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9325(a)
Bylaws of the Board
Meeting Conduct
1. Meeting Conduct
A. Meetings of the Board of Education shall be conducted by the Chairperson in a
manner consistent with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and the
adopted bylaws of the Board.
B. All Board meetings shall commence at, or as close as practicable to, the stated
time, provided there is a quorum.
C. All regular and special Board meetings shall be guided by an agenda which will
have been prepared and delivered in advance to all Board members and other
designated persons.
D. The Board of Education may recess any regular or special meeting to a specified
time and place.
2. Procedures for Telephonic Participation
A. Board members may participate in meetings telephonically under the conditions
set forth herein. When such conditions are met, any Board member participating
telephonically shall be counted for the purpose of constituting a quorum.
Conditions for participation are as follows:
1. Any physical or demonstrable material that is used in the course of the
proceedings must be present in the place where the public is located; and
2. All those in attendance at the meeting, at whatever location, must be able
to hear and identify all participants in the proceeding, including their
individual remarks and votes.
B. When a Board member is participating in a meeting telephonically, the
Chairperson shall take the necessary steps to ensure that a Board member
participating telephonically has adequate opportunity to express himself/herself in
Board discussion, including the opportunity to take the floor and make motions.
3. Citizens’ Comments
A. The Board may permit any individual or group to address the Board concerning
any subject that lies within its jurisdiction during the portion of any Board
meetings so designated for such purpose. Citizens’ Comments shall be subject to
the following guidelines:
9325(b)
Bylaws of the Board
Meeting Conduct
Citizens’ Comments (continued)
(1) Three (3) minutes will be allotted to each speaker on each subject matter,
and a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes will be allotted to each subject
matter. The Board may decide by a majority vote to extend the 15
minutes of time allotted to each subject matter, but in no event shall the
total time allotted to each subject matter exceed 30 minutes. The 3
minutes of time allotted to each speaker cannot be extended. Time not
used by a speaker cannot be retained for later use by that speaker and
cannot be allotted to another speaker. Speakers may provide written
testimony or handouts to the Board, which will become part of the public
meeting record. Speakers are not permitted to make presentations to the
Board using PowerPoint, overhead projectors, or other electronic/digital
programs.
(2) A Board of Education member shall be appointed by the Chairperson to
act as timekeeper for the meeting, if deemed necessary by the
Chairperson.
(3) All speakers must identify themselves by name and address.
(4) The Board will not respond to comments made during Citizens’
Comments, with the exception that the Chairperson only may respond if,
in the discretion of the Chairperson, such comments require an immediate
response.
(5) The Board may not limit the subject of a citizen’s comments, except that
formal charges or formal complaints must be initiated in writing only in
accordance with Policy #1312.
(6) No boisterous conduct shall be permitted at any Board of Education
meeting. Persistence in boisterous conduct shall be grounds for summary
termination, by the Chairperson, of that person's privilege of address. The
Chairperson may also ask such person to leave the meeting.
(7) If a meeting of the Board of Education is interrupted by disturbances or
boisterous conduct and order cannot be restored, the Chairperson may
order the room cleared and then continue with the meeting. Members of
the press and members of the public not participating in such disturbance
and/or not participating in such boisterous conduct may be allowed to
remain.
9325(c)
Bylaws of the Board
Meeting Conduct
4. Actions by the Board
No action will be taken at a special meeting unless the subject acted upon was listed in the
agenda published for that meeting. Additions may be made to the agenda at a regular
meeting for which action may be considered.
All motions and each member's vote taken by the Board shall be identified clearly in
minutes of the Board meeting as provided in Bylaw #9326, Minutes.
Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes
18-a Definitions.
1-19 Access to public records.
1-21 Meetings of government agencies to be public.
1-21a Recording, broadcasting or photographing meetings.
1-21d Adjournment of meetings.
1-21g Executive sessions.
1-21h Conduct of meetings.
1-21i Denial of access to public records or meetings.
10-224 Duties of the secretary.
Bylaw adopted by the Board: November 18, 1997
Bylaw revision: January 8, 2013 Colchester Public Schools
Bylaw revision: August 12, 2014 Colchester, CT