Lawrence commissioners move public comment earlier, approve civility resolution

Residents who cannot wait until late evening to address City Hall will get one earlier chance each month, as Lawrence commissioners moved a public-comment period to the start of one meeting and adopted a civility resolution for themselves.

The Lawrence City Commission approved the change unanimously on May 12. Beginning with the second Tuesday of each month, general public comment will come first and last 45 minutes, while the first- and third-Tuesday meetings will keep comment near the end of the agenda, where speakers still get three minutes each. The commission meets at Lawrence City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St., and its regular meetings begin at 5:45 p.m.

Mayor Brad Finkeldei said the earlier comment period was meant to keep regular agenda items from sliding to 7 or 8 p.m. on nights with heavy public turnout. Vice Mayor Mike Courtney said the shift would make it easier for people who cannot stay up late, including parents of young children, to participate. For residents who work evenings or show up to speak on one specific issue, the new setup creates a narrower but more realistic window to be heard before the room moves on to the rest of the agenda.

The commission’s new civility resolution is separate from the public-comment change and applies to commissioners themselves. It calls on them to treat others with respect and courtesy, consider differing viewpoints in good faith, avoid personal attacks and questions about motives, focus on facts and constructive solutions, and communicate transparently with the public and with one another. It also rejects threats, intimidation, harassment and abusive conduct in all forms.

That step followed public tension during the April 21 discussion that first sent staff back with the new structure. Chris Flowers opposed the idea of a civility pledge. Patrick Ross raised access concerns for homeless residents who may not have email. Michael Eravi objected loudly and threatened legal action over Finkeldei’s original proposal. The final version approved May 12 was narrower than that early draft, keeping the early comment period once a month while limiting the civility language to the commission itself.

Finkeldei said the civility idea had been discussed at the commission’s annual retreat earlier in 2026, and Courtney said elected officials should assume colleagues are doing their best for Lawrence and give one another grace. The move also sits against a longer history of public-meeting changes in Lawrence, including the shift of general comment to the end of meetings in 2024 and later changes to livestreaming after state law changes affected how the city could handle public comment online. For a five-member body that passes ordinances, sets policy, approves the budget and hires the city manager, the vote was about more than procedure: it was a signal about how Lawrence wants its government room to feel.