photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

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

City commissioners could soon be hearing public comments at the start of their meeting once a month, and they could also adopt a civility resolution that contains “standards of conduct” for the commission itself.

At its meeting on Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider adopting a new meeting order that, among other things, moves the general public comment period on the second Tuesday of each month. General public comment is the part of the meeting when people can speak about items germane to city business that aren’t already scheduled for discussion.

In the current meeting setup, it is the last item on the agenda, and speakers are given three minutes to address the commission on their desired topic. But under the proposed new structure, during the second Tuesday of the month, it would start at 5 p.m., before any other agenda items are considered, and last up to 45 minutes.

The commission asked for this change at its meeting on April 21. Some commissioners said they wanted to make in-person public comments more accessible for speakers who might not be able to comment late at night; commission meetings with a lot on the agenda can sometimes run well past 10 p.m.

At the other two monthly meetings, on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, general public comments would be handled the same way they are now, at the very end of the agenda. And, as always, residents would still able to submit comments to the commission in writing ahead of the meeting.

The public comment rules would also have the mayor encouraging the public to join in a “civility pledge,” which is something that’s been included since the discussion of public comment changes began earlier this spring.

The separate civility resolution that the commission will be considering Tuesday, however, is different from the civility pledge. Among other things, it includes a set of standards that the commission is expected to follow when carrying out its duties.

These include treating others with respect and courtesy; “consider(ing) differing viewpoints in good faith”; “disagree(ing) on issues without personal attacks or questioning motives”; and “focus(ing) on facts, shared goals, and constructive solutions.”

Two of the standards of conduct for the commission also have to do with transparency in government. One says that the commission will “communicate honestly, responsibly and transparently,” and the other says commissioners will “share information proactively and avoid unnecessary surprises” by making sure “colleagues and stakeholders” are informed.

In addition to these guidelines for the commission, the resolution would state that the city “rejects threats, intimidation, harassment, and abusive conduct in all forms and affirms that public participation should be safe, welcoming, and accessible to all people.”

Previously, Mayor Brad Finkeldei said the civility measures were inspired by similar efforts from the National League of Cities, of which Lawrence is a member. The language of the resolution mentions that the league has encouraged its members to adopt civility pledges.

The City Commission meets at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St.