Birmingham Commission sets 7 p.m. start, midnight hard stop with extension option
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Summary
The commission amended city rules to make regular meetings start at 7:00 p.m. and end at midnight, allowing extensions past midnight only by majority vote in 30-minute increments, citing staff workload and public accessibility.
The Birmingham City Commission on Nov. 17 adopted an ordinance amendment changing the regular meeting start time to 7 p.m. and establishing a midnight hard stop with an option to extend by majority vote in 30-minute increments.
Proponents, including Mayor Pro Tem Long and several commissioners, said a 7 p.m. start balances public access with staff work schedules and helps end meetings earlier. The city attorney noted that meetings must remain accessible to the public and suggested a hard stop near midnight would preserve that accessibility. Opponents cautioned that a hard stop could limit the commission's ability to finish complex public hearings, but the majority favored the new schedule.
The motion to amend Chapter 2 (time and location of meetings) passed after debate; the chair announced the motion carried following aye/nay responses.
Ending: The ordinance change will take effect according to the city's adoption rules; staff and the commission indicated they will develop procedural details (timers, agenda structuring, and potential extensions) to operationalize the change.