Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Public Comment: A Tale of Two Schools

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By JEFF SCHULTZ

The Duneland School Board listened to criticism this week from resident Rich Whitlow over the board’s rules for hearing comments from the public.

Unlike most other local government boards that allow the public to address them on issues, the Duneland School Board does not have a designated portion of their agenda set aside to hear concerns from the floor.

Starting in January, however, the board added to “Patron Participation” as the first item under new business. Duneland Schools Superintendent David Pruis said at the board’s new policy gives patrons the opportunity to speak on items under new business so that board members can attempt to answer concerns while they conduct business.

New business agenda items since then have included topics such as approval of new facility projects, a bond issue for those projects, budget updates, textbook adoption and summer school dates. Currently, no audience member has gotten up to speak during Patron Participation since its inception.

Pruis said that comments during patron participation will be limited to agenda items.

The board may also call upon a certain audience member to give input during a discussion

If someone from the public wishes to talk to the board on a topic not on the agenda, that person would need to contact the superintendent of schools “at least seven working days prior” to the board’s meeting in order for the item to be considered for discussion, Pruis said. That provision is written at the top of each school board meeting agenda.

The agenda now includes another line clarifying each time that “this is a meeting of the School Board in public for the purpose of conducting the School Corporation’s business and is not considered a public community meeting.”

Last fall, school board member Mike Trout said in his candidate interview with the Chesterton Tribune that the protocol of having the public contact the superintendent’s office seven days ahead of time is a way an issue can be resolved before the time of the board meeting. Many questions from the public involve personnel matters, Trout said, which the board is prohibited by law from discussing publicly.

Attorney Chuck Parkinson, whose firm provides legal council to the school board, said Monday that state law does not require governing boards to have open public comment but there are instances when the law mandates a public hearing be held, such as an adoption or appropriation of the annual budget.

Discovery Charter School

The Chesterton Tribune on Wednesday asked the Discovery Charter School to explain what its public comment policy is for its board of directors meetings.

Discovery Board President Laurie Metz said that at the end of each board meeting, the public is invited to make comments and is not limited to what is on the agenda.

Individuals are also not required to sign up in advance, Metz said.

The board, like Duneland’s, occasionally invites input from audience members during discussion of a particular agenda item, Metz said.

Metz mentioned that while comments are generally open, her board asks “if there is something that concerns a specific staff member or student” that it be discussed outside of the board meeting to respect privacy.

 

 

Posted 3/5/2015

 

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

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