Whitehorse City Council meetings will start at 5:30 p.m. beginning Aug. 5.
The change comes after council unanimously passed an updated procedures bylaw Monday night.
The bylaw sets out how council meetings will run. Most of the changes are to clarify rules about how councillors should act during meetings. But there are also changes to how citizens can participate in council meetings.
Meeting agendas will now be available by 4 p.m. on the last business day before the meeting. And there are some changes to how public hearings will be conducted. Residents will not be allowed to speak to an issue at council meetings after the public hearing on the matter has been closed. Written comments given to council after a public hearing ends will not be considered. If new information is received regarding an issue after the public hearing is closed, a new public hearing may be held.
The changes to public hearings are being made to put Whitehorse in line with planning law, the city’s administration report on the bylaw says.
All changes, except the new meeting time, will take effect immediately.