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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4105 Public Participation in Board MeetingsCOMMUNITY RELATIONS 4105 Page 1 of 3 Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN BOARD MEETINGS 1. Statement of Purpose The Board of Trustees of Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 values public input on educational matters and recognizes the importance of community participation in its meetings. To that end, the Board encourages all District residents to share their ideas and concerns. However, individuals who disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting may be asked to leave. All public comments will be given thoughtful consideration, with the educational needs of District students remaining the Board’s highest priority. 2. Public Comment a. The agenda for each Regular and Special Meeting of the Board shall provide time for public comment before the Board. b. Due to the wide range of topics that may be raised during public comment —and to avoid potential violations of Idaho’s Open Meeting Law—the Board will not respond to comments during the meeting. Instead, concerns may be documented and referred to the Superintendent / designee for follow-up. i. If a topic is being considered by a committee, the Chairperson may refer the public comment to that committee. c. Prior to the start of the Board meeting, individuals wishing to address the Board are expected to submit form #4105 Request to Appear Before the Board to the Clerk of the Board, i. Request forms shall be published on the District website and will also be available at each meeting. d. Public comments or complaints about personnel or individual students shall not be permitted in meetings of the Board that are open to the public. i. Such complaints shall only be heard in Executive Session and in accordance with steps provided in Board Policy #U4110 General Complaints and Grievances. e. Each speaker will be limited to three (3) minutes, and the total time allotted for public comment shall not exceed one (1) hour. i. If a number of individuals wish to speak on the same issue or topic, they are encouraged to select a representative to summarize their position before the Board. COMMUNITY RELATIONS 4105 Page 2 of 3 Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 Public Participation in Board Meetings 3. Responsibilities of the Board Chair a. The Board will listen to the public and, at the same time, expects the public to listen and speak only when properly recognized. b. To establish and maintain a civil and orderly meeting to conduct the business of the School District, the Board Chair has the following authority and responsibilities: i. To only recognize members of the public during the times designated on the agenda for public comment, ii. To interrupt or terminate an individual's statement when it is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene, repetitive, or irrelevant. Defamatory or abusive remarks are always out of order. iii. To deny an individual the opportunity to address the Board if the individual has previously addressed the Board on the same subject within the past two months. iv. To terminate the speaker’s privilege of address if, after being called to order, the speaker persists in improper conduct or remarks. v. To remove any person who willfully disrupts a meeting to the extent that orderly conduct is seriously compromised. 4. Written Comments or Materials a. The Board Clerk will also accept written comments or materials regarding published agenda items for distribution to the Board. i. Written comments must include name, address, and telephone number of the person submitting. ii. Materials can be presented or mailed to the Board Clerk at: Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 3497 N. Ammon Road, Idaho Falls, ID 83401 iii. Materials can be submitted electronically to the the Board Clerk at: BoardClerk@d93mail.com or through Form #4105F. b. A copy of the materials that meet these requirements will be forwarded to Board members if received by noon on the day of the Board Meeting. c. Materials should not be sent directly to Board Members. i. If Board Members do receive written comments or materials related to an item on the agenda, they shall forward the comments to the Clerk of the Board to distribute to the other Board Members. COMMUNITY RELATIONS 4105 Page 3 of 3 Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 Public Participation in Board Meetings ii. If Board Members receive complaints or concerns about personnel or individual students, they shall forward the complaints or concerns to the Superintendent to address according to the steps set forth in Policy U4110 General Complaints and Grievances. 5. Chain of Command for Complaints a. Any complaint about the District, including instruction, discipline, personnel, policy, procedure, or curriculum, shall be resolved according to the steps and procedures set forth in Board Policy #U4110 General Complaints and Grievances before being presented to the Board for consideration and action. b. As set forth in Board Policy #U4110 General Complaints and Grievances, all complaints should be resolved through proper channels in the following order: i. Teacher or staff member, ii. Principal or Supervisor, iii. Superintendent or designee, iv. Board of Trustees. Adopted: 03-09-2005 Reviewed: Revised: 10-10-2012 09-10-2014 07-29-2015 01-11-2017 05-08-2024 06-11-2025 Cross Reference: Public Complaints #4110 Public Complaints Procedures #4110P Disruption of School Operations #4320 Uniform Grievance #4112 Uniform Grievance Procedure #4112 Legal Reference: Idaho Code § 33-512 (11) School Governance – Removal of disruptive individuals Idaho Code § 74-206 Executive Sessions - When Authorized