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Book Policy Manual
Section 9000 - ByLaws
Title Time, Place, Notification for Meetings, Organizational Meeting
Code 9321
Status Second Reading
Adopted November 18, 1997
Last Revised December 12, 2011
Prior Revised 4/13/2010; 5/10/2011
Dates
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.
3. Quorum
A majority of the members of the Board of Education shall constitute a quorum for the transaction
of business.
4. Parliamentary Procedure
Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws of the Board of Education, the Board shall conduct all its
meetings in accord with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
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.