Coconino supervisors keep second-Tuesday evening meeting at 6 p.m. after debate

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors debated and then voted Dec. 17 to retain the county's customary 6 p.m. start for second-Tuesday evening meetings after a discussion about an annual posting of meeting days and times.

Clerk Lindsay Daly explained that annual posting under open-meeting law requires the board to set its regular meeting dates and times; staff raised a proposal to routinely start the second-Tuesday meeting at 4 p.m. so consent and reports could be completed earlier and public hearings reached sooner. Supervisors offered competing perspectives.

Supervisor Patrice Horstman asked the board to recall Item 12 for discussion and argued that evening meetings beginning at 6 p.m. better serve members of the public who work during the day and wish to attend or follow hearings; Horstman said changing to a regular 4 p.m. start risks removing that access. By contrast, Supervisor Fowler and others said starting earlier would reduce very late meetings and make travel/home time safer for supervisors who travel long distances.

After discussion, Supervisor Horstman moved that the board continue the second-Tuesday meeting as a regular evening meeting commencing at 6 p.m.; Supervisor Fowler seconded. The motion carried. Staff noted the annual posting can be revisited if the board chooses to change the schedule in the future.

Next steps: the clerk will publish the regular meeting calendar as discussed; the board may revisit the schedule if operationally necessary.