Colchester, Connecticut

9325 Meeting Conduct

BOE Regular Meeting (Hybrid) - 6:00 PM REVISED

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Book                    Policy Manual

Section                 9000 - ByLaws

Title                   Meeting Conduct

Code                    9325

Status                  First Reading

Adopted                 November 18, 1997

Last Revised            August 10, 2021

Prior Revised           01/08/2013; 08/12/2014;
Dates




                                            MEETING CONDUCT *REMOVE*

        I. 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.

            E. Protocol for meetings of the Board of Education follows parliamentary rules and procedures as
                outlined by Robert’s Rules of Order.

    II. Procedures for Electronic Participation

            A. Board members may participate in meetings electronically (e.g., conference call, video
                conferencing, etc.) 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 Board member participating electronically must identify themselves during roll call and
                     again prior to their first comments or questions. Board members are encouraged to identify
                     themselves prior to subsequent comments or questions. Board members shall also identify
                     themselves as part of any Board voting.

                   2. 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

                   3. 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 electronically, 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.
  III. 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:

                   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 1312P General
                     Complaint Procedures. Reasonable standards for decorum are expected.

                   6. No inappropriate or disrespectful conduct or personal attacks shall be permitted at any Board
                     of Education meeting. Persistence in such 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 inappropriate or
                     disrespectful 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 inappropriate or
                     disrespectful conduct may be allowed to remain.

   IV. 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                   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.


Cross References        9326 - ByLaws of the Board Minutes/Taping/Broadcasting