Madison committee recommends ordinance allowing council meetings to start as early as 5:30 p.m.; moves change to full council

MADISON, Wis. — The Madison Common Council Executive Committee voted on Tuesday to recommend an ordinance that would remove the current rule forbidding council meetings to start before 6:30 p.m., allowing meetings to begin no earlier than 5:30 p.m.; the item will go to the full Common Council for consideration that evening.

President Fittiber introduced the proposal, saying, “So right now, in ordinance, we cannot start council meeting before 06:30PM. And so the proposal is to give us some wiggle room.” The ordinance would permit earlier starts in limited circumstances while the committee indicated its intent to generally move the standard start time toward 6:00 p.m.

Committee members framed the item as a procedural change intended to give the city flexibility in scheduling, but debate centered on access for working residents and for alder members who work or attend evening classes. Alder Tishler said getting to a 5:30 p.m. start “is a bit tight for some,” citing full-time jobs and school schedules. Alder Duncan also opposed the change, saying it could make it harder for residents who work 9-to-5 jobs to participate.

Staff presented background data on meeting lengths and agenda components. Karen, Council Office staff, said the legislative analyst reviewed meetings from January 2024 to the present and found that staff presentations averaged 48 minutes (with a longest presentation near two hours), and that overall meeting length increased during the pandemic from pre-pandemic averages under three hours. Karen said the office intends to use those data to improve efficiency and to coordinate scheduling.

Committee discussion addressed operational details. President Fittiber, answering questions about notice and technology staffing, said earlier starts would be used only on dates that do not conflict with meetings of the Common Council Executive Committee (CCEC) and that staff would post the start time on the agenda. Karen told members that IT staff requested at least two weeks’ notice — and preferably a month — to arrange coverage for hybrid meetings and related staffing needs.

After roll call, the committee recorded a 4-3 recommendation in favor of the ordinance; President Fittiber cast the deciding vote when members were initially evenly split, saying, “3 yeses and 3 noes, I believe, means that the chair votes. Yes. With 4 yeses, the motion passes.” The committee vote moves the ordinance to full council for final consideration.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (03/25/2025): Committee recorded a unanimous vote to approve the minutes. (Motion to approve introduced at the meeting; mover/second not specified in the transcript.) - Poet laureate schedule amendment: Committee adopted, by unanimous consent, an amendment to the poetry recitation schedule for 2025 council meetings to return to presidential approval of selections. (Motion/second not specified.) - 2025 City Attorney Revisers Ordinance (Madison General Ordinances corrections): Committee adopted the attorney’s corrections and non-substantive edits to the Madison General Ordinances by unanimous vote. Attorney Haas described the changes as “grammatical errors, punctuation errors” and one title update from “deputy chief of police” to “assistant chief.” - Ordinance to allow earlier starts (item recommended to full council): Committee recommended approval by a 4-3 vote. The ordinance would amend the Madison General Ordinances to remove the prohibition on starting meetings before 6:30 p.m., allowing a start time no earlier than 5:30 p.m.; staff said the intent is to set the normal start at 6:00 p.m. and permit earlier starts in specified circumstances. (Individual roll-call votes by member not fully specified in transcript; tally recorded as yes 4, no 3.)

Committee members asked to add follow-up items to future agendas, including consideration of an ordinance that would set meeting end times and a review of boards, commissions and committees membership rules. The council office also briefed members on upcoming training, the alder retreat scheduling and ongoing efforts to streamline board and commission support.

The committee did not finalize ordinance language on a mandated regular start time; members said the proposed change preserves the body’s ability to keep the existing 6:30 p.m. start if the council chooses. The committee’s recommendation sends the draft ordinance to full council for a final vote.

Notes: All quotes and attributions are taken from the June 3, 2025 Madison Common Council Executive Committee meeting transcript. The ordinance recommendation will be considered by the full Madison Common Council at its next scheduled meeting.