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Town board adopts new meeting schedule, adds early and late public-comment periods and sets 5:30 p.m. start time
Summary
After extended debate and several failed amendments, the board voted to change its regular meeting start time to 5:30 p.m., add two public-comment periods (one early and one late) with a three-minute-per-speaker limit, and adjust the resolution-submission deadline procedure.
The Cheektowaga Town Board on Feb. 25 approved changes to its meeting schedule and public-comment procedures after nearly an hour of discussion and multiple amendment votes.
The adopted resolution establishes regular meetings to begin at 5:30 p.m., provides a public-comment period early in the agenda and a second public-comment period at the end of the meeting, and sets a three-minute speaking limit per speaker for each public-comment period. The board debated several alternative start times, including 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.; an amendment to move the start time to 5 p.m. failed and a separate amendment to change submission deadlines from Wednesday to Tuesday before meetings also failed. An amendment to move the start time from 6 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. passed.
Council Member Filipsky and Supervisor Brian Nowak said the revised format is intended to allow the board to address public comments early and to move quickly into business, while other members expressed concern the change reduces time for in-depth work sessions and special meetings might be needed for extended deliberations.
Council Member Bukowski and others asked staff to consider moving the deadline for submitting resolutions earlier to give members more time to review materials; that proposal was defeated on a roll call vote. Board members asked departments to be mindful of late-filed resolutions and to reduce the number of waivers.
Why it matters: The new schedule affects when residents and staff must be available and modifies how and when the public can weigh in. Several members said the changes should improve access and efficiency; others warned it may reduce time for discussion and work sessions.
What’s next: Board members asked staff to circulate the new schedule and to provide educational materials to the public about the two comment periods and the three-minute time limit. The board also recommended that department heads observe the existing resolution-filing timeline to minimize waivers and late additions to agendas.
