Palm Desert councilors weigh consolidating special meetings onto regular Thursday agenda

A proposal to consolidate special meetings and study sessions onto regular Thursday council meeting days drew extended discussion at the Palm Desert City Council meeting Jan. 9.

Council Member Perdetto said moving items such as the annual goal‑setting session and the city manager's performance review to a regular meeting day would make the schedule "more accountable" and increase public access. "They're sufficiently important to let the community know that we're doing this business and have an opportunity to be a part of it," Perdetto said.

The measure's nut graf: supporters argued consolidation would improve transparency and resident participation, while others cautioned that some items require dedicated time and staff availability. Mayor Pro Tem Trupe, Mayor Harnick and other council members discussed practical details including start times, staff workload and scheduling conflicts with standing outside appointments. City staff and the mayor and mayor pro tem were asked to review calendars and bring recommendations back to a mayor/mayor pro tem meeting for a follow‑up.

Councilors said the goal‑setting session is often multihour and may be better suited to a single‑day format on a Thursday; Perdetto suggested 1 p.m. as a possible start time if the sessions are consolidated. Council members also noted some special meetings (for example, applicant interviews) can remain on other days when appropriate.

No formal motion to change the city's meeting calendar was adopted at the Jan. 9 meeting. Instead, council directed staff and the mayor/mayor pro tem to examine schedules and options and return with recommendations. The discussion included concerns about staff time, public notice and accommodating council members' other recurring commitments.