Georgetown, Del., Sept. 22, 2009: Sussex County Council is taking its weekly meetings back to their original time slot.

County Council, at its Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, meeting, approved a return to daytime meetings after a nine-month trial of late-afternoon and evening sessions. In January, Council decided to move its weekly meetings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Tuesday, with its zoning hearings shifted from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on those same days.

County Council has traditionally held its weekly meetings at 10 a.m. each Tuesday. A majority of Council members said it makes sense to return to that schedule since attendance at meetings has always been issue-driven, not necessarily dictated by the public’s ability or inability to attend. Additionally, the majority of Council said moving back to days will give the public access to meetings both day and night, as the Planning & Zoning Commission would continue to holds its hearings at night.

The Council’s return to the traditional schedule will begin in January 2010. County Administrator David B. Baker said daytime sessions will help cut down on staff overtime and energy costs associated with afternoon and evening Council meetings.

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