Upcoming ‘Regular’ City Council Meetings to Start at 4:30 p.m.

The Pasadena City Council is expected to hold another “special” meeting at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

The Municipal Code requires the council to hold its “regular” meetings at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays.

But during the COVID-19 pandemic, the council conducted “special meetings,” which began at 2 p.m. Mondays and held via video conference and teleconference.

This week’s special meeting comes after the council voted unanimously to move future council meetings to a 5:30 p.m. starting time. But until the second reading of that ordinance, only special meetings can be held at 4:30 p.m.

A second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for Monday’s meeting. The ordinance would take effect on March 22.

The move to change the council’s meeting time was made by Mayor Victor Gordo “to accommodate more public participation,” as Gordo said. 

“After listening to many in the public request that we get back to a more normal meeting time, we’re going to be doing that,” he said.

The council has not met at its regular time since last March, when City Manager Steve Mermell declared a local emergency. 

“In order to conduct a regular meeting at an earlier, albeit interim time during the pandemic, an uncodified ordinance is proposed to change the regular meeting time from 5:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.,” the resolution states.

But whatever time the meetings are held, audience members still will not be allowed inside council chambers and the meetings will continue to be broadcast via Zoom.