0160 - MEETINGS

Streetsboro City School District

Bylaws & Policies

0160 - MEETINGS

0161	Parliamentary Authority

	The parliamentary authority governing the Board of Education shall be the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised or the rules of order of this Board.

	Revised 6/14/01

0162	Quorum

	Three (3) members present in person at a meeting shall constitute a quorum, and no business shall be conducted in the absence of a quorum. (R.C. 3313.18)

	Revised 5/11/06

0163	Presiding Officer

	The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board. In the absence, disability, or disqualification of the President, the Vice-President shall act instead; if neither person is available, any member shall be designated by a plurality of those present to preside. The act of any person so designated shall be legal and binding.

0164	Notice of Meetings

	A.	A schedule of the time and place of all regular meetings and committee meetings shall be provided to all official newspaper(s), be available for inspection at the office of the Board of Education, and posted on the School District's website.

	B.	Notice of the time, place, and purpose of each special meeting shall be given to the official newspaper(s) and to such news media as have requested such notice twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting, except that when an emergency requires the immediate official action of the Board, the member(s) calling the meeting shall immediately notify the media requesting such notice of the time, place and purpose of the meeting. (R.C. 121.22)

	C.	Notice of meetings at which a specific type of public business is to be discussed shall be sent to all persons requesting such notice, provided that such persons supply the Board with stamped, addressed envelopes or an electronic mail address for the purpose.

	D.	The Treasurer shall notify all Board members of each special meeting no later than two (2) days in advance of the meeting unless the meeting is called within forty-eight (48) hours of when it is scheduled, in which case the Treasurer shall take prompt action to notify all Board members and provide public notice in accordance with law (R.C. 121.22). Such notice shall include the time and place of the meeting and the nature of the business to be considered.

	R.C. 3313.16

	Revised 2/8/07

0165.1	Regular Meetings

	Regular meetings of the Board shall be public and scheduled at least once every month. (R.C. 121.22, 3313.15)

	A.	It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent with the assistance of the Treasurer to prepare an agenda of the items of business to come before the Board at each regular meeting.

	B.	The agenda of the regular monthly meeting or special meetings shall be accompanied by a report from the Superintendent on information relating to the District with such recommendations as s/he shall make.

		Each agenda shall contain the following statement:

			"This meeting is a meeting of the Board of Education in public for the purpose of conducting the School District's business. There is a time for public participation during the meeting as provided in the Board's order of business."

	C.	The agenda for each regular meeting may be sent either by regular U.S. mail, personal delivery or electronically, for economy, efficiency, and timely delivery to Board members. Generally, the agenda should be distributed no later than five (5) days prior to the meeting so as to provide time for the study of the agenda by the member. When possible, the agenda for a special meeting should be delivered to Board members as provided for above, at least twenty-four (24) hours before the special meeting.

	D.	The Board shall transact business according to the agenda distributed to all Board members prior to the meeting. The Board may suspend the order of business or a rule(s) for the conduct of its meeting by a majority vote of its members.

	Revised 7/13/95 Revised 2/8/07

0165.2	Special Meetings

	Special meetings of the Board shall be public. (R.C. 121.22)

	A special meeting of the Board may be called by the President or Treasurer thereof or by any two (2) members of the Board, by serving a written notice of the time, place, and purpose of such meeting upon each Board member at least two (2) days prior to the date of such meeting. The service of written notice may be fulfilled via electronic mail originating from the electronic mail account of the Treasurer or Board President for the sake of economy, efficiency, and timely notification. Public notice shall be given in accordance with law (R.C. 121.22).

	Revised 2/8/07

0165.3	Emergency Meetings

	An emergency meeting of the Board may be called by the President or Treasurer or by any two (2) members of the Board, by serving written notice of the time, place, and purpose of such meeting upon each Board member at least two (2) days prior to the date of such meeting. The service of written notice may be fulfilled via electronic mail originating from the electronic mail account of the Treasurer or Board President for the sake of economy, efficiency, and timely notification. Public notice shall be given in accordance with law (R.C. 121.22).

	Adopted 2/8/07

0165.4	Committee Meetings

	Committee meetings of the Board shall be public (R.C. 121.22).

