UINTAH SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY ACTION REVIEW

1st Reading	1/10/12	New
2nd Reading	2/7/12	Revised	X
Approved	2/7/12	Substitute

002.0720 PUBLIC APPEARANCES AT BOARD MEETINGS

REVISES POLICY 002.0720 PUBLIC APPEARANCES AT BOARD MEETINGS (LAST APPROVED 9/25/07)

1.0 GENERAL

1.1 In order to assure that persons who wish to appear before the Board may be heard and, at the same time, conduct its meetings properly and efficiently, the Board adopts as policy the following rules and procedures pertaining to public participation at Board meetings.

1.2 No person shall present orally or discuss at any Board meeting complaints, criticism or defamation against individual employees or Board Members of the School District. Such charges or complaints shall be presented to the supervisor of the employee, the Superintendent, or the Board of Education President in writing and shall be signed by the person or persons making the charge or complaint. All written complaints shall be forwarded to the Superintendent or Board of Education President and investigated prior to being considered by the Board of Education. Once investigated, complaints will be dealt with in accordance with state statute and school policy.

1.3 Individuals or groups making presentations to the Board shall be courteous. Boisterous conduct and remarks which are discourteous, abusive, profane or obscene will not be tolerated. The President of the Board may terminate the right of any speaker to continue if he/she violates this regulation.

1.4 If a person obstructs, interferes with, or disrupts a legal meeting, the Board President will ask the individual to be excused. If the individual refuses, local law enforcement will be called to assist.

1.5 A person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor by disrupting a meeting if, intending to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting, he obstructs or interferes with the meeting by physical action, verbal utterance, or any other means. UCA 76-9-103

2.0 PATRON INPUT

2.1 The Board may set aside some time for patron input during a public Board meeting. During patron input, any individual or group may be heard on topics that are not on the current meeting agenda and that are within the jurisdiction of the Board and not inconsistent with this policy.

2.2 Patrons shall, by the Friday before the next board meeting, provide a written request to speak during Patron Input, including a copy or synopsis of their comments. This written request should be submitted to the Superintendent the Friday prior to the next school board meeting: Superintendent, Uintah School District, 635 West 200 South, Vernal, UT 84078.

2.3 Resolution of questions or responses to proposals should not be expected at this meeting; staff and others may be asked to research and/or prepare materials and solutions for a later time.

2.4 Individuals shall be allotted a maximum of 3 minutes, or at the discretion of the Board President, to address the Board.

2.5 If several individuals are concerned with the same issue, they shall select a spokesperson to address their views.

2.6 The Board need not allow repetition of the same issue.

2.7 The total Patron Input time is not to exceed 15 minutes, or at the discretion of the Board President.

2.8 In addition to section 1.2 above, the Board, in Patron Input, will not hear:

2.8.1 Employment or personnel issues,

2.8.2 Bidding issues,

2.8.3 Contract issues,

2.8.4 Complaints for which other avenues for appeal exist,

2.8.5 Complaints by employees or their representatives in efforts to circumvent formal communication channels or established grievance or negotiations procedures.

3.0 AGENDA ITEMS

3.1 Persons wishing to be placed on the agenda to communicate with the Board at a public Board meeting must make a written request to the Superintendent two (2) weeks in advance of the Board meeting. The Superintendent and Board President shall consider and set the items for inclusion on the agendas. The Board has full discretion to determine its agendas.

3.2 Upon introduction of each agenda item, patron input may be allowed. During the discussion of an item on the agenda, the President of the Board may call on individuals to answer questions, make a statement, or give input.

3.3 Comments to the Board may only be made as recognized and invited by the Board President during the meeting. The same guidelines as outlined in sections 2.3 through 2.8.5 above for Patron Input shall apply.

3.4 Any discussion by an individual or group may be limited in time at the discretion of the President of the Board.

3.5 It shall be in order for members of the Board to interrupt a speaker at any time to ask questions in order to clarify the discussion.