BDA-P1 - Special Procedures for Conducting Hearings-Delegations
SECTION B Procedures: School Board Governance and Operations
Occasionally a person or group of people will wish to speak to the Board on a matter of concern or interest. Resident electors of the Division shall have the right to be placed on the agenda of a regular Board meeting, to be heard under “Delegations”. Prior to Delegations to the Board, resident electors are required to address concerns through Policy 5 and concerns raised are to be first addressed by contacting the appropriate staff member through the proper channels of communication (refer Procedure KF).
A delegation shall provide to the Secretary-Treasurer, 6 days prior to the board meeting a request to attend accompanied by Exhibit BDA-1 and shall identify a spokesperson whom the Chair can address and to whom correspondence can be forwarded. The following guidelines outline ways to make such presentations as clear and effective as possible. Presenters are required to follow the items listed below:
a) Background information – A brief, organized explanation of the background of the situation is very helpful to the Board. An introduction of the members of the delegation will be expected.
b) Presentation of facts – The specific facts of the situation should be the major focus of the presentation. Presenters are required to cite sources.
c) Offer solutions, suggestions or recommendations – The presenter(s) should attempt to outline not only the concerns but also suggestions for solutions or recommendations for the Board’s consideration.
d) Presentation – Remarks are addressed to the Chairperson, not to individual Board members. All communication must be conducted with decorum and respectfulness.
e) Length of Presentation – The presenter(s) limit the presentation to a maximum of 10 minutes. Presentations are to address the components of the written brief as disclosed in BDA-E1. Deviations from the written brief may result in the termination of the presentation.
f) Be prepared for questions – Board members will not enter into debate or argument, and will not share individual opinions but may ask questions to clarify points made.
g) Copies of the presentation – When the Board is considering the issue later, it is very helpful if each Board member and senior administrator has a copy of the presentation to refer to. Unless there are extenuating circumstances preventing you from doing so, please make written copies of the presentation available. (13 if possible).
h) Board responses – The delegation will be heard for information purposes only. In the event a decision of the Board is required, the matter shall be postponed to the next regular meeting for action, so additional information may be gathered. If in an exceptional circumstance, a decision is required prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting, the Board will suspend the procedural rules by board motion and consider the delegation’s request at the same meeting, the matter then being referred to “New or Unfinished Business” for decision making.
A delegate is allowed to present only once on a given issue unless there is new information or a situation has changed and then they may only present material relevant to the new information or situation.
During Board meeting agenda development, a maximum of one delegation will be scheduled, except in exceptional circumstances.
The Secretary-Treasurer’s department shall communicate in writing to the identified spokesperson for the delegation, the action taken by the Board and the final decision of the Board. (See also Procedures KF, KFA, KFB, KFC)