	The Board shall form its committees, assign members to committees, and schedule regular meeting times for committee meetings at its organizational meeting. The Board may form additional committees or disband committees as it deems appropriate at any regular or special meeting.

	In the event of the absence of an assigned committee member, the Board President, Vice-President, or any other Board member not assigned to the committee may serve on the committee in the absence of the assigned member so that the committee may conduct its business in a timely manner. The assigned member resumes his/her position on the committee at the next meeting (either regular or special) of the committee.

	Adopted 2/8/07

0165.5	Recess

	The Board may recess to allow persons receiving awards or recognitions to leave the meeting in an orderly and non-disruptive manner following such presentations and/or to facilitate the arrangement of displays, electronic equipment, and related materials for presentations to the Board. The Board may also recess before or after a period of public participation.

	The Board may adjourn or recess at any time upon a majority vote of the Board. The President may call for a recess or an adjournment without a vote of the Board under chaotic circumstances or when s/he reasonably believes the health or safety of the members or other meeting attendees may be in danger. The recessed or adjourned meeting, when reconvened, shall resume at the point in the agenda where the recess or adjournment occurred.

	Adopted 4/11/02 Revised 2/8/07

0166	Executive Session

	The Board and its committees and subcommittees reserve the right to meet privately in executive session solely to discuss one (1) or more of the following issues exempted from public sessions:

	A.	consideration of the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of an employee, student, or school official; or to investigate charges or complaints against any such person, unless the person in question requests a public meeting (when an executive session is held under this provision, the motion and vote must state which one or more of these purposes is involved but need not state the name of any person to be considered);

	B.	consideration of the purchase of property for public purposes, or sale of property at competitive bidding, but only if premature disclosure of information would give an unfair competitive or bargaining advantage to a person whose personal, private interest is adverse to the general public interest;

	C.	conferences with an attorney involving pending or imminent court action;

	D.	preparing for, conducting, or reviewing negotiations with employees regarding their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment;

	E.	matters required to be confidential by State or Federal law; and/or

	F.	details relative to security arrangements and emergency response protocols of a public body or public office that could reasonably be expected to jeopardize security.

	No official action may be taken in executive session. (R.C. 121.22)

	Collective bargaining meetings between employers and employee organizations are private and not subject to R.C. 121.22, 4117.21.

	An executive session will be held only at a regular or special meeting. After the meeting is convened, any member may make a motion for an executive session, and must state the purpose or purposes of the session. Upon receiving a second to the motion and a majority roll call vote of those present and voting, the chairperson shall declare the Board in executive session.

	In keeping with the confidential nature of executive sessions, no member of the Board, committee or subcommittee shall disclose the content of discussions that take place during such sessions.

	All members of the Board, committee, or subcommittee are entitled to attend executive sessions. The Board, committee, or subcommittee may invite any other person to attend an executive session.

	Revised 5/11/06 Revised 2/8/07

0167	Voting

	All motions shall require for adoption a majority vote of those present and voting, except as provided by statute, these bylaws, or parliamentary authority. Upon the demand of any member of the Board, the vote shall be recorded by roll call.

	Unless a specified number of affirmative votes is required, an abstention shall be recorded and deemed to consent to the outcome of the voting. In situations in which a tie vote occurs and abstentions have been cast, the motion shall fail for lack of a majority.

All actions requiring a vote generally are conducted by roll call vote. A Board member must be physically present at the meeting to vote. Each vote and abstention shall be recorded. Proxy voting is prohibited. R.C. 3313.18

Item	Number Needed	R.C. Reference

Declaring it necessary to issue bonds	Majority, Full Board	3313.18

Declaration by remaining members, that reasons for a member's absence for ninety (90) days are insufficient to continue membership	2/3, Full Board	3313.11

Filling a vacant Board seat	Majority, Remaining Members	3313.11

Purchase or sell real estate	Majority, Full Board	3313.18

Appointment of any employee	Majority, Full Board	3313.18

Elect or appoint an officer	Majority, Full Board	3313.18

Pay any debt or claim	Majority, Full Board	3313.18

Adopt textbook	Majority, Full Board	3313.18

Dispense with resolution authorizing purchase or sale of personal property, appointment of employees, etc., if annual appropriation resolution has been adopted by a majority of full membership	Majority, Full Board	3313.18

