the third Tuesday’s regular meeting and public hearings will begin at 6 p.m. The change is intended to increase public access to evening public hearings while preserving a daytime informal meeting for staff and the board.
Commissioners debated alternative schedules — including a 3 p.m. daytime start with an evening return for public hearings — and ultimately chose the simpler approach of designating a consistent 6 p.m. start on the third Tuesday to avoid confusion for the public. The revised schedule will take effect in October and will be reviewed as needed by the board, which said the calendar is a “live document” that can be changed if it proves impractical.