Cypress could join the ranks of cities with their city council meetings falling on Tuesdays, moving away from their previous Monday scheduling.
At the Jan. 12 meeting, the first reading of the ordinance was approved 4-1, with Councilmember Bonnie Peat voting no.
According to Councilmember David Burke, Tuesday meetings would reduce conflicts with public holidays on Mondays and provide additional time to review agendas.
Agendas are currently made available to the public on Fridays and can be accessed on the city website.
“Both of those benefits should improve quality of life for current and future city employees, and make it easier for residents to follow the issues,” Burke said at the Monday meeting.
He also mentioned that this change would put Cypress in line with 75% of city councils in Orange County whose meetings are on Tuesdays and would therefore allow for Cypress council members to attend more informational meetings across the county.
Peat stated throughout the meeting that Tuesdays would not work with her schedule, and several members of the community voiced their support for her scheduling concerns.
“By virtue of changing the meeting date, you are not only negatively impacting Councilmember Peat, but you’re negatively impacting the desires of those who voted for her and that want her on the dais to represent them,” said meeting attendee Marilyn Reames during the public comment portion of the meeting.
The ordinance moved forward despite the conflict and it will face a second reading on Jan. 26. If passed, the first meeting on a Tuesday will be on March 10.
The item was first discussed at an Oct. 27, 2025, meeting, being brought to the council by then-Mayor Pro Tem Leo Medrano.
Medrano requested that meetings be moved to either Tuesdays or Wednesdays to give residents and council members additional time to review agenda items.
Burke voiced his support for the item, saying the change would allow for extra time to review the agenda items and also allow for city staff and council members to spend time with their families over long weekends.
“How many people do you think are going to look at an agenda that comes out at 5 p.m. on a Friday before a Monday meeting?” Burke said at the Oct. 27 meeting.
“People’s weekends are supposed to be for – I think – a break from work, not to be spending their time preparing for a city council meeting.”
Peat stated that she didn’t think the change was necessary, since several other city meetings are scheduled around city council meetings on Mondays and raised concerns of personal commitments on Tuesdays which could prevent her from attending.
Despite his support, Burke raised concerns that second and fourth Wednesdays are when Orange County Sanitation District’s meetings are held, and also mentioned several staff conflicts on Tuesdays, including the City Attorney Fred Galante and Peat.
Ultimately, the item was tabled until November 2025, after Councilmember Kyle Chang needed additional time to determine whether he would be available on Wednesdays.
At a Nov. 10 meeting, Chang stated that he would not be available on Wednesdays, leading council to decide that Tuesdays would be most viable, if the motion were to pass.
According to a city staff report attached to the agenda, Galante mentioned that he would attempt to find an attorney from his law firm to replace him at meetings, if the meetings were moved to Tuesdays.
“We were elected for Mondays,” Peat said. “My Tuesdays and Wednesdays don’t work for me. And if we end up switching, I’m telling you, I’m gonna have a hit and miss on the ability to attend the meetings.”
Ultimately, Burke motioned to direct city staff to draft an ordinance moving meetings to the second and fourth Tuesdays. The motion passed 3-1 with Peat voting no.