Item	Number Needed	R.C. Reference

Removal of the Treasurer or Pro Tempore at any time for cause	2/3, Full Board	3313.23

Appointment of Treasurer Pro Tempore	Majority, Full Board	3313.23

Determination that Treasurer's incapacity is removed	Majority, Full Board	3313.23

Affirm, reverse, vacate or modify an order of student expulsion; reinstate a student	Majority, Full Board	3313.66(E)

Appointment of Superintendent Pro Tempore	Majority, Full Board	3319.011

Removal of Superintendent Pro Tempore at any time for cause	2/3, Full Board	3319.011

Reemployment of a teacher whom the Superintendent refuses to recommend	3/4, Full Board	3319.07

Reemployment of an other administrator whom the Superintendent refuses to nominate	3/4, Full Board	3319.02

Selection of textbooks	Majority, Full Board	3329.08

Change, revision, or substitution of textbooks during four-year period after adoption	4/5, Full Board	3329.08

Transfers of funds in certain cases	2/3, Full Board	5705.14

Resolution declaring the necessity for certain transfers of funds	Majority, Full Board	5705.16

	Item		Number Needed	R.C. Reference

	Levying a tax outside 10-mill limitation (not emergency)		2/3, Full Board	5705.21

	Rejection of findings and recommendations of fact-finding panel by board or employee organization under statutory impasse resolution procedure		3/5, Full Board	4117.14(c)(6)

	The Board may at any time recess or adjourn to an adjourned meeting at a specified date and place. The adjourned meeting shall take up its business at the point in the agenda where the motion to adjourn was acted upon.

	Revised 8/9/90 Revised 7/13/95 Revised 3/00 Revised 6/14/01 Revised 4/11/02 Revised 2/8/07

0167.1	Use of Electronic Mail

	As electronic mail (E-mail) is a form of communication that could conflict with the Sunshine Law, it will be used only for the purposes of communicating:

	A.	messages between Board members or between a Board member and employee(s) which do not involve deliberating or rendering a decision on matters pending before the Board;

	B.	possible agenda items between the Superintendent and the Board President;

	C.	times, dates, and places of regular or special Board meetings;

	D.	a Board meeting agenda or public record information concerning items on the agenda;

	E.	requests for public record information from a member of the administration, school staff, or community pertaining to District operations;

	F.	responses to questions posed by members of the public, administrators, or school staff.

	Under no circumstances shall Board members use E-mail to discuss among themselves Board business that is only to be discussed in an open meeting of the Board, is part of an executive session, or could be considered an invasion of privacy if the message were to be monitored by another party.

	There should be no expectation of privacy for any messages sent by E-mail. Messages that have been deleted may still be accessible on the hard drive, if the space has not been occupied by other messages. Messages, deleted or otherwise, may be subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act, unless an exemption would apply.

	Adopted 6/14/01 Revised 2/8/07

0168	Minutes

	The Treasurer shall keep reasonably comprehensive minutes of all its meetings showing the time and place, the members present, the subjects considered, a summary of the deliberations sufficient enough for the public to understand the basis for the Board's actions, the actions taken, the vote of each member on roll call votes, and any other information required to be shown in the minutes by law, which shall be available to the public. (R.C. 121.22, 149.43, 3313.26)

	The Treasurer shall provide each Board member with a copy of the minutes of the last meeting no later than two (2) days before the next regular meeting.

	The minutes of Board meetings shall be considered at the next succeeding meeting where they shall be read (unless waived by law), corrected, and approved. The approved minutes shall be signed by the Treasurer and the President.

	The approved minutes shall be filed in the Treasurer's office in a prescribed minute book as a permanent record of official Board proceedings.

	R.C. 149.43, 3313.26

	Revised 5/8/97 Revised 6/12/03

0169.1	Public Participation at Board Meetings

	The Board of Education recognizes the value to school governance of public comment on education related issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters of community interest.

	In order to permit the fair and orderly expression of such comment, the Board may provide for public participation at regular meetings. The Board may establish rules to govern such participation, which shall have the effect of a Board bylaw.

