Colchester, Connecticut

9325 Meeting Conduct

BOE Regular Meeting (Hybrid) - 6:00 PM

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Book                     Policy Manual

Section                  9000 - ByLaws

Title                    Meeting Conduct

Code                     9325

Status                   Second 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        9326 - ByLaws of the Board Minutes/Taping/Broadcasting
References