The Soldotna City Council will continue to meet on Wednesday evenings after a split council voted down legislation that would have moved their meetings from Wednesday nights to Tuesday nights.
The legislation would have allowed council members to attend more of the Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series, also known as Music in the Park, which are also on Wednesday evenings, said sponsors Pamela Parker and Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings.
Parker said attending those events would be a good way for the council to interact with the community and would prevent people from having to choose between attending a council meeting or Music in the Park.
“I think if we’ve got a beautiful sunny Wednesday and there’s something very important before the council, I honestly think most people would choose to be out there …” Parker said. “I just think it would really impede the public process if we’re holding a government meeting on the same night as our largest community events in the summer.”
Council member Justin Ruffridge said council members are able to attend Music in the Park on the Wednesdays where they do not have meetings and that summer schedules are always hectic.
“As much as I enjoy Music in the Park, I’m not certain I support moving our meeting times …” Ruffridge said. “I think keeping government on a steady pace would be my preferred route.”
The council ultimately failed to adopt the legislation after Soldotna Mayor Paul Whitney cast a tie-breaking vote in opposition. Wednesday’s city council meeting can be viewed on the City of Soldotna’s website at soldotna.org.
