Temple City council asks staff to draft ordinance to move regular meetings to 7 p.m.; motion passes 4–1

The Temple City City Council on Dec. 3 voted to ask staff to draft an ordinance proposing a new start time of 7:00 p.m. for regular council meetings (recommended as first and third Tuesdays), and to include in the staff report impacts on commissions and alternatives.

Council members discussed competing public access and staff workload concerns. Council Member Cynthia said she raised the proposal because she believed starting earlier would help older residents and staff: “I wait around a lot for 7:30 to come and we don't have a closed session for and it just seems late,” she said. Other members argued an earlier time might create hardships for working council members who commute or leave the office later.

City staff and the city attorney advised that changing the start time requires an ordinance and that staff would analyze downstream effects — including whether commission meeting schedules or noticed public hearings (for fee or rate changes) would be affected. The attorney noted that, outside of certain noticed hearings, earlier closed sessions running into the regular meeting do not create a legal impediment but that staff would plan to avoid conflicts with mailed notices tied to hearings.

After discussion, the council voted by roll call: Chen — yes; Man — yes; Sternquist — yes; Mayor Pro Tem — no; Chavez — yes. The motion to direct staff to prepare a proposed ordinance and a staff report passed 4–1. The council did not adopt an ordinance at the meeting; staff will return with proposed language and analysis.