BEDH
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND CITIZENS’ COMMENTS AT BOARD MEETINGS
The Board desires citizens of the district to attend its
sessions so that they may become better acquainted with the operation and
programs of the schools and that the Board may have opportunity to hear the
wishes and ideas of the public. However,
it should be recognized that school board meetings are meetings in public and
not public meetings. All official
meetings of the Board shall be open to the press and public. However, the Board reserves the right to meet
in non-public sessions and to adjourn or recess a meeting at any time to
discuss such matters as are properly considered in non-public session.
In order to assure that persons who wish to appear before the
Board may be heard and, at the same time, conduct its meetings properly and
efficiently, the Board adopts as policy the following procedures and rules
pertaining to citizen’s comments at Board meetings.
1. Anyone wishing to speak before
the Board, either as an individual or as a member of a group, shall inform the
Superintendent of the desire to do so and of the topic to be discussed as early
as possible, but at least three days before the meeting. This will permit orderly scheduling of public
remarks on the meeting agenda. Those
citizens who do not notify the Superintendent in advance may speak under the
agenda item of “Citizens’ Comments.”
2. Any individual desiring to
speak shall give his or her name, address, and the group, if any, that is
represented.
3. The presentation should be
as brief as possible. Unless an
extension of time is granted, a speaker shall be limited to five (5) minutes.
4. The Board shall not hear
personal complaints of school personnel.
5. Members of the public shall
not be allowed to participate in the discussion on any agenda item unless
recognized by the Chairperson.
The Chairperson shall terminate the remarks of any individual when they do not adhere to the rules established above.
APPROVED: April, 1979
REVISED: March, 1993
RE-AFFIRMED: November, 2006