City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: July 21, 2026
From: Brian Saeki, City Administrator
Department: City Administration
Submitted by: Lilia Hernandez, Deputy City Administrator Subject
Regular Vernon City Council Meeting Times
Recommendation
Discuss meeting times for regular meetings of the City Council and provide direction to staff regarding potential changes.
Background
Chapter 3.10 of Article III of the Vernon City Charter dictates that the City Council shall hold regular meetings at least once a month, and that the Council has the authority to establish the time, frequency, and place of City Council meetings. The City Council is required to make such determinations by Ordinance which are then codified into the Vernon Municipal Code (VMC). As indicated in VMC Section 2.04.010, currently, regular meetings of the City Council are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 9:00am.
Council Meeting times have changed several times over the years. The chart below provides a summary of past meeting date/time changes for the regular meetings of the Vernon City Council.
History of Vernon City Council Regular Meeting Times
Year Ordinance
No.
Day Meeting Time
1992 1006 First and third Tuesday 5:00pm
2001 1081 First and third Wednesday 5:00pm
2007 1128 First and third Monday 10:00am
2008 1149 Every Monday 10:00am
2009 1158 Every Monday 9:00am
2010 1168 First and third Monday 8:00am (L&P) & 9:00am (City) 2011 1180 First and third Tuesday 8:00am (L&P) & 9:00am (City) 2012 1193 First and third Tuesday 9:00am
At their meeting on July 7, 2026, the City Council adopted the City-wide Strategic Plan which included Task No. 5.2 to discuss regular Council meeting times considering efforts to increase public engagement and improve the efficiency of meetings. With regards to increased public engagement, it would be prudent for regular meetings of the City Council to occur at a time of day that provides the greatest opportunity for in-person participation by the City’s various stakeholders including residents, visitors, the business community, and any members of the public that wish to attend. With respect to efficiency, consideration should be given to the amount of time that would be available for staff to prepare for the meetings, especially in light of new legislative requirements (Senate Bill 707).
Potential Modifications to Meeting Schedule
The City Council may make modifications to its meeting schedule as it pertains to time, frequency, and place as long as the Council holds a regular meeting at least once a month.
Potential modifications for consideration include:
Potential Changes Considerations
Frequency:
Consolidate regular meetings to
once a month (e.g. First Tuesday
at 9:00am)
• Meetings may last longer as the number of City
business items for each agenda will increase
• Special meetings may be required in between
regular meetings to address pressing matters –
certain items cannot be considered at a Special
meeting (e.g. compensation and benefits, regular
ordinances, etc.)
• Opportunity for general public comment would be
limited to single regular meeting
• May be more conducive to regular in-person
participation from the public
Time:
Move regular meetings to an
earlier start time (e.g. First and
third Tuesday at 8:00am)
• May increase in-person participation by the public
if meetings are held at the beginning of the day
• Will decrease the amount of time staff will have to
prepare for the meeting
Time:
Move regular meetings to
evenings (e.g. First and third
Tuesday at 5:00pm)
• Would provide opportunity for maximum in-person
participation and better representation of the public
as it may capture a broader demographic of the
community
• Will allow additional time for staff to prepare for the meetings and help ensure compliance with new
legislative requirements
• May have a fiscal impact for staff support
Timeline to Implement Changes
Changes to the schedule for regular meetings of the City Council need to be made by Ordinance pursuant to Chapter 3.10 of Article III of the Vernon City Charter. An Ordinance for this purpose would require a first and second reading and become effective 30 days following adoption.
Should the City Council desire to make changes to its regular meeting schedule, at the earliest, an Ordinance could be presented for consideration at the August 4, 2026 Council Meeting. If a second reading and adoption occur at the subsequent meeting on August 18, 2026, the changes would become effective as early as mid-September depending on Council direction.
Staff is requesting direction from Council on any desired changes to the regular meeting schedule of the City Council, including modifications to time and frequency.
Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 5: Strengthen Organizational Efficiency and Financial Planning Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Attachments
None.