	The presiding officer of each Board meeting at which public participation is permitted shall administer the rules of the Board for its conduct.

	The presiding officer shall be guided by the following rules:

	A.	Public participation shall be permitted during times in the Board meeting as indicated in the order of business.

	B.	All persons wishing to address the Board must sign-in on a roster of speakers prior to the beginning of the meeting. The speaker should identify the topic that s/he wishes to address on the sign-in sheet in the space provided. The Board reserves the right to call speakers by order of topic rather than order of sign in to provide order and coherence to the comments. The Board reserves the right on any topic to limit the number of speakers to no more than three (3) in order to adhere to the time limits established in the Board's order of business.

	C.	Speakers must be recognized by the presiding officer and will be asked to identify themselves as to name and address, and may indicate the organization to which they belong, if any. In those instances in which a person is representing an organization, the presenter should indicate whether the presentation represents the official views of the organization.

	D.	Each speaker shall be limited to three (3) minutes duration. Speaker recitation of lengthy written statements to the Board is discouraged. Speakers are encouraged to submit all written statements to the Board prior to its meeting so that they can be made available to the Board.

	E.	The public participation segment of the meeting will be scheduled to have a limitation of one-half (1/2) hour (thirty (30) minutes).

	F.	In those instances in which more than three (3) persons wish to present their views to the Board and represent a single unit for presentation purposes, such groups are encourage to contact the Treasurer prior to the meeting to facilitate presentation of their views.

	G.	No participant may speak more than once on the same topic. No speaker recognized by the presiding officer may yield the time s/he is granted to another speaker.

	H.	It is customary practice of the Board not to respond to comments or questions of speakers during the public participation portion of the meeting. Speakers should direct their statements to the presiding officer, not to an individual Board member, administrator, employee, or member of the audience. Speakers should not expect to engage in a debate, discussion, or dialogue with any Board member, administrator, employee, or member of the audience.

	I.	Written statements may be given to the Secretary of the Board (Treasurer) in order that they may be made available to the members of the Board.

J.	Speakers are expected to conduct themselves during the public participation portion of the meeting under the rules of common courtesy and decorum. Children and students of the District are often at attendance at Board meetings. Speakers are expected to conduct themselves appropriately and in a manner that is respectful toward all persons and is especially considerate of children and students. Speakers must refrain from making disparaging, defamatory, obscene, baiting, or disruptive comments. Speakers are not permitted to make a complaint against a student, employee, or administrator by name, title, or implied reference.

K.	All statements made at a public meeting become a matter of public record. It is the responsibility of the presenter that all statements made are accurate and based on facts.

L.	Tape or video recordings are permitted. The person operating the recorder should contact the Superintendent prior to the Board meeting to review possible placement of the equipment, and must agree to abide by the following conditions:

	1.	No obstructions are created between the Board and the audience.

	2.	No interviews are conducted in the meeting room while the Board is in session.

	3.	No commentary, adjustment of equipment, or positioning of operators is made that would distract either the Board or members of the audience while the Board is in session and not disrupt the meeting.

M.	The presiding officer shall enforce the Board rules and may:

	1.	call the person to order and request they relinquish their time, interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant's statement when the statement is repetitious, too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene, irrelevant, or otherwise violates these rules;

	2.	request any individual to leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum;

		3.	request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a disorderly person when that person's conduct interferes with the orderly progress of the meeting;

		4.	call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum so interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action.

	R.C. 3313.20

	Adopted 6/14/01 Revised 6/12/03 Revised 5/11/06 Revised 2/8/07

0169.2	Open Meetings/Sunshine Law

	The Sunshine Law applies to the Board, and to any committee or subcommittee created by the Board or required by law or rule.

	A "meeting" to which the Sunshine Law applies is any prearranged discussion of the public business of the Board, committee or subcommittee by a majority of its members, including, but not limited to, regular and special meetings, work sessions, retreats, planning meetings, and study groups. A series of prearranged meetings attended by a minority of the Board to discuss the public business, without giving proper notice, is a violation of the Sunshine Law. A majority of members may gather at social or other events, but may not discuss public business.

	Adopted 5/11/06