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EASTON AREA
SCHOOL DISTRICT
No. 903
SECTION:
COMMUNITY
TITLE:
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN
BOARD MEETINGS
ADOPTED:
December 21, 2006
REVISED:
March 27, 2012
903. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN BOARD MEETINGS
1.
Purpose
65 Pa. C.S.A.
Sec. 701 et seq
The Board recognizes the value to school governance of public comment on
educational issues and the importance of involving members of the public in Board
meetings. The Board also recognizes its responsibility to conduct the business of the
district in an orderly and efficient manner and will therefore require reasonable
controls to regular public presentations to the Board.
2.
Authority
65 Pa. C.S.A.
Sec. 710
The Board shall establish guidelines to govern public participation in Board
meetings necessary to conduct its meeting and to maintain order.
65 Pa. C.S.A.
Sec. 710.1
In order to permit fair and orderly expression of public comment, the Board shall
provide an opportunity at each open meeting of the Board for residents and
taxpayers to comment on matters of concern, official action or deliberation before
the Board prior to official action by the Board.
The Board shall require that public comment requested at the beginning of the
meeting be for comment on agenda items. Public comment at the end of the meeting
shall be for general comments.
65 Pa. C.S.A.
Sec. 710.1
If the Board determines there is not sufficient time at a meeting for public
comments, the comment period may be deferred to the next regular meeting or to a
special meeting occurring before the next regular meeting.
3.
Delegation of
Responsibility
Pol. 006
The presiding officer shall be responsible for the orderly conduct of the meeting and
shall rule on such matters as the time to be allowed for public discussion, the
appropriateness of the subject being presented and the suitability of the time for such
a presentation. The Board as a whole shall have the final decision in determining the
appropriateness of all such rulings.
4.
Guidelines
Whenever issues identified by the participant are subject to remediation under
policies and procedures of the Board, they shall be dealt with in accordance with
those policies and procedures and the organizational structure of the district.
903. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN BOARD MEETINGS - Pg. 2
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The Board requires that public participants be residents or taxpayers of this district
or anyone representing a group in the community or school district, any
representative of a firm eligible to bid on materials or services solicited by the
Board, any district employee, or any district student.
A person wishing to be heard by the Board shall first be recognized by the presiding
officer. S/He shall then identify him/herself and proceed with his/her comments as
briefly as the subject permits. Public comment shall be limited to five (5) minutes,
unless otherwise specified by the Board. Public comment periods shall generally last
for thirty (30) minutes.
No participant may speak more than once on the same topic, unless all others who
wish to speak on that topic have been heard.
All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer; no participant may address
or question Board members individually.
All members of the public are welcome and encouraged to submit comments and
concerns in writing to the Board.
The presiding officer may:
1.
Interrupt or terminate a participant's statement when the statement is too lengthy,
redundant, personally directed, abusive, obscene, or irrelevant.
2.
Extend public comment periods beyond the 30-minute limit where there is great
public demand.
3.
Request any individual to leave the meeting when that person does not observe
reasonable decorum.
4.
Request the assistance of law enforcement officers to remove a disorderly person
when his/her conduct interferes with the orderly progress of the meeting.
5.
Call a recess or adjourn to another time when the lack of public decorum
interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting.
6.
Modify, for efficiency purposes, the structure and length of comment periods
during standing committee meetings with the approval of the Board.
7.
Waive these rules with the approval of the Board.
903. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN BOARD MEETINGS - Pg. 3
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Electronic recording devices and cameras, in addition to those used as official
recording devices, shall be permitted at public meetings under guidelines established
by the Board.
No placards or banners will be permitted within the meeting room.
The meeting agenda and all pertinent documents shall be available to the press and
public at the meetings.
References:
School Code – 24 P.S. Sec. 407
Sunshine Act – 65 Pa. C.S.A. Sec. 701 et seq.
Board Policy – 006