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Approval Date:May 6, 2016
Modified:January, 2023

BE-Board Meetings

Meeting defined

“Meeting” means the convening of the Board with a quorum present, whether in person or by means of electronic equipment, for the purpose of discussing, receiving public comments about, or acting upon a matter over which the Board has jurisdiction, including a workshop or executive session. However, a “meeting” does not include a chance or social gathering; or meetings where no funds are appropriated for expenditure and board members are convened solely to discuss administrative or operational matters which do not require formal action or would not come before the Board for discussion or action.

Utah Code § 52-4-103(6) (2022)

Rules of Order and Procedure

The Board of Education shall adopt Rules of Order and Procedure to govern a public meeting of the Board of Education. The Rules of Order and Procedure shall include a set of policies that govern and prescribe in a public meeting:.

1. Parliamentary order and procedure;
2. Ethical behavior; and
3. Civil discourse

After adopting the Rules of Order and Procedure, the Board of Education shall:

1. Conduct its public meeting in accordance with the Rules of Order and Procedure adopted by the Board of Education; and
2. Make the Rules of Order and Procedure available to the public at each meeting of the Board of Education, and on the District’s public website.

Utah Code § 53G-4-202(1)(c), (2) (2019)

Upon two-thirds vote, the Board of Education may expel a member of the Board from an open public meeting of the Board for:

1. Disorderly conduct at the meeting;
2. The member's direct or indirect financial conflict of interest regarding an issue discussed at or action proposed to be taken at the meeting; or
3. Commission of a crime during the meeting.

The Board of Education may also adopt policies that expand the reasons for expelling a Board member from an open public meeting or which establish more restrictive procedures for such expulsion.

Utah Code § 53G-4-202(5) (2019)

Open to the public

Every meeting of the Board shall be open to the public unless closed pursuant to Utah Code §§ 52-4-204,52-4-205 and 52-4-206.

Utah Code § 52-4-201(1) (2006)

Public hearing

A public hearing is an open meeting at which members of the public are given a reasonable opportunity to comment on a subject of the meeting. Generally, the Board will determine whether a Board meeting will include a public hearing. However, the Board shall hold a public hearing when considering whether to close a school or change the boundaries of a school, when submitting a ballot issue regarding bond authorization or a tax increase, when considering the adoption of the District budget, before authorizing issuance of bonds, and when considering changes to the Board member compensation schedules, as required by statute.

Utah Code § 11-14-318 (2021)
Utah Code § 53G-4-402(21) (2021)
Utah Code § 53G-7-303(3) (2019)
Utah Code § 53G-4-204(2) (2021)
Utah Code § 59-1-1605 (2016)

Interference with conduct of the Board meetings

Those in attendance at board meetings are prohibited from interfering with the conduct of the meeting by demonstrations, whether audible or visual or by conduct. Those who do not abide by board procedures for orderly presentation of comments when permitted may be asked to leave or the board may request law enforcement to remove those disrupting the meeting.

Distribution of handbills, flyers, or other printed materials by members of the public is prohibited during board meetings. Similarly, members of the public may not circulate petitions or similar requests for participation during a board meeting.

Public recording

All or any part of the proceedings in any open board meeting may be recorded by any person in attendance provided that the recording does not interfere with the conduct of the meeting.

Utah Code § 52-4-203(5) (2022)

Attendance by local government representatives

An interested mayor or interested county executive (or their designees) may attend and participate in the board’s discussions in the open portions of the Board’s meetings. An “interested mayor” is the mayor of a municipality which is partly or entirely within the boundaries of the school district. An “interested county executive” is the county executive or county manager of a county with unincorporated area within the boundary of the school district. These local government officials may not vote on any issue before the Board and their participation is subject to the Board President’s authority to regulate the conduct of the meeting.

An interested mayor or interested county official may attend a closed meeting of the Board if invited by the Board. Where the closed meeting is held to discuss disposition or acquisition of real property, an interested mayor or interested county official may attend if invited by the Board and if the mayor or county executive does not have a conflict of interest with respect to the disposition or acquisition.

Utah Code § 53G-7-208(3)(a) (2019)

Quorum

A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for meetings of the Board.

Utah Code § 52-4-103(11)(a) (2022)
Utah Code § 53G-4-203(5) (2019)

USBA training session for board members

In the event the Board or any of its members meet with representatives of the Utah School Boards Association (USBA) for the purpose of receiving or participating in instruction regarding Board functions or activities, and not for the purpose of discussing or acting upon a subject over which the Board has jurisdiction, the Board is not required to comply with the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act,Utah Code § 52-4-101 et seq.

If more than two Board members are present in such meetings, the Board members shall not discuss or act upon any specific matter over which it has jurisdiction. Board members will discuss only matters relative to the instruction they receive from USBA representatives.

If Board members determine in an instructional meeting with representatives of USBA that there is a need to discuss or act upon a subject over which the Board has jurisdiction, then the Board and its members must comply with the Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Code § 52-4-101 et seq., prior todiscussing or acting upon such matters.

LCSD Rules of Order and Procedures for Regular Meetings of the Board

The Board of Education has adopted Rules of Order and Procedure to govern public meetings of the Board.

The Board of Education shall:

1. Conduct its public meeting in accordance with the Rules of Order and Procedure adopted by the Board of Education; and
2. Make the Rules of Order and Procedure available to the public at each meeting of the Board of Education, and on the District’s public website.

The Board uses a simplified Robert’s Rules of Order to conduct the business of the Board.

The Board values input from members of the community. It is appropriate for members of the audience to make public comment in a board meeting when:

• There is designated public comment time on the agenda
• The Board is conducting a public hearing
• The individual is part of a presentation, identified on the meeting agenda
• The individual is invited to speak by the President of the Board

The following rules govern public comment:

• Patrons who wish to offer public comment in-person at a regular meeting of the Board must sign-up to do so through the district’s website or at the meeting on the provided sign-up sheet.
• All online and in-person sign-ups must include the commenter’s name, email address, home address, relation to the District, school(s) their child(ren) attend (if applicable), school where they work (if applicable), and the reason(s) for comment.
• All sign-ups must be received before the meeting is scheduled to begin.
• A maximum of thirty (30) minutes is reserved for public comment at every regular session meeting of the Board of Education.
• Only patrons on the sign-up list will be permitted to offer public comment during the meeting.
• Patrons offering public comment will each be allotted a maximum of three (3) minutes for their remarks.
• In effort to maintain order, efficiency, and the respect of all in attendance, spontaneous comment or discussion from the audience are discouraged.
• Discussion of personnel issues or asking of questions which are complex, personal, or confidential in nature are best suited for a private discussion with a board member or the superintendent and will not be permitted during the public comment portion of the meeting.
• Patrons should not expect a response to public comment during the meeting.

Patrons may also offer written public comment through the Board of Education webpage on the Logan City School District website. All written public comments received are shared with all Board members, but will not be read aloud in the meeting.

Open to the public—
Every meeting of the Board shall be open to the public unless closed pursuant to Utah Code §§ 52-4-204, 52-4-205, and 52-4-206. Utah Code § 52-4-201(1) (2006)