Code No. 203.1
Organizational Meetings
The organizational meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held at the first regular meeting following the canvass of votes for the regular board election in odd-numbered years. Notice of the time and place of such meeting shall be given by the Secretary of the Board to each member and to each member-elect of the Board. Transfer of Board materials and responsibilities shall be effected at this meeting. Notice of the meeting time shall also be posted at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance at the Central Administration Building.
The meeting shall be called to order by the Secretary of the Board. New members of the Board will be sworn into office unless they have been so sworn previously. The new Board of Directors shall elect from its membership a president and a vice-president.
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
|
Date of Revision:
December 11, 2017
|
|
Legal References:
21.4, 277.28, 277.31, 279.1, Code of Iowa
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Code No. 203.2
Regular Meetings
Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held in the Central Administration Building, 510 Winnebago, Decorah, Iowa, on the second Monday of each month. Notice of the meeting time shall be posted at least 24 hours in advance at the Central Administration Building. The Board will adhere to this meeting date and time unless the Board requires additional meetings or, due to circumstances beyond the Board’s control, the meeting cannot be held on the regular meeting date. When necessary, meetings will be rescheduled, and public notice provided, in accordance with applicable law.
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
|
Date of Revision:
December 11, 2017
|
|
Legal References:
21.4, 279.1, 279.2, Code of Iowa
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Code No. 203.3
Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held as may be determined by the Board of Directors, or as called by the President, or as called by the Secretary upon the written request of a majority of the members of the Board, or upon recommendation of the Superintendent. Notice of a special meeting shall be given in person or by letter to each Board member specifying the time, purpose of the meeting and of the place where the meeting is to be held; however, attendance by a Board member shall be a waiver of the notice requirements.
|
Date of Revision: February 9, 2004 543067 |
|
Legal References:
21.4, 279.2, Code of Iowa
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
|
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
Code No. 203.4
Annual Meetings
At a regular or special meeting held on or after August 31 but prior to or at the regular meeting in September, the Board shall audit the reports of the Secretary and Treasurer for the year ending on the preceding June 30. The Board shall examine, reconcile and approve, if in order, the reports, and the President, Secretary, and the Treasurer shall affix their signatures thereto. The Superintendent shall also make an annual report on the status of the District at this meeting.
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
|
Date of Revision: March 9, 2009
603419 |
|
Legal References:
21.4, 279.3, 279.31, 279.33, 291.14, Code of Iowa
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Code No. 203.5
Work Sessions
A work session is an informal meeting of the Board where facts are gathered and in-depth discussion is held, but where no final action is taken. The public shall have a right to be present unless a topic may be discussed in closed session, but the public shall not have a right to address the Board during a work session.
A work session may be called by a majority of the Board members, by the Board President, or by the Board Secretary upon the written request of a majority of the Board. If a work session is called, public notice shall be given of the date, time, and place of the work session and of the tentative topics of discussion. Minutes will be kept showing the date, time, and place of the work session, Board members present, and the items discussed.
|
Date of Revision: February 9, 2004
543069 |
|
Legal References:
21.4, 279.2, Code of Iowa
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
|
Code No. 203.6
Quorum for Meetings
The majority (a minimum of three) of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business but a lesser number may adjourn from time to time. A majority vote of those present and voting shall be necessary and sufficient to pass any motion or to take any action of the Board unless a vote of a greater number with respect to the particular subject matter shall be required by law or by Board policy.
|
Date of Revision:
01436225 |
|
Legal References:
21.5(1), 279.4, Code of Iowa
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
|
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
Code No. 203.7
Agenda
The Superintendent of Schools, in consultation with the President of the Board of Directors, shall submit to the Board of Directors for its consideration a tentative agenda which shall set forth the order of business for that meeting. Generally, the agenda should be distributed at least two days before the meeting. The agenda may contain supporting data for the suggested items of business together with recommendations.
|
Date of Revision: February 9, 2004
543071 |
|
Legal References:
21.4, 279.8, Code of Iowa
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
|
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
Code No. 203.8
Notice of Meetings
Advance notice of the time, date, place and the tentative agenda of each Board meeting shall be given at least twenty-four hours prior to the meeting, unless an emergency exists, or unless the meeting is exempt from the Open Meetings Law. Notice shall be given by notifying the news media who have filed a request for notice and by posting the notice on the announcement bulletin board located in the Central Administration Offices at 510 Winnebago, Decorah, Iowa. When it is necessary to hold an emergency meeting and it is not possible to give twenty-four hours notice, then as much notice as is reasonably possible shall be given, and the nature of the reason for failure to give twenty-four hours notice shall be stated in the minutes.
