Participating in City Council Meetings

Participating in City Council Meetings

You may share your views with the City Council:

  • During legally-required public hearings
  • During the regular open public comment period established by City Council policy
  • Other opportunities when the Mayor allows for public comment

Public Hearings at City Council Meetings

The City Council conducts public hearings to consider various matters and as required by law prior to voting on items that come before the Council. These hearings are associated with a specific agenda item and comments for these hearings are limited to the subject of the item. 

You do not need to provide advance notice if you would like to speak during a public hearing.

Open Public Comment Period at City Council Meetings

After the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of every City Council meeting, the Governing Body will hear comments from members of the public for up to 30 minutes.

Register to Speak

You can sign up to speak for up to three minutes during this comment period.

Use the public comment registration form to sign up to speak.

Open Public Comment Registration Form

The link is also available in the City Council meeting agenda.

Registration closes at 3 p.m. on the day of the Council meeting.

If you are not registered to speak, the mayor may recognize you to speak during the open public comment period if there is time available after registered speakers have finished speaking.

Speaker must follow the code of conduct for speaking at City Council meetings.

Development Proposals + Planning Commission Agenda Items

Speakers wishing to speak on Planning Commission recommendations should sign up to speak during the Open Public Comment Period by 3 p.m. the day of the City Council meeting meeting. Speakers should clearly identify the agenda item on which they wish to comment.

The mayor may allow speakers who have signed up to speak on Planning Commission recommendations to either speak during the Open Public Comment Period or during consideration of the Planning Commission recommendations.

The mayor may, at their discretion, allow speakers who have not signed up to speak during consideration of Planning Commission recommendations.

Members of the public will be permitted one 3-minute opportunity to provide verbal comments only.

Materials may be distributed at the meeting to the City Council, but electronic display will not be allowed.

See Agendas + Register

Contact

City Clerk’s Office
[email protected]
913-895-6150

Code of Conduct for Public Comments

Public comment provides members of the public an opportunity to bring issues and concerns related to City business to the attention of the Governing Body and to provide testimony at Public Hearings. Political campaigning and commercial advertisements are not allowed.

Respect

Keep comments respectful. Comments that disclose someone’s private information, are slanderous in nature, irrelevant, or personal attacks will not be tolerated. Behavior that is uncivil or disruptive will not be allowed.

Concise

Please keep your comments concise and state them in a succinct manner.

Educate

Use this as an opportunity to educate the Governing Body. Please keep an open mind to other community members’ comments as well.

Adhere

Adhere to the established guidelines, including time limits, topics, and the code of conduct. The Mayor presides at Council meetings and will maintain the order and decorum of the meeting and will address procedural questions. Failure to adhere to the established guidelines may result in you being escorted to your seat or your removal from the meeting.

Public Meeting Comment Period Helpful Tips

  • Come with your comments written, prepared, and organized. This will make sure you are able to capture and communicate your important points.
  • Stating agreement with previous comments if you have similar comments is encouraged.
  • Each speaker will be granted one three-minute speaking opportunity; the time allotted may be amended by the Mayor.
  • Address the Governing Body as a whole, not a specific member of the Governing Body.
  • If you have printed handouts, please provide at least fifteen copies to City staff prior to speaking. The staff will assure written material is distributed to the Governing Body.

Additional Options To Participate

City Council Committee Meetings

City Council committees consider new business items and make recommendations to the City Council.

The most effective way to bring a new business item to the Council is to work with your Council Member to present to the Council committee that oversees the subject of your request.

 

Committee chairs schedule items for consideration and individuals to speak or make presentations to the committee. Committees also hear public comments to gather input from members of the public on items under consideration.

Contact Your Council Member

You can contact Council members directly over the phone, via email or in-person.

 

 

Use the find your Council member tool to enter your address and meet your ward representatives. Each Council member’s contact information is available on their website page.

Related Links