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Book Policy Manual
Section 9000 - ByLaws
Title Time, Place, Notification for Meetings, Organizational Meeting
Code 9321
Status First Reading
Adopted November 18, 1997
Last Revised December 12, 2011
Prior Revised Dates 4/13/2010; 5/10/2011
TIME, PLACE, NOTIFICATION FOR MEETINGS ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
The Board of Education shall conduct its organizational meeting at its first meeting following Board elections, and at this
meeting Board officers shall be elected – Chairperson, Vice- Chairperson and Secretary. The organizational meeting shall
be called to order by the Superintendent of Schools who will preside until a new Chairperson is chosen by a majority vote
of the Board.
Election of officers and the vote of each member shall be made available for public inspection within forty-eight hours and
recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
Upon his/her election the Chairperson shall assume the chair and proceed with the election of the Board Vice Chairman
and Secretary.
Vacant Office Position(s)
If the position of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson or Secretary becomes vacant between organizational meetings, the Board
of Education member to fill the position shall be elected by the Board at its next regular meeting.
Regular Meetings
The Board of Education will meet the second Tuesday of each month unless otherwise ordered by the Board.
The Board of Education shall file, not later than December 1st of each year, with the Town Clerk, a schedule of all the
regular meetings of the Board of Education for the ensuing year. No regular meeting shall be held sooner than thirty (30)
days after such filing.
All regular meetings shall be open to the public and the press. Changes of regular meetings from posted dates shall be
filed with the Town Clerk and publicized in accordance with requirements of the Freedom of Information Commission.
Only items on the regular meeting agenda may be taken up by the Board unless a two-thirds vote of the Board approves
additions to a regular meeting agenda.
Special Meetings
Special meetings shall be called by the Board Chairperson whenever he/she deems it necessary, or upon written request
of one-third of the members of the Board. The notice of such meeting shall state the special matter or matters to be
considered. At such meetings only the business for which the meeting was called shall be in order.
Notice of all special meetings of the Board of Education and changes in the schedule previously filed shall be given to the
Town clerk not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time of such meeting; however, in case of emergency, the
twenty-four hour notice may be waived. In the event of such emergency meeting, a copy of the minutes of such
emergency meeting shall be filed with the Town Clerk not later than seventy-two (72) hours following the meeting. The
special meeting shall also be posted on the District’s website.
In determining the time a notice must be filed, Saturdays, Sundays, legal holiday, and any other day when the Town
Clerk’s office is closed shall be excluded.
Only business identified on the published agenda of a special meeting shall be discussed or transacted by the Board at
such special meeting.
Adjourned Meetings
The Board may adjourn any regular or special meeting to a time and place specified in the order of adjournment by vote
of a majority of the members in attendance at the meeting. A copy of the order of adjournment shall be posted within
twenty—four (24) hours of the adjournment on or near the door of the place where the meeting was held.
(cf. 9322) – Public and Executive Sessions
Notice of Meetings
The agenda for each regular and special meeting shall be posted in the office of the Town Clerk and the office of the
Colchester Public Schools located in the Town Hall at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting. The agenda of
emergency meetings shall be posted in said location as far prior to the meetings as is practical.
Meeting agendas will be posted on the district website (www.colchesterct.org) and mailed to persons filing a written
request renewable in January of each year. The Board of Education may charge a fee for these mailed notices based upon
cost of the service, as provided by law and policy.
TIME, PLACE AND NOTICE OF MEETINGS
1. Regular Meetings
A. The Colchester Board of Education (the “Board”) shall set a calendar of regular meetings for the
ensuing year at the first regular meeting in December.
B. In compliance with the Connecticut General Statutes, the Chairperson [or Secretary] shall file this
calendar with the Town Clerk on or before January 31st.
C. Normally the Board shall schedule regular meetings at least once per month except during school
holidays, when the Board shall schedule no regular meetings.
D. If at any point in the meeting the Board should not maintain a quorum, then the Chairperson of
the Board will adjourn the meeting and declare the time and place of the resumption of the
meeting, which shall be reflected in a written order of adjournment. A copy of the written order of
adjournment will be posted on or near the door of the place where the meeting was held within
twenty-four hours after the time of adjournment.
E. If, in accordance with applicable law, the Board conducts a regular meeting by means of electronic
equipment, the Board shall provide, at least forty-eight (48) hours before the meeting, direct
notification in writing or by electronic transmission to each member of the Board and post a notice
that the Board intends to conduct the meeting solely or in part by means of electronic equipment
in the Administrative Offices of the Board, in the office of the Town Clerk, and on the Board’s
website. Such notice shall include instructions for the public to attend and provide comment or
otherwise participate in the meeting, by means of electronic equipment or in person, as applicable
and permitted by law.
2. Special Meetings
A. Special meetings may be held when determined by the Board, when so called by the Chairperson,
or within fourteen (14) days upon written request of three members of the Board.
B. No special meeting shall be held unless a notice stating the time, place and purpose of the
meeting has been given to each member and to the Town Clerk, and has been posted on the
Board’s website, if available, twenty-four (24) hours or, forty-eight (48) hours if electronic
meeting, before the time stated for the meeting to convene.
1. If, in accordance with applicable law, the Board holds a special meeting conducted solely or in
part by means of electronic equipment, notice of such meeting shall include whether the
meeting will be conducted solely or in part by means of electronic equipment. If such meeting
is to be conducted by means of electronic equipment, such notice shall include instructions for
the public, by means of electronic equipment or in person, to attend and provide comment or
otherwise participate in the meeting, as applicable and permitted by law.
C. When a majority of the members agree that an emergency exists which has made a regular notice
impossible, such a meeting may be called at a time or place which may be most convenient. In
case of such emergency meeting, a copy of the minutes setting forth the nature of the emergency
and the proceedings occurring at such meeting shall be filed with the Town Clerk no later than
seventy-two (72) hours following the holding of such a meeting.
Legal Public Act 22-3, “An Act Concerning Remote Meetings Under the Freedom of Information Act.”
Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-225 Meetings of government agencies to be public. Recording of votes.
Schedule and agenda of certain meetings to be filed and posted on web sites. Notice of special
meetings. Executive sessions
Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-228 Adjournment of meetings. Notice.
Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-229 Continued hearings. Notice.
Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-230 Regular meetings to be held pursuant to regulation, ordinance or
resolution.
Conn. Gen. Stat. §7-3 Warning of town and other meetings.
Conn. Gen. Stat. §7-4 Record of warning.
Conn. Gen. Stat. §10-218 Officers. Meetings.