photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Lawrence's City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St., as seen on Monday, April 6, 2026.

The Lawrence City Commission could soon hear public comments near the start of its meeting agenda — but only from a limited number of speakers who have registered in advance.

This period for “scheduled public comment,” as well as a “pledge of civility” that would be read before the public comment period, are among the changes to the meeting order that the commission will be considering at its meeting next week.

As the Journal-World reported, Mayor Brad Finkeldei expressed interest earlier this month in moving the commission’s general public comment period from the end of the meeting, where it currently is, to near the start, along with a couple of other items that usually take place late at night.

The changes now being proposed would be a hybrid of that and the current system. There would still be a general public comment period at the end of the meeting when anyone could address the commission, but there would also be 15 minutes near the start that would be set aside for “scheduled” comments.

A draft of the changes attached to the City Commission’s agenda for next week outlines how this would work. First, people would have to submit a request online to the city clerk with their name, their address or phone number, and the topic they wish to speak about. Once the meeting agenda for the week had been published on the city’s website, these would be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration would close at noon the day of the meeting.

Then, during the meeting, up to five members of the public who had registered would be allowed to speak during the 15-minute “scheduled public comment” period. This would take place right after the commission makes its ceremonial proclamations and considers its consent agenda.

Speakers in the “scheduled” period would still be limited to three minutes, and there would also be no changes to how the general public comment period at the end of the meeting works.

There would also be a restriction on how often you could speak during the “scheduled” period. The proposal says that speakers would only be allowed to register and speak every seventh meeting. (The commission typically meets three times a month.)

As for the civility pledge, the mayor would invite the public to join him or her in saying it before both general public comment periods. The pledge would read as follows:

“Recognizing the diverse backgrounds and perspectives among us, I acknowledge that the principles of democracy play a vital role in shaping and sustaining our community. There is no democracy without healthy debate and no healthy debate without dignity and civility; therefore, I pledge to be civil in my comments and treat others with dignity, not contempt.”

As the Journal-World has reported, the commission moved its general public comments to the end of the meeting order in 2024 after multiple public commenters on Zoom derailed a meeting with racist and antisemitic hate speech, including using the N-word, displaying a flaming swastika and calling another commenter a “f-cking c-nt.” Even after the changes were made, obscene comments and hate speech, including use of graphic sexual language and the N-word, still occurred at meetings throughout 2024.

Local governments are not legally required to permit general public comment at their business meetings and can set their own rules regarding matters such as time limits and when the commenting can occur. Another governing body that has experienced obscene and disruptive comments at its meetings, the Lawrence school board, no longer has a general public comment period at all.

A couple of other changes are being proposed to the commission’s meeting order. These would be moving the city manager’s report to right after the “scheduled” public comments, and adding a “City Commission reports” section right after that.

The City Commission reports would be a time for commissioners to update the public on other meetings or events they had attended, discuss upcoming events or comment on items that were on the consent agenda, among other things. Immediately following it would be the commission’s regular agenda.

In other business, the City Commission will:

• Hold a public hearing on the annual action plan for Community Development Block Grant and HOME programs. This public hearing is required for the city to continue receiving federal funding for these programs through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

A report from city staff says the base HOME grant for 2026 is just over $427,000, and the base Community Development Block Grant is $724,614.

The Affordable Housing Advisory Board has recommended that most of the HOME funds be allocated to Tenants to Homeowners and the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority. And the recommendations for CDBG funds would be for homeowner repair programs through the city’s Housing Initiatives Division, infrastructure projects in lower-income areas, emergency rent and utility assistance through the Douglas County Housing Stabilization Collaborative, and stabilization services for guests at the Lawrence Community Shelter, among others. A complete list of recommendations can be found in the meeting agenda at lawrenceks.civicweb.net.

• Consider approving several public art projects as recommended by the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission, including two new murals by Junior Girl Scout Troop 2856 and the Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation and a set of parking markers by Hang12 for the New Hampshire Street parking garage.