Formally constituted subunits of the Board of Directors may conduct a meeting without notice during a lawful meeting of the Board of Directors, a recess in that meeting, or immediately following that meeting, if the meeting of the subunit is publicly announced at the Board meeting and the subject of the meeting reasonably coincides with the subject discussed or acted upon by the Board of Directors.
|
Date of Revision: 01436229 |
|
Legal References:
Chapter 21, Code of Iowa, 279.1- 279.2
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
|
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
Code No. 203.9
Open Meetings; Closed Sessions
Open Meetings.
Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be open to the public unless otherwise authorized to be closed by federal or state law. Final action by the Board of Directors on any matter shall be taken in open meeting unless a provision of the Code of Iowa expressly permits such actions to be taken in closed session. Any gathering of a majority of Board members, either formal or informal, in which deliberation or action on a policy matter takes place is defined as a meeting. A gathering for the sole purpose of social or ministerial action shall not constitute a Board meeting.
Closed Sessions.
Two categories of Board sessions may be closed to the public. The first category is known as "exceptions" to the open meetings law, the second category is known as "exemptions" to the open meetings law.
Exceptions to Open Meetings.
A specific motion stating the reason for the closed meeting must be made and seconded, followed by a two-thirds affirmative roll call vote of the total membership of the Board or of all of the members present at the meeting. The Board may enter into a closed session for any reason authorized by law, including:
a. To review or discuss records which are required or authorized by state or federal law to be kept confidential as a condition for the District's possession or receipt of federal funds.
b. To discuss strategy with counsel in matters presently in litigation or where litigation is imminent if disclosure would be likely to prejudice or disadvantage the position of the District in that litigation.
c. To discuss whether to conduct a hearing or to conduct hearings to suspend or expel a student, unless an open session is requested by the student or the student's parent or guardian if the student is a minor.
d. To discuss specific law enforcement matters which, if disclosed, would enable law violators to avoid detection.
e. To evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose appointment, hiring, performance, or discharge is being considered, when a closed session is necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual's reputation and when the individual requests a closed session.
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS Page 1 of 2
Code No. 203.9
OPEN MEETINGS; CLOSED SESSIONS
f. To discuss the purchase or sale of particular real estate, but only when premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the Board would have to pay for the property or reduce the price the governmental body would receive for that property. Once the transaction is complete, however, the minutes and audio recording of the closed session will be available to the public.
The vote of each member on the question of holding the closed session, and the reason for holding the session, shall be announced publicly in open session and entered in the minutes. Final action on all matters discussed in closed session shall be taken in open session unless otherwise allowed to be taken in closed session.
Closed sessions shall be audio recorded and detailed minutes shall be kept.
Exemptions to the Open Meetings Law.
A meeting that is exempt from the open meetings law can be held without public notice, without a tentative agenda and without a vote to go into closed session, and may be separate from any open public meeting.
The Board may meet at any time to discuss negotiation strategy regarding a certified bargaining unit, to discuss negotiation strategy for groups of employees not included in a certified bargaining unit, to conduct a private hearing relating to the recommended termination of a teacher's contract, if requested by the teacher in writing to the secretary of the Board, or as otherwise required or allowed by law.
There are no legal requirements for any type of a record to be maintained of the negotiation strategy sessions.
|
Date of Revision: December 11, 2017
01436232 |
|
Legal References:
Chapter 21, Chapter 22, 279.15 Code of Iowa
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS Page 2 of 2 |
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
Code No. 203.10
Meetings by Telephone or Other Electronic Means
A meeting will be conducted by electronic means only if a meeting in person is impossible or impractical. If an electronic meeting is held, public access to the conversation will be allowed unless the meeting is exempted from the open meetings law or is covered by an exception allowing a closed meeting. For meetings allowed to be closed, advance notice will be given. As for other meetings, a vote to close the meeting will be made, and the telephone conversation will be audio recorded and minutes will be kept of the meeting. The minutes will state the reason why a meeting in person was impossible or impractical.
A Board member may request to be connected to a Board meeting by telephone or other electronic means if the Board member is ill or has an emergency which prevents the member's attendance. A majority of Board members otherwise present at the meeting must agree to connect the absent Board member.
|
Date of Revision: October 10, 2011
|
|
Legal References:
21.8, 279.8, Code of Iowa
|
|
817608
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
Code No. 203.11
Minutes of Meetings
The minutes of open meetings of the Board of Directors shall contain at a minimum the date, time and place of the meeting, the members present, all motions, seconds, the vote on each issue, and information sufficient to indicate the vote of each member present. The minutes of open meetings will be kept on file as the permanent official records of the District. The Secretary will act as custodian of the minutes and will make them available to any citizen to examine during the District's regular office hours. Any citizen may have copies of such minutes made by payment of an amount to be determined by the Board. Minutes awaiting approval at the next Board meeting will be available for inspection after the Board Secretary transcribes the notes and has made them available to Board members. The Board Secretary shall furnish a copy of the proceedings of an open meeting within two weeks following the adjournment of the meeting to a newspaper designated by the Board for publishing Board minutes.
