Hamilton County commissioners plan to consider changing their meeting time from mornings to early evenings.
The proposal, pushed by Commissioner Jeff Eversole, R-Ooltewah, would shift commission meeting times to 4 p.m. The current 9:30 a.m. start time is a struggle for people who work a regular 9-to-5, Eversole said during the meeting, and the possibility of missing out on public input troubles him.
The issue will go before the commission’s Legal and Legislative Committee next week.
Eversole said the meeting time has been an issue for him since he was elected in 2022, after hearing from people in his district. His evening town halls in his district typically get higher attendance than commission meetings, and people usually ask him why the meetings aren’t scheduled in the evening for better public attendance, he said.
It became especially apparent to him during meetings about Plan Hamilton — the county’s proposed set of guidelines about new development that passed a key vote Monday. Those meetings were scheduled during the evening. Turnout was high by his standards, Eversole said, and he would like to replicate that at the normal weekly meetings.
“I think we spend too much time trying to accommodate government schedules, but in reality we represent people,” Eversole said in an interview. “So we’ve got to work with their schedules.”
The idea of a time change evoked mixed feelings among commissioners, with some concerned about the cost of keeping the Courthouse open past 4 p.m. The resolution lists a price tag of $48,900 a year to do so. Commissioners Joe Graham, R-Lookout Valley, and Warren Mackey, D-Lake Vista, both said they didn’t want to rearrange the budget to change the time.
“Anytime we spend money we don’t have to, I’d be really slow to pull the trigger on that,” Mackey said.
Mackey also said a 4 p.m. start time is not a cure-all. People who work night shifts would still likely not be able to attend, he said.
Other commissioners said Wednesday nights were not a good time for them. Church and other family activities were brought up as the reasons why.
“I’d rather be watching the news at home,” said Commissioner Greg Beck, D-North Brainerd, “not making the news down here.”
(READ MORE: Hamilton County commissioners talk changing meeting time)
But the idea earned the tentative support of Chair Ken Smith, R-Hixson. He brought up the possibility of trying it for the month of October, rather than making a permanent change, and seeing if it improved meeting accessibility.
“Let’s find out what kind of impact we’re really having on both our staff and on the public,” he said. “Let’s make sure we’re making good assumptions before we make significant changes like this.”
Vice Chair Lee Helton, R-East Brainerd, proposed a compromise: one meeting a month at 4 p.m.
Eversole said he’d be open to a month trial period, but he does not think one 4 p.m. meeting a month is the answer.
“If you do it, you do it consistently,” Eversole said.
Contact government reporter Siena Duncan at sduncan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.