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Finance Committee agrees to meet Mondays at 8 a.m. starting Dec. 1; frequency to be reassessed
Summary
The Finance Committee agreed to shift its regular meeting time to Mondays at 8 a.m. beginning Dec. 1 to give members access to warrants and invoices before signing; members did not settle whether meetings will be weekly or every other week, and staff offered off-week office hours and electronic warrant distribution.
The Finance Committee agreed on a practical change to its meeting schedule during its most recent gathering, moving its regular meeting time to Mondays at 8 a.m. beginning Dec. 1. Committee members said the shift will give them access to warrants and invoices before they are asked to sign them.
Members debated whether the committee should continue meeting weekly or move to an every-other-week cadence focused on higher-level items such as audits, the budget and account reconciliations. Supporters of weekly meetings argued that having the warrant physically available at a meeting makes it easier to review invoices and to onboard two recently appointed committee members; others said the warrant is already emailed each Thursday and that staff could provide office hours and summary emails on off weeks to answer questions.
Staff confirmed warrants will continue to be distributed electronically on Thursdays so members can review them before Monday meetings. Staff also proposed—or agreed to—holding an open office hour on off weeks for members who want in-person access to invoices, and said staff (including Nate and Leah) check email outside regular city-hall hours and can respond to questions over the weekend. The committee asked staff to assess how many Mondays would be affected by holiday conflicts and, if necessary, suggested shifting individual meetings to Tuesdays.
The committee did not take a formal roll-call vote during the discussion; members agreed in principle to start meeting on Mondays at 8 a.m. on Dec. 1 and to revisit whether meetings should be weekly or biweekly after new members have acclimated or at the start of the fiscal year. The change is a scheduling and organizational decision rather than an ordinance or charter amendment: a member asked whether meeting time was specified in the city charter and the committee indicated it is not.
Next steps: staff will (1) implement the Monday 8 a.m. meetings starting Dec. 1, (2) circulate a calendar showing holiday conflicts and any proposed Tuesday substitutions, and (3) continue to email warrants on Thursdays and provide an office-hour option on off weeks so members can view invoices in person.
