Starting April 14, 2026, the City of Manhattan will use updated procedures for public comment at City Commission meetings. During public comment periods, residents may speak directly to the City Commission about city business. The goal is to give the Commission an opportunity to hear from the public before moving forward with discussion or action. 

Under the new policy, people who want to speak may sign up in person before the start of the meeting by using the sign-in sheet at the city clerk’s table in the commission chambers. Speakers must give their name, home address, and organization, if any, that they are representing. If someone does not sign up ahead of time, they may still have a chance to speak after the advance list is finished, if recognized by the Mayor as time allows. 

In most cases, each speaker will have up to three minutes to speak on an item. For Open Public Comment, which is the portion of the meeting when the public can provide comments on city-related topics that are not on the agenda, the total time for all speakers is generally 30 minutes unless that time is changed by the Mayor or a majority of the Commission. On other agenda items, there is no automatic overall time cap unless one is set before public comment begins. 

The new policy also expands when residents may speak. Under the previous policy, public comment during work sessions was not the standard approach and generally required a majority vote. Under the new policy, public comment will be allowed on each work session item, except for City Manager updates and discussion of future agenda items. 

The policy also explains that each public comment period is a chance for the City Commission to hear input from residents and is not intended for dialogue. In general, commissioners and staff will not respond during public comment, although commissioners may ask clarifying questions after a speaker finishes. 

Comments during City Commission meetings must relate to City business, remain civil and respectful, and may not include threats, profanity, political campaigning, commercial advertising, or disclosure of private information. The policy also states a speaker may speak once per item per meeting, may not give their time to another speaker, and may not comment remotely unless approved as a reasonable accommodation. 

Read the complete text of Resolution No. 040726-B