A gathering of a majority of board members in which deliberation of an issue within the jurisdiction of the board takes place is a meeting of the Board. A gathering for the purpose of social or ministerial action will not constitute a board meeting unless a discussion of policy takes place.
Meetings of the board will be conducted in an open meeting unless a closed session is authorized by law or the meeting is exempt from the open meetings law.
Advance public notice of the time, date, and place of each meeting and reconvened meeting, and the tentative agenda shall be provided. When it is necessary to hold an emergency meeting without notice, the nature of the emergency shall be stated in the minutes.
Regular Meetings
The regular meeting time and date shall be set by the Board at its organizational meeting in odd-numbered years and at its September regular meeting in even-numbered years.
Regular meetings of the Board will be held on the third Monday of each month, with an occasional variance when the second Monday is chosen. Meetings will begin promptly at 6:30 P.M. When a regular meeting falls on a holiday, or for any other reason cannot be held on the scheduled date, the meeting will be rescheduled at the board’s convenience.
Meetings will be held in the meeting place officially designated by the Board, which will be accessible to the public.
Public notice of the meetings will be given.
Annual Meetings
At a regular or special meeting held after August 31, but before the organizational meeting in odd-numbered years or the September regular meeting in even-numbered years, the Board shall hold its annual meeting.
The Board, at this meeting in even-numbered years, will appoint a Board Secretary and a Treasurer. In the Board's discretion, one individual may serve as both the Secretary and Treasurer.
At the annual meeting, the Board shall examine and settle the books of the Secretary and Treasurer for the year ending on 30th day of June preceding the meeting, and transact such other business as may properly come before it. The Treasurer shall furnish the Board with a sworn statement from each depository showing the balance.
Public notice of the meetings will be given. Attendance at the annual meeting shall be a waiver of notice of the meeting.
Organizational Meetings
An organizational meeting shall be held during the first regular meeting after the canvass of votes of the regular school election.
The meeting shall be called to order by the Secretary acting as temporary chairperson.
The first order of business during the organizational meeting shall be to swear into office any new members unless they have been so sworn previously. During the organizational meeting, the Board shall then elect from its membership a President and a Vice-President and shall appoint a Secretary and Treasurer.
Special Meetings
It may be necessary for the board to conduct a special meeting in addition to the regularly scheduled board meeting. Special meetings may be called by the president of the board or by the board secretary at the request of a majority of the board. Should a special meeting be called, public notice will be given.
If the special meeting called is an emergency meeting and the board cannot give public notice in its usual manner, the board will give public notice of the meeting as soon as practical and possible in light of the situation. Emergency meetings will only be held when an issue cannot wait twenty-four hours necessary for a special meeting. The reason for the emergency meeting and why notice in its usual manner could not be given will be stated in the minutes.
Only the purpose or issue for which the special meeting was called may be discussed and decided in the special meeting. The board will strictly adhere to the agenda for the special meeting and action on other issues will be reserved for the next regular or special board meeting.
Reconvened Meetings
At a reconvened meeting, where the meeting was reconvened within four (4) hours of the start of the recess of the scheduled meeting and the date, time and place of the reconvened meeting is announced at the scheduled meeting in open session and recorded in the minutes of the meeting, the Board is not required to provide further notice of the meeting.
Closed Session
The Board may hold a closed session only by affirmative public vote of either two-thirds of the members of the Board or all of the members present at the meeting.
The Board may hold a closed session for any of the reasons specified under Iowa law. Closed sessions take place as part of an open meeting. The item for discussion in the closed session will be listed as part of the tentative agenda on the public notice. Closed sessions will be tape recorded and have detailed minutes kept by the Board Secretary as required under Iowa and federal law. The board has complete discretion as to whom may be present at a closed session. Final action on matters discussed in the closed session will be taken in an open meeting.
Electronic Meetings
The Board may conduct a meeting by electronic means such as a telephone conference call only “in circumstances where such a meeting in person is impossible or impractical.” Public access to the conversation must be provided “to the extent reasonably possible.” Public notice must be given for the electronic meeting and minutes kept, which include the reason for not holding a meeting in person.
Work Sessions and Retreats
The Board may schedule work sessions and retreats from time to time in order to provide its members and the administrative staff opportunities for planning, brainstorming and thoughtful discussion without action. The Board may hire an outside facilitator to assist them in work sessions.
Topics for discussion and study will be announced publically and work sessions and retreats will be conducted in accordance with state law, and no action will be taken at said work sessions and retreats.
Public Hearings
Public hearings may be held on District matters at the discretion of the Board. Public notice of a public hearing will be in the same manner as for a Board meeting except that the notice will be given at least ten days before the hearing is to be held unless it is impossible or impractical to do so.
At public hearings, citizens of the District who register at the door will be allowed to speak on the issue for which the public hearing is being held. Others may be allowed to speak at the Board’s discretion. Speakers are asked to keep their remarks as brief as possible. Prior to the beginning of the hearing, speakers and spectators will be apprised of the rules of order to be followed regarding time limitations, questions, remarks and rebuttals. In no event will a speaker be allowed to take the time of another speaker.
The Board will conduct public hearings in an orderly fashion. At the beginning of the hearing, statements, background materials and public hearing rules and procedures will be presented by the Board President. The Board President will recognize the speakers. A Board member may ask questions of the speakers after receiving permission from the Board President. Only those speakers recognized by the chair will be allowed to speak. Comments by others are out of order. Individuals who interfere with or interrupt speakers, the Board or the proceedings will be asked to leave.
Approved: June 17, 2013