BEDH

DEERFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT

POLICY STATEMENT

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. All official meetings of the Board shall be open to the press and public. However, the Board reserves the right to meet privately for reasons allowed under RSA 91-A as amended.

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. Opportunity for citizens’ comments will be scheduled at both the beginning and end of all the School Board’s regular business meeting agendas. Otherwise, members of the public will not be recognized by the chairman as the Board conducts its official business except when the Board schedules an interim public discussion period on a particular agenda item in advance.

2. Any individual desiring to speak shall give his or her name 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 three minutes. Any written materials should be presented to the Chair prior to the beginning of the meeting.

4. Speakers may offer such objective criticisms of school operations and programs as concern them. But in public session, the Board will not hear personal complaints of school personnel nor against any person connected with the school system. Other channels provide for Board consideration and disposition of legitimate complaints involving individuals.

5. The citizens’ comments portion of a meeting will be limited to 15 minutes at the beginning and 15 minutes at the end of each meeting unless an extension is granted by the Board. If there are more citizens desiring to speak than time will allow, names will be taken and a separate forum or agenda item in a future meeting will be scheduled.

6. If desired, a citizen may request open dialogue with the school board. This dialogue will be limited to three minutes per person and will only involve the current speaker and the Board. If more time is needed to complete the discussion, the citizen may request the issue be placed on the agenda of a future meeting.

The Board vests in its chairman or other presiding officer authority to terminate the remarks of any individual when they do not adhere to the rules established above. Persons appearing before the Board are reminded, as a point of information, that members of the Board are without authority to act independently as individuals in official matters.

ADOPTED: September, 1979

REVISED: March, 1992; October, 1993; September, 1996; May, 2004; October, 2005