Guidelines for Public Participation at BOE Meetings

 
The Board of Education recognizes its responsibility to hear public comments and encourages public participation at official meetings. At the same time, it is important to note that the Board is meeting to address a specific agenda and has specific business that must be conducted. To these ends, the following procedural guidelines are established to insure a caring Board and a productive meeting.
 

• The Board President shall ask visitors if they or their representative wishes to address the Board.
• In order to allow for accurate minutes to be taken, persons should state their name before addressing the Board.

 
Please be reminded that the following are governed by Board of Education policy:

• So that everyone has the opportunity to speak, an individual’s comments should be kept as brief as possible. No more than five minutes will be allowed any one individual.
• A 30 minute maximum time period will be available for public input. However, the Board as a whole may decide to extend the stated time limits.
• All questions regarding topic appropriateness and order will be decided by the President.
• All prepared statements (that is, information that is created in advance for presentation at the BOE meeting) must be submitted to the Superintendent at least one day prior to the meeting where the statement will be read.
• Items of business introduced from the floor (not on the agenda) will not be acted upon at the same meeting in which they are introduced. Likewise, members of the Board are not obligated to respond immediately to any statement.
• Certain rules, regulations and legal practices require that the Board of Education move into executive session to consider certain matters. While this may cause an inconvenience to the visiting public who may wish to remain and hear comments later in the meeting, it may be necessary.