By Rachel Kats

Across Minnesota, city councils are seeing fuller chambers and longer meetings. Residents are showing up with strong emotions, urgent questions, and real concerns about issues that often extend well beyond city hall. Even routine agenda items can draw large crowds and heightened tension.

For elected officials and staff, that can make meetings feel unpredictable. Councils don’t always control the issues driving public emotion, but they do control how meetings are structured, prepared for, and led. When emotions run high, those basics matter more than ever.

Here are practical ways your city can prepare for and manage contentious meetings while protecting public participation, maintaining safety, and keeping essential city business moving.

Preparing when you know emotions will be high

When meetings become heated, councils often rely on their fundamentals. That work starts as soon as it’s clear a meeting may draw strong emotions.

Josie Rosene, staff attorney at the League of Minnesota Cities, said councils should have written policies in place. That includes council bylaws, rules of procedure, rules of decorum, public comment policies, and rules for public comment.

Council members also need a clear understanding of their authority. Rosene noted that councils should know “what authority they may or may not have to recess or adjourn a meeting, or request removal of disruptive or unruly individuals,” and should be familiar with the city’s safety plan for council meetings.

Staff play an important role in that preparation. They typically help develop the agenda and can build in tools, such as planned recesses between agenda items. Additionally, staff can help prepare council members so that everyone understands their role if tensions rise.

Managing public comment legally and respectfully

Public comment is often where tension shows up first. It is also where legal boundaries are most visible.

Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law generally requires city council meetings to be open to the public. State law does not require cities to offer a public comment period, but most cities do. And, as city councils have the authority to regulate their own meeting procedures, many implement rules for public comment. If a city offers public comment and implements rules, Rosene said those rules must be content-neutral, meaning that they must apply to all expression without regard to its substance or message.

“To avoid violating constitutional free speech rights, cities should only adopt content-neutral regulations that restrict only the time, place, and manner of speech,” she said.

That means councils may use tools such as time limits, sign-up requirements, or topic limits when appropriate.

What they cannot do is restrict speech based on viewpoint or message. Rosene noted that cities “cannot regulate or restrict speech based on the content of the speech,” even if comments include profanity. Rosene noted that councils must follow the law even when comments are disruptive or uncomfortable and cautioned against impulsive decisions during a meeting. Removing a disruptive individual should generally be a last resort, as it can carry legal risk.

Councils should also avoid changing public comment rules mid-meeting or cutting off speakers because of their viewpoint. Policies should be written, publicly available, and applied fairly and consistently.

Rosene encouraged cities to think beyond the meeting itself when it comes to how residents can provide input. Written comment cards, online submission forms, and follow-up conversations can give residents additional ways to share input if a meeting is recessed or adjourned. Cities should have a clear policy for handling that input and apply it consistently.

Setting expectations and building trust

Public participation plays a central role in building trust and improving decision-making, especially during difficult moments.

Arianna Lee, diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator at the League, said councils should start by clearly communicating expectations. That includes explaining the purpose of a meeting in plain language. Communication works best when it happens in more than one place and in multiple languages and formats, so residents know what to expect before they arrive.

Lee said empathy matters when emotions run high. Using active listening skills, such as repeating what someone said to confirm understanding, can help residents feel heard. “Residents want to feel genuinely heard and that their voice matters even when the council cannot take action,” she said.

Councils also need to be clear about what is within their authority and what is not. Explaining how public input will be used and following up after decisions are made helps build credibility. Sharing the reasons behind decisions, especially when the answer is no, shows residents their feedback was considered.

Lee encouraged councils to invest in relationships outside formal meetings. Showing up in the community, listening without an agenda, and building trust over time can make a difference when challenging issues come before the council. Effective community engagement builds relationships and trust before conflict arises.

De-escalation during tense meetings

Not all conflict is harmful. Aimee Gourlay, collaboration services manager at the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT), said disagreement over ideas can lead to better outcomes. The goal is to prevent harmful escalation, not to shut down passionate expression.

Gourlay cautioned against viewing public speakers as problems to manage. Seeing speakers as obstacles can escalate tension. Instead, approach public comment with curiosity and a goal of understanding. Strong feelings often come from deeply held values and acknowledging that perspective can calm the room.

“One person’s ‘escalation’ may be another person’s passionate expression,” she said. Demonstrating understanding can often calm a situation rather than inflame it.

How council members show up in the room also matters. Simple actions can help set the tone, such as giving speakers full attention, avoiding side conversations or electronic distractions, and maintaining neutral body language. People notice how council members treat each other, staff, and speakers, and that tone often carries through the room.

Gourlay encourages council members to avoid planning a response while someone is speaking, and model respect toward staff and fellow council members. She also emphasized fairness. Apply the same rules for everyone, follow established procedures, and avoid moves that feel overpowering. Helping people feel heard within clear boundaries often reduces conflict and builds trust.

Finally, Gourlay advised against debating or correcting speakers in the moment. If inaccurate information is shared, councils can acknowledge the comment, note that there are different perspectives, and explain that staff can follow up later.

Using neutral language prevents the discussion from becoming personal. Staying calm, slowing your pace, and recognizing emotions without judgment helps keep meetings on track. Acknowledging strong feelings does not mean agreement, it simply shows respect while maintaining order.

Safety planning

Having a safety plan does not mean expecting violence. It means being prepared. Tracy Stille, public safety project coordinator with LMCIT, said common gaps include limited preplanning for controversial agenda items, unclear roles for staff during tense moments, and a lack of training on situational awareness. If a conflict is anticipated, he recommended meeting with the police chief or county sheriff and arranging for a representative to attend.

Stille noted that many cities have not updated their emergency operations plans in years. He advised having an updated plan that includes workplace violence prevention and training that can range from tabletop exercises to drills.

Room setup also matters. Council chambers should have clear sightlines, accessible emergency exits, and podium placement that maintains a safe distance from the council dais. Depending on the issue and local context, additional staffing or law enforcement presence may be appropriate.

Situational awareness during meetings is critical. Warning signs can include refusal to follow rules of decorum, sudden outbursts of anger, or threatening behavior. Training helps staff and elected officials recognize concerns early and respond proportionally, such as using verbal reminders of decorum, calling a brief recess, repositioning staff, or involving law enforcement only when behavior poses a safety risk.

The goal is not to create fear or overreact, but to support safety and access for everyone in the room.

Keeping meetings functional

There is no single right way to run a meeting when tensions are high. What works in one community may not work in another, and approaches may change over time.

What does make a difference is preparation, clarity, and consistency. When council members and staff know the rules, understand their roles, and communicate expectations clearly, meetings are more likely to stay productive even when emotions run strong.

These challenges are not going away overnight. With thoughtful planning and steady leadership, cities can work through difficult moments without losing sight of why public meetings exist in the first place.

Rachel Kats is publications and web editor with the League of Minnesota Cities. Contact: [email protected] or (651) 215-4032.