City to return to pre-pandemic meeting set-up next week

Hailey Phillips, The Manhattan Mercury, Kan.
·1 min read

May 12—Following the expiration of the citywide mask ordinance on Sunday, the setup at Manhattan City Commission meetings will return to what it was prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

Starting at next Tuesday's meeting, people will have to make public comment in-person during meetings as officials will disable the online public comment feature, said city public information officer Vivienne Uccello. The city also will permit full capacity in the meeting room.

"The online public comment option was an accommodation during COVID when the capacity of the room was limited," Uccello said. "Now that the limitations have been removed, there is no longer a need for the extra accommodation."

Uccello said people can sign up online to get on the public comment list, but people can also show up and speak as well without signing up online.

Additionally, commissioners will restart their dinner briefing session prior to legislative meetings, which are typically the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month.

The commission uses the session to talk about topics that could potentially added to future agendas.

Beginning next Tuesday, officials will stop broadcasting the commissioners' briefing session on legislative meeting nights. However, the public can come in-person to watch the briefing session.