Detailed minutes and complete audio recordings will be made of all closed meetings of the Board except those meetings specifically exempted from the Open Meetings Law. Detailed minutes shall contain at a minimum, the date, time and place of the meeting, the members present, the reason for holding the closed meeting, the vote of each member on holding the closed session, a summary of the discussions and conclusions from the session, and the time when the closed session concluded. The Board Secretary will be custodian of the detailed minutes and tapes which will be maintained in a securely locked depository, separate from the regular Board minutes, for a period of one year after which they will immediately and routinely be destroyed (audio recording will be erased). Access to these documents will be available only to Board members, appropriate designated administrative personnel and/or upon judicial order.
Detailed minutes and audio recordings of closed sessions held under the purchase or sale of real estate exception to open meetings, shall be made available for public examination when the transaction discussed is completed. There shall be separate detailed minutes and audio recording for each real estate transaction.
No minutes need be taken or retained for any meetings exempt from the Iowa Open Meetings Law.
|
Date of Revision: October 10, 2011
|
|
Legal References:
Chapter 21, Chapter 22, 279.35, 279.36, 291.6, Code of Iowa
|
|
817610
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
Code No. 203.12
Rules of Order
Unless otherwise designated, parliamentary procedure shall be determined by Robert's Rules of Order, Revised. However,
1. It is not necessary to rise in order to make a motion.
2. Informal discussion is permitted while a motion is pending.
3. Motions may be seconded by any member of the Board not making the motion.
4. The President need not rise while putting questions to a vote.
5. The President can speak in discussions without rising or leaving the chair and can make and second motions.
6. Votes can be taken only on motions made and seconded.
7. If an agenda item is discussed and a majority of the Board members present wishes to have additional information from the public, the Board has the right to ask any person or persons for that information.
8. The Board members' names will be called randomly for roll call votes.
|
Date of Revision: February 9, 2004
543061 |
|
Legal References:
21.7, 279.8, Code of Iowa
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
Code No. 203.13
PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS
The Board encourages public attendance and participation at its public Board meetings. The Open Forum is the time set aside at a meeting for the Board to hear comments by the public. The public is asked to recognize that time constraints and procedures are required to assure an orderly process.
The following procedures will be followed for individuals to address the Board of Directors at meetings:
|
Date of Revision:
December 11, 2017 |
|
Legal References:
279.8, Code of Iowa
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
|
Code No. 203.12
Rules of Order
Unless otherwise designated, parliamentary procedure shall be determined by Robert's Rules of Order, Revised. However,
1. It is not necessary to rise in order to make a motion.
2. Informal discussion is permitted while a motion is pending.
3. Motions may be seconded by any member of the Board not making the motion.
4. The President need not rise while putting questions to a vote.
5. The President can speak in discussions without rising or leaving the chair and can make and second motions.
6. Votes can be taken only on motions made and seconded.
7. If an agenda item is discussed and a majority of the Board members present wishes to have additional information from the public, the Board has the right to ask any person or persons for that information.
8. The Board members' names will be called randomly for roll call votes.
|
Date of Revision: February 9, 2004
543061 |
|
Legal References:
21.7, 279.8, Code of Iowa
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
Code No. 203.15
Method of Voting
Votes of the Board shall be cast orally except as provided specifically otherwise in Board policy. The Directors shall vote “aye”/”yes” or “nay”/”no” or “abstain.” A Board member may request a roll call vote on any item. It shall be the responsibility of the Board Secretary to record the vote of each Board member in the minutes of the meeting.
|
Date of Revision: February 9, 2004
543064 |
|
Legal References:
21.3, 279.8, Code of Iowa
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
Date of Review: December 11, 2017
Code No. 203.16
Security and Protection
Board members must feel free to meet in the public setting without concern of risk of personal injury. The Board shall take whatever actions are necessary to maintain an orderly Board meeting free from interference or interruption by spectators and to keep Board members and attendees safe while complying with the open meetings law.
An individual who threatens Board members or others with violence or who is disruptive shall be asked to leave the meeting. If the individual does not leave, law enforcement officials shall be called.
|
Date of Revision: February 9, 2004
543065 |
|
Legal References:
21.7, 279.8, Code of Iowa
|
|
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
Date of Review: December 11, 2017