County council adding meetings to monthly calendar
The Clark County Council will be adding more meetings to its schedule each month in hopes of making its meetings shorter. The council made the decision to add one to two more meetings each month during its May 10 council time.
While council meetings are often two or three hours long, in recent months they have stretched to the four or five-hour mark.
“As you know, council meetings have been going a little longer than they have historically,” County Manager Kathleen Otto told the council.
Otto said the council is finally getting back up to full speed after restrictions in place during the Covid-19 pandemic limited the council’s activities, and the council is working on a lot of issues, so meeting agendas have filled up quickly.
Otto suggested adding another Tuesday meeting. The council currently meets at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday of the month and at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month. Otto suggested adding a meeting on the fourth Tuesday of the month, which would be held during the day. She said a placeholder for an additional meeting on the fourth Tuesday of the month also could be added should it be needed.
“Hopefully this will spread out the work and have some flexibility to address things,” Otto said.
Councilor Gary Medvigy said when a meeting goes extraordinarily long, it can be difficult for residents or groups there to make a presentation or offer public comment.
“It’s been a problem for the public, it’s been a problem for staff, it’s a problem for us,” Medvigy said. “The workload is not going away.”
Councilor Sue Marshall voiced her support for the idea.
“I think it’s better for the public, better for the council, better all the way around,” Marshall said.
The council is expected to approve the new schedule at its May 17 meeting.
— Shari Phiel
