SOUTH WHIDBEY RECORD: Langley City Council meeting time changed back again

Kira Erickson reports from the Langley City Council:

After making the decision last month to roll back the meeting start time a half hour earlier to 5 p.m., the Langley City Council decided Monday night to revert back to meeting at 5:30 p.m., following outcry from some members of the public opposing the change.

They Said It

“…[O]ur inboxes have lit up a little bit with business owners and others who don’t support the time change to 5 p.m.,” [Councilmember Craig Cyr] said.

Councilmember Thomas Gill was the sole member to oppose the change in meeting time [at the previous council meeting]. The half hour between 5 and 5:30 p.m., as he pointed out, allows city staff, business owners and other working members of the public some time to get home and have a meal or snack before the meeting begins.

“Let’s give it a shot and give it a try,” [Councilmember Rhonda Salerno] said [speaking to keep the earlier start time]. “I think people will appreciate it eventually and I think there’s always hardship with change, but it’s only a half an hour and it’s only for six months.”

“Since it’s 5:47 and I’m just now joining the meeting for lots of reasons, I will rescind my vote and we can go back to 5:30,” [Councilmember Harolynne Bobis] said. “All I’m asking is that we stay on track so that I at least get dinner when the meeting’s over.” … “Since it was on my behalf, I think that I’m the one, most logically, who can do this,” she added…. “How it feels to me personally is that we’re making a decision that you have to be retired to do this, be a council person,” she said.