Yes, you can attend — and speak. Every Municipal Council meeting is
open to the public and held in the Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall,
920 Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson Blvd, Newark. Every meeting includes a chance for
residents to speak, and the council takes formal action (votes) at all meetings.
Yes, you can attend — and speak. Every City Council meeting is open to the public. Meetings happen in the Council Chamber on the 2nd floor of City Hall, 920 Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson Blvd, Newark. Every meeting gives residents a chance to speak, and the council votes at every meeting.
The standing schedule
The council uses the same pattern every month. To find the time of a specific meeting,
match its type below:
| Meeting | Start time | Public comment |
|---|
| Regular — 1st of the month |
12:30 PM |
“Hearing of Citizens” after the meeting |
| Regular — 2nd of the month |
6:30 PM |
“Hearing of Citizens” before the meeting |
| Pre-Meeting /
Special / Conference |
10:00 AM |
30-minute public speaking session |
Source: City Clerk's 2026 Municipal Council
Meeting Calendar (Resolution 7R8-a, Dec 2025).
How “Hearing of Citizens” works
This is your slot to address the council directly. A few plain tips:
- Arrive early — speaking lists are often set in person before the meeting.
- You usually get a few minutes. Say who you are, the item or issue, and
what you want the council to do.
- It's on the record. The testimony residents give is exactly what powers
the Citizens page on this site.
- Action is taken at every meeting — so the 10 AM pre-meetings matter too, even
though they get less attention.
Find the exact dates & agendas
The council meets about twice a month, plus pre-meetings — but the exact dates change,
so always check an official source rather than guessing:
Newark Legistar Calendar →
The authoritative list: each meeting's date, exact time, agenda, and minutes.
Best place to confirm a specific meeting and see what's on it.
Official 2026 Meeting Calendar (PDF) →
The City Clerk's one-page year-at-a-glance. Meeting dates are color-coded
(see the key below).
Reading the official calendar's colors
On the PDF, each meeting day is highlighted. Match the color to the type, then use the
schedule above for the time:
Regular Meeting (12:30 PM or 6:30 PM)
Pre-Meeting Conference (10:00 AM)
Special Meeting / Conference (10:00 AM)
Municipal Holiday (no meeting)
Other important date
One caution: meeting dates do get changed, canceled, or
added (especially around elections and the summer). Treat the PDF as the plan and
Legistar as the live confirmation.One caution: meeting dates can change, be canceled, or be added — especially around elections and in the summer. Use the PDF as the plan, and check Legistar to confirm a date is still on.
Key 2026 dates
Holidays, elections, and the once-a-year reorganization meeting (when a newly elected
council is sworn in):
Jul 1 — Mayor/Council Inauguration & Reorganization Meeting
Jan 1 — New Year's Day
Jan 19 — Dr. MLK Jr. Day (observed)
Feb 12 — Lincoln's Birthday
Feb 16 — Washington's Birthday (observed)
Apr 3 — Good Friday
Apr 21 — School Board Election
May 12 — Municipal Election
May 25 — Memorial Day
Jun 2 — Primary Election
Jun 9 — Municipal Run-Off Election
Jun 19 — Juneteenth
Jul 3 — Independence Day (observed)
Sep 7 — Labor Day
Oct 12 — Columbus Day
Nov 3 — Election Day
Nov 11 — Veterans Day
Nov 26-27 — Thanksgiving
Dec 25 — Christmas Day