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Come January, the Asbury Park City Council will double their amount of monthly public meetings.

Instead of holding back-to-back workshop and regular session meetings on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, workshop meetings will be held on the second and fourth Mondays and regular sessions on the second and fourth Wednesdays, according to City Clerk Steven Kay.

The shift and additional meetings come in an effort to provide more transparency to the public and efficiency, according to Mayor-elect John Moor

“Hopefully adding a workshop session on Monday, or Tuesday if there is a holiday, gives John Q. Public time to get in touch with council to say they heard a presentation and it made no sense,” he said. “This way, we get to hear from the public before we vote, rather than after.”

“We are looking for an opportunity to get public feedback, and get a day or two to gather more information and think things through before we vote,” said Councilwoman Amy Quinn.

Moor said several members of the public who regularly attend meetings had expressed concerns they didn’t know what the city council members were voting on at the time of the meetings.

It should also cease last minute additions of items not previously published on the agenda or included in the packets council members review in the days prior to the meeting, he said.

Monday workshops will begin at 6 p.m. In those sessions council will review the agenda and ask questions. Members of the public will also have a chance to ask questions about items specifically listed on the agenda after the council has finished their inquiry. Wednesday meetings will commence at 6:30 with a half hour workshop for council members and city administration to address matters. A regular meeting with open public session will begin at 7 p.m.

Closed executive sessions are scheduled prior to the Wednesday meeting.

January meetings are scheduled to take place on the 12, 14, 26 and 28.

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