Council Shoots Down Resolution to Hold Evening Meetings

At Thursday morning’s meeting, the Lubbock City Council decided against scheduling some of their meetings during evening hours.

Currently, the meetings generally begin at 7:30 a.m. with a citizen comment period.

District 3 Councilman Todd Klein submitted the resolution, which would have directed City Manager Lee Ann Dumbauld to study and report back to the City Council on the financial and budgetary information regarding multiple City entities.

Those City groups named in the resolution include all Tax Increment Finance District and Public Improvement District activity in the City, Lubbock Power and Light, Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, Market Lubbock, Inc., Lubbock Convention and Tourism Bureau, Lubbock Sports Authority, and Civic Lubbock Inc.

Also included in the resolution was a requirement for the Council to establish quarterly meetings in the evening hours for the financial information to be presented to citizens, in addition to a citizen comment period.

Klein discussed the issue, saying “I think it’s a no-brainer.”

“We got elected to work for the public, and I don’t think it’s too much to ask that we occasionally accommodate evening meetings for the lion’s share of voters that do indeed work, and can’t take off from work to be at City Hall at 7:30 in the morning,” Klein continued.

No other councilpersons elaborated their views on the issue prior to the vote.

The measure failed 4 to 3, council members Klein, Price, and Hernandez supporting the resolution.