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Policy 2310 describes the process by which we will provide for citizen input.
Citizens may request to place items on the monthly agenda of board meetings provided they follow board policy 2310 which requires a written request to the Superintendent that includes their name, address, organization or group represented if any, and a brief explanation of the nature of the item, six days prior to the board meeting.
To ensure the appropriateness of agenda items requested by citizens for the regular monthly meeting, additional supporting or clarifying procedures are as follows:
The superintendent will confer with the board chair and determine if the item will be included in the agenda or if some other meeting is more appropriate for discussion of the item.
If the item is not accepted as an agenda item, the citizen still has the right to speak during the public forum portion of the regular board meeting
In order for an item to be accepted as an agenda item for the regular board meeting, the citizen must first present concerns at the board work session on the Monday prior to the board meeting. This will provide the board additional time to hear any concerns and to determine appropriate responses needed, if any.
Following the work session, if both the board and citizen feel that addressing the board at the regular meeting remains essential, the citizen will be allowed to speak again at the regular meeting.
The same procedures that apply during the public forum for citizen input will apply to citizen input related to the added agenda item, and the expected demeanor of the speaker.
Additional supporting or clarifying procedures to ensure that public comment during the public forum portion of our regular monthly meeting is efficient and orderly are as follows:
Anyone wishing to speak during the public forum portion of the regular monthly board meeting must register their name, address, and reason for addressing the board by calling the board secretary at 828-464-3191, or by completing a sign-in sheet that will be available at the entry of the meeting place, prior to the beginning of the meeting, which begins at 5:30 PM.
Unless there are excessive numbers of people who wish to address the board, each person signing in will be provided three minutes for addressing the board.
If there are excessive numbers of people who wish to speak, the board chairman may ask that spokespersons from the group(s) address the board, particularly if there seems to be an issue where there are more or less two basic views on an issue.
The board chairman may also choose to limit the overall length of the Public Forum by asking if additional speakers have any new information to add to what has already been stated. If not, the chairman may choose to end the forum. Discussion that is irrelevant or of excessive duration may be ended by the board chairman.
The role of the board during the Public Forum is to hear the concerns of the people and/or to receive information. The board will not act on the information provided at the same meeting during which it is provided, unless by a unanimous vote, decides to do so.
Comments that are deemed obscene, profane, or personal attacks on board members or school employees will be cause for the ending of a particular speaker’s time, as determined by the board chairman.
Speakers who have issues with specific employees of the school system must follow the chain of command by first speaking with the immediate supervisor of the employee, followed by discussion with the Superintendent. The system grievance policy should be followed for remedy to such concerns. The board may hear specific issues regarding employees during closed session, provided the grievance policy has been followed and the board has agreed to hear from the citizen in closed session.
General concerns about employees as a group may be made in the public forum, but the chairman will determine if the discussion is best held in closed session with the board or a committee of the board.
Subjects discussed during the public forum do not have to be related to the agenda topics, but should bear some relevance to public school interest of the common good for all children that could be affected by the issue of concern.
Work Sessions
The Board conducts the majority of its work during the monthly work sessions. Action is taken on items discussed at these sessions during the regular monthly Board Meetings.
Special Meetings
The Board holds special meetings as necessary to transact the business of the Board. These meetings are called by the Chair whenever the interests of the schools require it or when requested to do so by a majority of the Board.