Marco Island Council votes to move regular meetings to 1:30 p.m., effective in October

The Marco Island City Council voted 6–1 on July 6 to change its regular meeting time to 1:30 p.m., a shift council members said will reduce late-night fatigue among staff and elected officials while preserving public access.

Councilor John Doan introduced the proposal to move meeting start times earlier in the day, saying the change could reduce long evenings and improve staff wellbeing. Vice Chair Steven Champagne said the midafternoon slot balanced resident access and staff needs: "I guess my personal opinion would be 01:30," he said, adding that an earlier start also allows for limited evening hearings when state statute requires them.

Opponents raised concerns about residents who rely on after-work hours, particularly older citizens with medical appointments. Councilor Gray, the lone no vote, argued that many residents are available only after 5 p.m. and urged more community input before making a permanent change.

City Manager Casey Lucius framed the operational impacts and timing: staff will implement the change starting in October and will notice the public. Lucius said council and department heads will plan to preserve statutory hearing windows and suggested the schedule could include afternoon sessions that still allow public comment after 5 p.m. when required.

The council’s vote followed a straw poll and discussion of alternative start times, with supporters noting the move affects two monthly meetings and could increase daytime attendance by people who cannot attend late nights. The council did not adopt additional procedural changes at the meeting; staff were tasked with finalizing notices and a rollout plan for October.

The next steps: staff will prepare public notice and update meeting postings; the council will begin using the new time for its October meetings.