The clock soon may be ticking on public comments to the Lawrence City Commission.

Everyone should have an opportunity to speak to city officials at a public meeting, but there’s a limit.

In fact, there soon may be an actual time limit on public comments at Lawrence City Commission meetings.

Commissioners have indicated they will install a special clock that shows speakers how long they’ve been at the podium during a commission meeting. For now, the clock is just information, but it is likely to become part of a system to enforce a time limit on comments.

Establishing a reasonable time limit makes sense. Reining in public comments should shorten commission meetings and actually encourage more people to speak because they won’t have to wait so long to get their turn. Having a time limit will make people think before they speak, which always is a good policy, and perhaps encourage people to keep their comments focused on the issue the city is discussing.

Sure, we know what you have to say is important, but even attorneys arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court have to pack their whole oral argument into 30 minutes, and that includes whatever time justices take up asking questions of their own. Like the attorneys, city commenters can always put their cases in writing for commissioners to read at their convenience.

People who want to speak to commissioners should gather their thoughts, make their case and sit down. A time limit and a ticking clock may be just the incentive speakers need to do just that.