TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Cristal McDonald, City Clerk
PREPARED BY: Cristal McDonald, City Clerk
SUBJECT:
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Discussion Regarding City Council Meeting Start Times
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ABSTRACT
At the request of Council Member DeForest, the City Council will review the current start times for Closed Session and Regular City Council meetings and discuss potential adjustments. In October 2025, the City Council changed the Regular meeting start time to 4:00 p.m., with Closed Session immediately following. Staff will provide historical and current meeting data to support the City Council’s discussion.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Review and discuss the start time for City Council meeting days; and
If applicable, begin any updates at the first regular meeting in 2027;
OR
Take other actions the City Council considers appropriate.
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PRIOR ACTION/VOTE
On September 16, 2025, the City Council adopted the 2026 City Council Meeting Schedule and discussed potential adjustments to the regular meeting start time and schedule. The City Council directed staff to return with options for adjusting meeting start times and workshop scheduling (Vote: 5-0).
On October 21, 2025, the City Council amended the start time of Regular City Council meetings to 4:00 p.m., with Closed Session following immediately thereafter (Vote: 4-0-1).
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
This item aligns with the City Council's goal of maintaining a high-performing organization that values fiscal sustainability, transparency, accountability, and organizational efficiency. As part of the ongoing review of the City Council Rules of Procedure, this discussion provides an opportunity to evaluate the provisions governing City Council meeting days and times and determine whether updates are appropriate.
DISCUSSION
The Murrieta Municipal Code provides that City Council meetings are held as determined by the City Council. Currently, Resolution No. 19-4178, et al., governs that the City Council hold regular meetings on the first and third Tuesdays of each month beginning at 6:00 p.m., with the Consent Calendar business at 7:00 p.m. Under normal circumstances, Closed Sessions are to begin no earlier than 4:00 p.m. on regular meeting days. Furthermore, workshops are not intended to begin before 4:00 p.m. Resolution No. 19-4178 et al., and the City Council Rules of Procedure are scheduled to be updated pending confirmation or potential changes to City Council Meeting start times.
At the September 16, 2025, City Council meeting, the City Council reviewed, discussed, and approved the 2026 City Council Meeting Schedule. Additionally, the City Council discussed whether to review and possibly change the start time and schedule of City Council meetings.
On October 21, 2025, after discussion, the City Council approved changing the time of the Regular City Council meetings to 4:00 p.m., with the Closed Session to follow immediately thereafter. Since January 2026, City Council Regular meetings have been held at 4:00 p.m.
During the August 18, 2026, Regular City Council meeting, under Council Member Requests to Add Items to Future Agendas, Council Member DeForest gained consensus for staff to return to consider holding Closed Session at 4:00 p.m., with the Regular City Council meeting to start at 5:00 p.m.
As a best practice, the City Council's Rules of Procedure (ROP), which govern City Council meeting days and times, are reviewed to ensure alignment with the City Council's goals and priorities. In the past year, due to City Council, administrative, and state mandates, amendments have been drafted to various sections of the ROP to better align with the organization's needs. This discussion provides an opportunity for the City Council to review the meeting schedule that best supports City Council operations and community participation. The outcome of this item may include final amendments to the ROP, which will then return to the City Council for formal adoption.
The City Council will consider: 1) start time of Closed Sessions; and 2) start time of the Regular City Council meetings; however, additional matters pertaining to the City Council meeting schedule may be brought forward to support City Council dialogue. During the October 6, 2026, City Council meeting, the City Clerk will provide the start times of prior and current City Council meetings, including the duration of each meeting.
PUBLIC NOTICING
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
ATTACHMENTS
None.