Council moves meetings earlier; new start times approved after debate

The Lago Vista City Council voted 4–2 on Feb. 6 to change regular meeting times for the remainder of the current council term: executive sessions will begin at 1 p.m. and regular sessions at 3 p.m. The measure passed after extended public comment from residents who said daytime start times limit public participation and after council members debated competing priorities of staff availability, resident access and decision quality late at night.

Supporters said earlier meetings reduce the likelihood of critical decisions being made when council members are tired, increase the availability of consultants and staff during business hours, and shorten late‑night meetings that have in prior months extended past 10 p.m. Opponents said a 1 p.m. executive‑session start time would effectively exclude most 9‑to‑5 workers from attending regular‑agenda discussions and could discourage prospective candidates for council who cannot take regular weekday absences.

Councilmember Prince proposed an amendment to move the times less dramatically; that amendment was declined and the original motion passed. The resolution includes language that future councils will set their own start times at their first meeting after seating.

Councilmembers later discussed that individual council members and staff commonly spend months on council business: an internal review of video records shows municipal meeting hours concentrated in the evenings and a pattern of sessions running past 10 p.m. The adopted change is effective immediately for the current term.