BOARD-DECLARED VACANCY CAUSED BY ABSENTEEISM

When a member must be absent from a regular meeting of the school board for any reason, that member shall contact the board chair and request to be excused form the meeting; if the chair must be absent, he/she shall contact the vice-chair. The chair (or vice-chair) shall determine whether or not the request shall be granted, unless otherwise ruled by a majority of the board. The minutes of each meeting shall reflect the names of the members present, those absent with excuse (if any) and those absent without excuse (if any).

The board shall take the following action when a member is absent without excuse:

A. After two consecutive unexcused absences from regular meetings; the member shall be notified in writing (optional language: add "by certified mail") by the board informing him/her that a third consecutive un-excused absence from a regular board meeting will constitute cause for the board to consider declaring his/her seat on the board vacant.

B. After three consecutive unexcused absences from regular meetings, the board shall notify said member in writing (optional language: add "by certified mail") that the board will consider declaring his/her seat vacant at the next regular meeting of the board or at a special meeting called for the purpose of considering this matter.

C. At the meeting where the declaration of a vacancy, in accordance with this policy, is being considered, the board member who is subject of the action shall be provided the opportunity to present his/her reason why the board should not declare a vacancy.

D. Following the deliberation outlined in sections Band C of this policy, the board shall vote whether or not to declare a vacancy.

E. Should a vacancy be declared in accordance with this policy, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the appropriate provisions of MRSA Title 20-A.

F. An absence for any of the following reasons shall be routinely considered an excused absence: illness of the member or members of his/her immediate family, death in the member's family, a short-term family obligation, or an unavoidable commitment related to the member' s employment (so long as such a commitment is not of the type which prevents the member from attending on a regular basis). Absences for reasons other than those identified above shall be considered by the board on an individual basis.

Legal Reference: Title 20-A MRSA, Sec 2305

Adopted: November 22, 1993