Whether it’s a way to allow more time for conducting important business or simply a means of getting home earlier, the Enumclaw City Council is looking at changing its meeting time.
For years, the seven-member council – along with the mayor and city department heads – have gathered at City Hall at 7:30 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of every month.
That’s a later-than-normal time to begin conducting business, according to a survey of neighboring cities conducted by Councilman Hoke Overland. He checked with Bonney Lake, Buckley, Maple Valley, Sumner and Auburn and reported to his fellow councilmembers that all begin their meetings at 7 p.m.
Overland’s council peers shared his sentiment and, during their first meeting of January, directed city administration to prepare an ordianance that would establish a 7 p.m. meeting time.
It was expected that the item would be on the Jan. 23 meeting for a first reading. Final approval would likely come Feb. 12. City Attorney Mike Reynolds suggested the move be effective March 1.
Also during their Jan. 8 session, members of the council:
• approved an agreement with Wilkeson to support the small town’s information technology efforts. The contract calls for payment to Enumclaw of $2,400 for up to 80 hours of assistance during 2018.
The matter wasn’t without a dissenting voice, as Overland maintained Enumclaw is being shortchanged with a rate that averages $30 per hour. He cast the only dissenting vote, however, and the item passed.
In a memo to council, Joe Nanavich, Enumclaw’s manager of information systems, said the agreement will most likely be cost-neutral to the city. If fewer than 80 hours are required, Enumclaw would find itself in a “revenue positive endeavor,” he wrote.
• voted unanimously to retain Councilman Chance LaFleur as mayor pro-tem.
A pro-tem is appointed every two years. Overland noted LaFleur has done a good job during the past 24 months and his motion to keep LaFleur in the role was passed unanimously.
In the pro-tem role, LaFleur will serve as the city’s top elected official should Mayor Jan Molinaro be absent.
