CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council voted Thursday to change its longstanding practice of meeting on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month.

In a unanimous action, the council voted to change its monthly meetings to the first and third Thursdays of the month.

The discussion begins at the 39:22 mark in the video above.

Administrative Services Director-City Clerk Melissa Swanson explained that the city has contracted with the law firm of Jones & Mayer for city attorney services since 2015. Serving as the city’s attorney since then has been Ryan Jones.

Jones recently was assigned to also represent another city whose meeting times conflict with Clearlake’s, Swanson said.

If the city wants to continue working with Jones directly – rather than just having other attorneys sub in – Swanson said they needed to move the meetings to different nights.

Swanson said staff proposed a move to the first and third Thursdays.

Due to the holidays and staff’s need to prepare, she said it was recommended that the meeting scheduled changes take effect in February.

At the same time, Swanson said that if the council moved forward with the change, at the next meeting staff would need to bring forward a proposal to move the Clearlake Planning Commission meetings from the first and third Tuesdays to the second and fourth Tuesdays.

Businesswoman Denise Loustalot, who formerly served on the city council, said Jones is a perfect fit who has spent a lot of time learning the community, and building relationships with council and staff.

Loustalot supported changing the meeting days to accommodate Jones’ schedule, adding that she believed it is important to continue working with Jones and maintaining consistency.

Councilwoman Joyce Overton said the city has been through many attorneys in her more than 15 years on the council.

“He is always there for us,” Overton said of Jones. “I would hate to lose an attorney that has experience and has learned all of our needs here.”

She said she believed it’s worth it to change the dates, adding that she doesn’t want to lose Jones.

Councilman Phil Harris moved to approve the change, a motion seconded by Vice Mayor Dirk Slooten and approved by the council 5-0.

The city reported that the changes will go into effect on Feb. 6.

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