Council to discuss vacating two Monday Work Session meetings during 2023, i.e. July 3rd and December 18th, due to their proximity to observed national holidays. Traditionally, the second Work Session meeting in the month of December is vacated and replaced with a Regular Business Meeting, leaving the week of Christmas free of meetings. This year the second Work Session meeting is December 18th. Christmas day falls on a Monday and the Regular Business meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 26th, unless Council agrees to move it December 18th. Also to be discussed - the merits of moving Council meetings from Mondays to Tuesdays in 2024. 

By ordinance, the City Council holds its regular city council meetings on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at 5:30 PM in the Council Chambers and work sessions are held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays at the same time and location. After speaking with my colleagues and considering the potential positive impact for the Council, staff and public, I believe it is worth considering moving council meetings from Mondays to Tuesdays. The following may be benefits of such a move:

• Improved meeting preparation.  Throughout my career, I've observed that most council members review council packets over the weekend.  Tuesday meetings, provide an additional business day to receive answers to questions and think through the packet material you've reviewed.
• The additional business day increases the opportunity for staff to respond to council member questions during the work week rather than over the weekend.
• Billings Public Schools also hold school board meetings on Mondays at 5:30.
• Whenever Mondays are the observed national holiday, the meetings are already moved to Tuesdays.  (the 2024 calendar includes 6 holidays that are observed on a mondays)
• When it comes to energy and productivity, starting the work weeks with a 12, 13 or 14 hour day is a difficult way to start the week or come off from a weekend of enjoying Montana.  

City Council may consider:

• Vacating the July 3rd Work Session meeting altogether; or
• Keeping the July 3rd Work Session meeting as scheduled; or
• Rescheduling the July 3rd Work Session meeting to later in the week, i.e. Wednesday, or Thursday; and/or
• Vacating the December 18th Work Session meeting and rescheduling the December 26th Regular Business meeting to December 18th; and
• Moving all Council meetings, beginning January 2024, from Mondays to Tuesdays and directing staff to prepare legislation to effectuate the change to the City's Code; or
• Declining all options.

Implementing the ideas identified above is not expected to directly save or cost more money than our current practices.  However, if by moving the council meetings to Tuesdays, we come better prepared.  Meetings should be more productive, saving time and money. 

The Council will discuss vacating 2 Monday Work Session meetings during 2023, i.e. July 3rd and December 18th, due to the observed national holiday schedule and consider the merits of moving Council meetings from Mondays to Tuesdays. No final decisions will be made. If the Council decides to pursue moving Council meetings from Mondays to Tuesdays, code amendments will be required.