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Vacaville council discusses moving closed sessions earlier to limit consultants’ costs
Summary
Council members debated scheduling closed sessions before regular meetings so outside counsel or consultants are not kept on the clock; staff and legal counsel said sessions may start later than posted time but not earlier, and the council agreed to flexible scheduling while keeping regular public meetings at 6 p.m.
Vacaville — Council members on July 22 discussed shifting closed sessions earlier in the evening to avoid running outside consultants and legal counsel late into the night.
Council Member Silva proposed holding closed sessions from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. before the regular 6 p.m. council meeting, citing concerns that outside consultants and counsel incur expense when council waits until the end of a meeting to go into closed session. Silva said the arrangement has precedent on other bodies and during school‑board practice.
City Attorney staff advised that the council cannot start closed session or public session earlier than the time listed on the agenda, but it can start later. The council agreed there is flexibility to schedule closed sessions earlier when needed but that the official start time for the public meeting should remain 6 p.m.; items that cannot be completed before the scheduled start can be carried to the end of the meeting if necessary.
Vice Mayor Chapman and others supported the idea as a way to reduce consultant costs and avoid keeping outside counsel on the clock unnecessarily. The council did not adopt a formal ordinance or resolution; instead the body agreed to allow schedule flexibility and revisit the practice if issues arise.
Why it matters: Adjusting the timing of closed sessions affects meeting logistics, public notice expectations and consultant billing. The council’s choice to retain the 6 p.m. public start time preserves public notice while allowing practical scheduling adjustments.
What’s next: Council members said they will try the adjusted scheduling when practical and bring the item back if it becomes problematic.
