For the second consecutive week, the Sacramento City Council has begun its meetings an hour earlier and begun the meetings with public comment.

Previously, meetings started at 6 P.M. and public comment was at the end.

AnnaBelle Vera says the new hours make it tougher to participate.

"The City Council knows full well that working people can't be here early and to the onlooker like me it does appear engineered to restrict public comment and to silence Sacramentans. I think it's totally unacceptable and undemocratic on top of that." 

The council has hosted its last two evening meetings at five o'clock.

Councilman Rick Jennings says the public comment portion could be delayed a half hour, but still supports the purpose behind the changes.

 "I think it's real important that we stick with the concept of having public comment first allowing us to hear the public first and not have them sit through an entire meeting and have public comment at the end. I think that's why we started this in the first place."

The council voted Tuesday to continue with the changes on a temporary basis, that could become permanent with a vote in the future. It did so with an 8-to-1 vote.

Angelique Ashby was the only no vote.