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Midway council to trial fewer formal council meetings, set regular strategic planning sessions
Summary
Councilors agreed to experiment with one formal council meeting per month and separate strategic planning sessions. They discussed timing (trial March–April), start times and venue changes to make planning meetings more productive and to shift routine processing off the formal council docket.
Midway councilors discussed restructuring meeting cadence to create space for longer strategic planning while reducing the number of formal council meetings. The group agreed to trial taking the first council meeting of March and April off and to use the first meeting as a strategic planning session in the community center, with the formal council meeting occurring later in the month.
Key operational changes discussed included moving start times and splitting functions: the council settled on starting the formal council meeting at 5:00 p.m. and holding work/strategic sessions at 6:00 p.m. (work meetings would be explicitly non‑voting and used to provide direction to staff). The city attorney/staff clarified that planning/strategy sessions cannot be used to take formal votes but may be used to give staff directions and develop draft decisions for later council action.
Why it matters: Councilors said the current two‑meetings‑per‑month schedule leaves limited time for proactive strategy work (zoning, Main Street planning, affordable housing strategy). By creating a recurring strategic forum, the council hopes to prioritize longer‑term planning items rather than reactive processing of routine land‑use applications.
Process notes and constraints: Councilors emphasized the need to notice meetings and maintain transparency. Public hearings and formal votes must occur at noticed council sessions (public hearings must be held after the statutory 6 p.m. start if required by law). Staff will draft a revised annual calendar with labels for “strategic planning” and “council meeting” and will preserve statutory notice requirements for any item that requires a public hearing.
Next steps: Staff to circulate a calendar that distinguishes strategic planning meetings and formal council meetings. Councilors agreed to try the new cadence for March and April and to revisit after the trial period, adjusting if necessary.
