Welcome to this meeting of the Delavan-Darien School Board. Each meeting has a section for “citizen comments.” A couple of key considerations are necessary.
Citizen comments during the period for public comment at regular monthly Board meetings may address any topic related to District operations and programs. During the public comment period, the Board shall not consider or discuss complaints or grievances regarding individual staff members. Such concerns should be initially brought to the staff member’s immediate supervisor or submitted as a complaint in accordance with District complaint procedures. The Board shall listen to citizen views and concerns but shall not act on any matter that was not specifically included in the public notice of the meeting.
Citizen comments during the period for the public comment at special Board meetings and Board committee meetings shall relate only to specific items included on the meeting agenda.
The Board President or committee chair shall recognize all speakers. Any person wishing to address the Board will be asked to register upon entering the meeting room. Registration will include their name, address, topic to be addressed and the name of any group they represent. Repetitive appearances on the same topic by the same individual will not be permitted unless new information is to be shared. The period for public comment will be limited to 30 minutes. Speakers shall be as brief as possible and only speak once during the period for public comment. Unless additional time is granted, a speaker shall limit his/her presentation to three (3) minutes. Discussion of any single item may be limited at the discretion of the Board President or committee chair.
Citizens wishing to speak to specific agenda items at regular monthly Board meetings may be recognized at the discretion of the Board President as that item is reached. Should there be a number of citizens planning to speak to an agenda item, the President will announce the total time for citizen comments and divide that time between speakers equally.
The Board President or committee chair may terminate remarks of any individual who does not adhere to established rules for public comment at Board and committee meetings, who speaks in a threatening or profane manner, or who is otherwise unable to conduct him/herself in a civilized manner.
All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer; no person may address or question Board members individually.
The presiding officer may:
- interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant’s statement when the statement is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene, or irrelevant;
- request any individual to leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum;
- 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;
- 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;
- interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant’s statements when the presiding officer determines that the statement is repetitive, lacking new information, or otherwise violates the rules set forth herein for public comment.