BD/BDA - Board Meetings

Code: BD/BDA
Adopted: 3/8/89, 2/13/91
Re-adopted: 10/11/95, 8/13/97, 12/9/09, 2/10/10, 10/28/15, 9/28/16, 6/8/22
 

The Board has the authority to act only when a quorum is present at a duly called regular, special or emergency meeting. “Meeting” means the convening of a quorum of the Board as the district’s governing body to make a decision or to deliberate toward a decision on any matter. This includes meeting for the purpose of gathering information to serve as the basis for a subsequent decision or recommendation by the governing body, i.e. a work session. The affirmative vote of the majority of members of the Board is required to transact any business.

All regular, special and emergency meetings of the Board will be open to the public except as provided by law. All meetings will be conducted in compliance with state and federal statutes. All Board meetings, including Board retreats and work sessions, will be held within district boundaries. The Board may attend training sessions outside the district boundaries but cannot deliberate or discuss district business.1 No meeting will be held at any place where discrimination on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation2, age or national origin is practiced.

The Board will give public notice reasonably calculated to give actual notice to interested persons, including those with disabilities, of the time and place for all Board meetings and of the principal subjects to be considered. The Board may consider additional subjects at a meeting, even if they were not included in the notice.

If requested to do so at least 48 hours before a meeting held in public, the Board shall provide an interpreter for hearing -impaired persons. Other appropriate auxiliary aids and services will be provided upon request and appropriate advance notice. Communications with all qualified individuals with disabilities shall be as effective as communications with others.

All meetings held in public shall comply with the Oregon Indoor Clean Air Act and the smoking provisions contained in the Public Meetings Law.

The possession of dangerous or deadly weapons and firearms, as defined in law and Board policy, is prohibited on district property.

1.      Regular, Special and Emergency Meetings

Generally, a regular Board meeting will be held each month. The regular meeting schedule will be established at the organizational meeting in July and may be changed by the Board with proper notice. The purpose of each regular monthly meeting will be to conduct the regular Board business. No later than the next regular meeting following July 1, the Board will hold an organizational meeting to elect Board officers for the coming year and to establish the year’s schedule of Board meetings. In Board election years (odd numbered years), the first meeting will be held no later than July 31.

Special meetings can be convened by the Board chair, upon request of three Board members, or by common consent of the Board at any time to discuss any topic. A special meeting may also be scheduled if less than a quorum is present at a meeting or additional business still needs to be conducted at the ending time of a meeting. At least 24 hours’ notice must be provided to all Board members, the news media, which have requested notice, and the general public for any special meeting.

Emergency meetings can be called by the Board in the case of an actual emergency upon appropriate notice under the circumstances. The minutes of the emergency meeting must describe the emergency. Only topics necessitated by the emergency may be discussed or acted upon at the emergency meeting.

2.      Communication Outside of Board Meetings

Communications, to, by and among a quorum of Board members outside of a legally called Board meeting, in their capacity as Board members, shall not be used for the purpose of discussing district business. This includes electronic communication. Electronic communications among Board members shall be limited to messages not involving deliberation, debate, decision-making or gathering of information on which to deliberate.

Electronic communications may contain:

a. Agenda item suggestions;

b. Reminders regarding meeting times, dates and places;

c. Board meeting agendas or information concerning agenda items;

d. One-way information from Board members or the superintendent to each Board member (e.g., an article on student achievement or to share a report on district progress on goals) so long as that information is also being made available to the public;

e. Individual responses to questions posed by community members, subject to other limitations in Board policy.

E-mails sent to Board members will have the following notice:

Important: Please do not reply or forward this communication if this communication constitutes a decision or deliberation toward a decision between and among a quorum of a governing body which could be considered a public meeting. Electronic communications on district business are governed by Public Records and Meetings Law.

3.      Private or Social Meetings

Private or social meetings of a quorum of the Board for the purpose of making a decision or to deliberate toward a decision on any matter are prohibited by the Public Meetings Law.

4.     Work Sessions

The Board may use regular or special meetings for the purpose of conducting work sessions to provide its members with opportunities for planning and thoughtful discussion.  Work sessions will be conducted in accordance with the state law on public meetings, including notice and minutes.  Generally, Boards do not take official action during work sessions, although there is no legal prohibition to do so.

5.      Executive Sessions

Executive sessions may be held (as an agenda item) during regular, special or emergency meetings for a reason permitted by law.  (See Board Policy BDC – Executive Sessions)


[1] ORS 192.630(4). Meetings of the governing body of a public body shall be held within the geographic boundaries over which the public body has jurisdiction, or at the administrative headquarters of the public body or at the other nearest practical location.  Training sessions may be held outside the jurisdiction as long as no deliberations toward a decision are involved 2]as defined in ORS 174.100.


Legal Reference(s)

ORS 255.335
ORS 332.040- 332.061
ORS 433.835 - 433.875
 
38 Op Atty Gen Op.  1995 (1978).
41 Op Atty Gen 28 (1980).
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. Sections 12101-12213; 29 CFR Part 1630 (2006); 28 CFR Part 35 (2006).
Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008.
Or. Atty. Gen. Public Records and Meeting Manual (2014).