Public Comment Rules & Guidelines
The Board of Education welcomes input from the residents of Weber School District, students, parents/guardians, and current employees. The Board of Education shall allow time for public comment at the beginning of regularly scheduled Board business meetings (“Public Comment Period”) after recognition and awards of employees. The Board desires to conduct its meetings in an orderly and efficient manner. Consequently, the Board adopts the following Public Comment Period Rules for its regularly scheduled board meetings:
- Those wishing to address the Board must sign up prior to the start of the Board Meeting either online as directed on the District website or on the sign-up sheet provided at the District Office.
- Sign-up is handled on a first-come basis, with preference for those who sign up online. If additional time is available after online sign ups close, the Board will have a sign-up sheet available at the entrance to the Board room, for patrons to sign up for public comment. The sign-up sheet will be available until five (5) minutes prior to the start of the Board meeting.
- Patrons may sign up for only one Board Meeting at a time and may not sign up for a Board Meeting until the previous Board Meeting has concluded and the online sign-up process for the next Board Meeting has been enabled.
- Patrons who sign up using the District website must do so no less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the start of the Meeting. Patrons shall list:
- their name,
- the schools their children attend,
- their city of residence,
- the topic they wish to address,
- and whether they are representing themselves or a group.
- Speakers will be given up to three minutes to address the Board. The District may time speakers either publicly or privately to ensure compliance with this provision. The public should be aware that the Board is unable, by law, to take action on items not on the agenda.
- A maximum of eight (8) speakers will be given an opportunity to present to the board.
- Patron comment time is limited to residents of Weber School District, students, parents/guardians of current students, and current employees of the District. All others may address the Board with prior approval of the Board President.
- The Board President will take public comment in the order patrons signed up, by topic, or according to some other order as determined by the President.
Public Hearing Rules & Guidelines
The Board will hold a public hearing when considering any of the following:
- The closure of a school;
- A change in school boundaries;
- The adoption of a district budget
- An increase in taxation; and
- Change to the board member compensation schedule.
A public hearing may be held during a regularly scheduled board meeting or may be held as a standalone meeting. Members of the public wishing to comment about the subject of the hearing during these Public Hearings may sign up online or at the door, and must note their name, city of residence, and whether they are speaking on behalf of a group or for themselves. There is no limit to the number of individuals who may offer comment during Public Hearings.
These Public Comment Period Guidelines should be adhered to by those who desire to provide input/feedback to the Board of Education during its regularly scheduled Board business meeting as well as at Public Hearings:
- Spontaneous comment or discussion from the audience is prohibited, and if such spontaneous comment or discussion creates a substantial disruption to the Board meeting, the individual may be asked to leave the Meeting.
- In those situations where large groups of people desire to address the Board on the same subject, the President may request that those groups select only one or two speakers from the group to address the Board on behalf of the group and shall be allocated up to three minutes to speak.
- Time may not be used by employees or their representatives to circumvent formal communication channels or established grievance or negotiation procedures.
- The Board will not take public comment on personnel issues or statements regarding the character, professional competence, and physical or mental health of an individual during Board meetings. Communications regarding such comments or statements should be sent in writing to the attention of the Board of Education, the President of the Board, or individual Board members.
- Persons who disrupt Board meetings or the business of the Board by applause, cheering, jeering, or personal outbursts may be removed from the meeting by appropriate legal means. Individuals should conduct themselves and present their comments in a respectful and courteous manner, giving due respect to the dignity and privacy of others who may be affected by their comments.
- Individuals should refrain from making rude or slanderous remarks that may violate the rights of others under laws of defamation or invasion of privacy.
- Speech that defames individuals or interrupts the public business of the Board will not be tolerated and may be cause for removal from the meeting. The Board may adjourn the meeting at any time.
- Board meeting attendance cannot exceed the seating capacity of the room in which the meeting is scheduled to be held. Whenever possible, the Board will accommodate overflow seating and provide audio for the meeting.
- The Board may adjourn the meeting at any time.
The Board President or other presiding officer may terminate the remarks of any individual who does not adhere to this policy. Such individuals may also be prohibited from addressing the board at future board meetings. Individuals addressing the Board who engage in inappropriate or disruptive conduct will be removed from the meeting.
