Contact the Lawrence City Commission
We believe it is a healthy and essential function for members of the public to contact the people who are making laws and decisions on their behalf. Therefore, we’re listing contact information and social media pages (although some may not be present or active on all platforms) on our site.
Five Lawrence City Commissioners are elected at large, meaning they serve the city as a whole rather than representing districts.
Lawrence city commissioners are elected in odd years. They serve four-year terms and they are each paid about $22,000 per year.
Lawrence City Commission meeting info
The Lawrence City Commission generally meets the first, second and third Tuesdays of each month in the City Commission room on the first floor of City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St. Meetings usually begin at 5:45 p.m. Agendas are available via this link.
Meetings are no longer livestreamed on YouTube, but Zoom meeting registration links are available in each agenda. Recordings of the meetings are posted on the city’s YouTube the following day.
The recordings do not include the general public comment period. Commissioners on June 4, 2024 voted to no longer broadcast general public comment. The Lawrence Times is keeping audio and video recordings of general public comment for the record.
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The commission welcomes written public comment until noon the day of the meeting. Comments can be provided via email to ccagendas@lawrenceks.org. The commission also hears live public comment during meetings.
You can sign up to receive notices from the city and agendas for upcoming meetings at this link.
Read our latest Lawrence City Commission news coverage at this link.
Last updated Dec. 3, 2025
City commissioners
Brad Finkeldei, mayor
785-550-9699 • bfinkeldei@lawrenceks.org
Twitter: @bradfinkeldei • Facebook page
First elected to a four-year term in 2019; reelected in 2023. Served as vice mayor in 2020, mayor in 2021. Selected as vice mayor for 2025. Selected as mayor for 2026.
Mike Courtney, vice mayor
mcourtney@lawrenceks.gov
Facebook page; Instagram
First elected to a four-year term in 2025 and selected as vice mayor for 2026.
Mike Dever, commissioner
785-550-4909 • mdever@lawrenceks.org
Facebook page
Elected to a four-year term in 2023 and selected as vice mayor for 2024; previously served from 2007 to 2015 (before The Lawrence Times began publishing). Selected as mayor for 2025.
Kristine Polian, commissioner
kpolian@lawrenceks.gov
Facebook page
Elected to a four-year term in 2025.
Amber Sellers, commissioner
785-813-1381 • asellers@lawrenceks.org
Twitter: @AmbrWavz; Facebook page
First elected to a two-year term in 2021; reelected to a four-year term in 2023.
Meeting archives
Find recorded meetings on the city’s YouTube page.
More details about how meetings work are outlined in this resolution.
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Latest Lawrence City Commission news:
Lawrence advisory boards will reevaluate city’s goal to achieve fully renewable energy usage
Members of two Lawrence advisory boards will soon put their heads together to evaluate whether the city’s renewable energy goals are realistic, and how they line up with overarching sustainability plans for the county.
Kaydi Rudisell
City of Lawrence will remove Watson Park basketball court, prone to flooding, this summer
The city plans to remove the basketball court in Watson Park, which is prone to flooding, during the summer as part of ongoing construction, and it’s not yet clear whether a new court will replace it.
Lawrence City Commission general public comment for Dec. 9, 2025
Here’s the general public comment for the Lawrence City Commission’s Tuesday meeting, as public comment is no longer being broadcast.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission approves changes to Jayhawk watershed budget; 9th Street to close through summer
Lawrence City Commissioners on Tuesday approved a $4.82M increase to the budget and change in construction plans that will lead to a portion of Ninth Street being closed through the summer.
Lawrence City Commission rejects Alvamar apartment complex plan
The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday voted 4-1 to reject a preliminary plan for a 200-unit apartment complex in west Lawrence’s Alvamar neighborhood.
