Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Council Procedures topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richmond council amends meeting rules, keeps three meetings but sets earlier closed‑session start and earlier adjournment target
Summary
Council rejected staff’s recommendation to cut meetings from three to two per month and instead approved revised council rules that set closed session to begin at 3:30 p.m., regular session to start at 5 p.m., and a 10 p.m. adjournment target with an option to extend to 11 p.m.
The Richmond City Council on Sept. 23 adopted an amendment to its rules of procedure that adjusts meeting start and end times but keeps the council’s current schedule of three meetings per month.
Staff had proposed cutting the council’s regular schedule from three meetings per month to two, aligning Richmond with a majority of California cities and aiming to reduce overtime, increase staff capacity and improve work‑life balance for city employees. Assistant City Attorney Shannon Moore said the staff survey showed Richmond was “a bit of an outlier with the three meetings a month.”
After more than two hours of public comment and council debate, the council voted to keep three meetings but change meeting times. The approved rules call for closed session to begin at 3:30 p.m. and for regular session to begin at 5 p.m. The council set a target adjournment time of 10 p.m., with the option to extend to 11 p.m. by council vote.
Staff and community speakers gave competing rationales during the discussion. Deputy City Manager Lashonda White and other staff emphasized the operational burden of preparing three agendas per month and the additional event and community support work departments do. “We also do fun wonderful things like support city of Richmond sponsored events,” White said, underlining that the same staff who prepare agendas often support civic events and programs.
Opponents of the two‑meeting proposal cautioned that reducing meeting frequency could delay labor negotiations, legal agreements and other time‑sensitive council business. Councilmember Doria Robinson and others said that Richmond’s workload — including active contract and legal matters — makes fewer meetings impractical at present.
Public commenters were split. Supporters of the change said fewer meetings would help staff morale and reduce overtime; opponents noted the council’s recent increase in compensation and urged more transparency and opportunities for public comment.
The final vote adopted the amended rules; the resolution will take effect immediately with the first meeting under the new schedule to be implemented at the start of October. Councilmembers Brown, Bana and Vice Mayor Zepeda voted no; the measure passed with a 5–3 vote.
