9321

Bylaws of the Board

Time, Place, Notification of Meetings

Regular Meetings

The Board of Education shall file with the Town Clerk, not later than January 31st of each year, the schedule of the regular meetings of the Board of Education, and shall post the schedule on the District’s Internet website. No meeting shall be held sooner than thirty days after such filing.

Special Meetings

Notice of each special meeting of the Board of Education shall be filed not less than twenty-four hours in advance of the meeting with the Town Clerk and be posted in the Office of the Clerk giving the time and place of the special meeting and the business to be transacted.  The special meeting shall also be posted on the District’s Internet Website. No other business shall be considered by the Board at that special meeting. Each member of the Board of Education shall be notified by the Superintendent or the Clerk not less than 24 hours prior to the time of the special meeting and shall be advised of the time, place and business to be transacted, although any Board member may waive the 24 hour notification by a written waiver of notice or a telegram to the purpose.

Notice of Meetings

Notice of meetings will be mailed to persons filing a written request renewable in January of each year. The Board of Education will charge a fee for these notices based upon cost of the service, as provided by law.

Electronic Participation (Optional) CABE does not recommend such participation. However, it is permitted under the law. Therefore this language is provided for consideration and possible inclusion in this bylaw.

The Board of Education allows electronic participation whenever there is communication by or to a quorum of the Board, whether the communication is in person or by means of electronic equipment.  Meetings in which some Board members participate electronically are subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act.

The Board may allow members to participate in meetings by telephone or other electronic means. Board members may not simply vote electronically, but must be connected with the meeting throughout the discussion of business. If a Board member electronically joins the meeting after an item of business has been opened, the remotely located member shall not participate until the next item of business is opened.

When a Board member participates electronically, the member will be considered present and will have his or her actual physical presence excused.  The member shall be counted present for purposes of convening a quorum.  The Board Secretary will document it in the Minutes when members participate in the meeting electronically.

Any Board member wishing to participate in a meeting electronically will notify the Board Chairperson and Superintendent as early as possible.  The Superintendent will arrange for the meeting to take place in a location with the appropriate equipment so that Board members participating in the meeting electronically may interact and the public may observe or hear the comments made. (Each part of the telephone conference call meeting shall be audible to the public at the location specified in the notice for the meeting. The location designated in the notice as the location of the meeting shall provide two-way communication during the entire telephone conference call and the identification of each party to the telephone conference call shall be clearly stated prior to the meeting.) The Superintendent will take measures to verify the identity of any remotely located participants.

Electronic Participation (Alternate Version #1)

Recognizing the inherent responsibility and statutory duties of Board of Education members, the Board of Education (Board) strongly encourages Board members to attend and participate at meetings of the Board.  Though great importance is given to the physical presence of Board members at meetings, the attendance and participation of members by teleconference is authorized whenever physical presence is not practicable. All votes at a meeting in which members are attending by teleconference shall be taken by roll call.

Whenever possible, meeting agendas and supporting materials shall be available at all teleconference facilities used for the Board meeting.

Electronic Participation (Alternate Version #2)

The Board of Education authorizes that the Board Chairperson or presiding officer may allow Board members to participate electronically in a Board meeting if there is good cause why the Board members cannot attend in person and the request is received sufficiently in advance to allow a good quality electronic connection to be set up.  Members who participate in a Board meeting through electronic means may be counted in the quorum.  The location of the meeting must be in the normal location at ____________________ to allow the public to adequately monitor the meeting.  Due to security concerns, electronic participation in closed executive sessions will not be permitted.

(cf. 9327 – Electronic Mail Communications)

Legal Reference:   Connecticut General Statutes

1-200 (2) Definitions. “Meeting”

1-206 Denial of access to public records or meetings.

1-225 Meetings of government agencies to be public, as amended by June 11 Special Session, PA 08-3

1-227 Mailing of notice of meetings to persons filing written request.

1-228 Adjournment of meetings. Notice.

1-229 Continued hearings. Notice.

1-230 Regular meetings to be held pursuant to regulation, ordinance or resolution.

10-218 Officers. Meetings

Bylaw adopted by the Board: