9322(R) Public and Executive Sessions- Public Participation, Regulation

NORTHFIELD BOARD OF EDUCATION FILE CODE: 9322

Northfield, New Jersey

Regulation

PUBLIC AND EXECUTIVE SESSIONS: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Public Participation

Meetings of the board are open to the public and all members of the community should feel free to attend. A time for public discussion of agenda items shall be included in the order of business at an appropriate time.

Public Participation shall be governed by the following rules:

1. There shall be two designated time periods for public comments.
2. Public comments will only be permitted during those portions of the meeting designated for the hearing of the public. The portions of the meetings during which the participation of the public is invited may be limited to 3 minutes unless extended by a majority vote of the board members present.
3. A participant must be recognized by the presiding officer and must preface his or her comments by an announcement of his or her name, place of residence, and group affiliation, if applicable.
4. Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to three (3) minutes duration.
5. No participant may speak more than once on the same topic unless all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard.
6. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer. No participant may address or question an administrator, or a board member.

The presiding officer may:

1. Interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant’s statement when the statement is too lengthy, duplicative, personally directed, abusive, obscene, or irrelevant;
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; and
5. Waive these rules when necessary for the protection of privacy or the efficient administration of the board’s business.

Grievances or complaints that have not previously been considered through administrative channels shall not be acted upon by the board.

Adopted: