New meeting night for City Council?

The Sonoma City Council has approved the idea to move its semimonthly meeting from Wednesday to Monday night.

The council has long met on the first and third Wednesday night of every month. The change was suggested to provide for the schedule of city attorney Jeff Walter, who was hired with an existing conflict that forces him to miss every other meeting.

Councilmember Ken Brown, voting with the 5-0 majority, said having Walter attend every meeting “was a significant part of my decision process.” Councilmember Tom Rouse advocated the change, which he said would better serve his professional schedule.

The other members said they were flexible enough to accommodate the switch. The panel called for city staff to draft a resolution ordering the change.

“I don’t believe what I’m hearing,” said perennial public attendee Herb Golenpaul, who protested the change. “You ran to work on the city council, and city council has always been Wednesday. This is an abomination.”

The final decision could come as soon as Jan. 19. with the new first-and-third Monday schedule beginning in March.