Stick with schedule

The Gazette Editorial Board

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Cedar Rapids City Council meetings, in recent years, have become a moving target.

The flood forced the council to meet at multiple locations away from downtown, including a lengthy stint in Hiawatha's City Hall. Weekly meetings then turned to biweekly. Evening meeting times were switched to late afternoon, then to a little earlier in the afternoon, and even to noon during the past summer.

Now the council is moving its current 4:30 p.m. meetings to 4 p.m., and will have noon meetings every other week starting in June.

We hope, for the sake of clarity, that the council has landed on a schedule that will last more than a few months. We understand scheduling meetings can be a challenge, but there's a thin line between necessary flexibility and unnecessary confusion.

We're concerned that earlier and earlier meetings make it more difficult for working men and women to attend. Mayor Ron Corbett discounts those worries, insisting the council can get public input elsewhere.

But, really, the main reason for open, accessible council meetings is to allow residents to watch their elected leaders debate, discuss and govern. It's a vital component of democracy. The council should consider that the next time it tinkers with its schedule.

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