The Stockton City Council voted 7-0 Tuesday night to move its regular, open-session meetings from 5:30 p.m. to 1 p.m.
The vote followed a proposal by Mayor Christina Fugazi to bump up the meetings, which under council policy usually happen every other Tuesday at City Hall.
“This isn’t done to silence anyone. This is done to get through the city agenda,” Fugazi said Tuesday.
Five people spoke against moving up council sessions during the meeting’s public comment period, arguing it would make it difficult for working people to attend the entire session.
“This chance may seem administrative, but it’ll have a very real impact on public access,” Yolanda Amen said.
No one spoke during public comment in favor of pushing back meetings.
Some councilmembers acknowledged public speakers’ concerns, but ultimately voted yes.
For “people who have more traditional 9 to 5 jobs … the evening for them is their opportunity to come to City Hall,” Councilmember Mario Enriquez said, adding “I would propose a slow transition.”
“I am open to anything new,” Councilmember Michael Blower said. “Having meetings go to 11, sometimes midnight, that’s just brutal.”
The council ultimately unanimously voted in favor of the proposal.
With the new 1 p.m. start time, the council still has yet to decide when within the meeting the public will have an opportunity to comment, and whether closed-session meetings will be held before or after regular sessions.
Also on Tuesday, the City Council narrowly voted to appoint a new member to the San Joaquin Regional Transit District’s board of directors.
The council voted 4-3 to appoint Saiha San to the seat former Director Gary Giovanetti resigned from in February.
Fugazi and Councilmembers Michele Padilla, Brando Villapudua and Mariela Ponce voted for San. Enriquez, Blower and Vice Mayor Jason Lee voted again her appointment.
The votes were reversed in an earlier motion to appoint former RTD Director Balwinder Singh to the seat. Enriquez, Blower and Lee voted in favor of appointing Singh, and Fugazi, Padilla, Villapudua and Ponce voted against it.