What to Expect at a Traverse City Commission Meeting
For anyone curious, nervous, or just wondering how it works
City Commission meetings are open to everyone — whether you’re showing up to support something, share a concern, or just listen in. You don’t need to be a policy expert or public speaking champ. You just need to care about your community!
When & Where
City commission meetings are held at 7 PM on the first and third Mondays of each month.
At the Governmental Center – 400 Boardman Ave, Traverse City
The meetings take place on the second floor in the Commission Chambers — it’s the big room with the wall of windows that you’ll see right when you get off the elevator or come up the stairs.
Can’t attend in person? Meetings are live streamed here and are also available to watch later.
What Happens at a Meeting
The meeting has an agenda you can view ahead of time here that covers the topics that are going to be discussed at the meeting. While most of the speaking is done by those sitting up front, there are also opportunities for you to share your thoughts with Public Comment.
Public Comment
There are a couple of times when the public can speak:
On a specific agenda item – If you're there to support or oppose something , you can speak before the Commission votes on it.
General public comment – This is near the end of the meeting and open to any topic.
Each person gets up to 3 minutes. You're encouraged to say your name and address and just talk directly to the Commission like you're talking to neighbors, because... you are!
Feel free to bring a script or notecard if you want. You can read directly from it, or just speak from the heart.
Tip: Keep it short and heartfelt. You don’t need to be fancy, just speak from your experience. Personal stories that share how the topic at hand directly affects you can be impactful!
What It’s Like
Picture a room with the Mayor and Commissioners sitting up front, staff off to the sides, and the public seated facing them. They’ll ask if anyone has public comment, and that’s when you’ll stand up, head to the podium, speak into a microphone, say your piece, and then sit back down. They won’t respond right away (it’s not a back-and-forth), but they’re listening.
If there are multiple people wanting to make a public comment, they’ll form a line behind the podium and each person will take their turn speaking.
To be respectful of everyone’s time, make sure you don’t continue on for too long. During public comment, they set a 3 minute timer when each person starts speaking, and you’ll have to return to your seat when it goes off, even if you had more to say.
What If I’m Nervous?
Totally normal. Bring a friend. Jot down what you want to say ahead of time. Practice out loud. And remember: everyone in that room started somewhere. You’re helping shape the future of your city, and that’s something to be proud of.
Want to speak longer?
You can also sign up in advance if you want to make sure you’re on the agenda for a dedicated extended 15 minute speaking period. Email the City Clerk by 5 PM the Monday before the meeting at tcclerk@traversecitymi.gov
Questions?
You can always reach out to us at Grand Traverse Safe Streets Alliance — we’re happy to talk you through the process, or even meet up before the meeting if that helps you feel more confident.