Procedures for Public Comments
The Board of Trustees of the Richardson Independent School District welcomes members of the public to its meetings. The purpose of meetings is to allow trustees to conduct the business of the District. Although Board meetings are held in public, they are not public meetings and the public does not have a right to participate except as provided by the Board. The Board offers a limited open forum at meetings through its Public Comment Sections to provide opportunities for members of the public to convey information to the Board.
The Board adopted the following procedures concerning public comments to facilitate the efficient operation of meetings:Public Comment Section
The Board of Trustees will include a Public Comment Section on the posted Agenda for each meeting. The Board holds regular monthly business meetings each month of the year, excluding July. Business meetings typically are scheduled for the first Thursday of the month. The Board schedules work sessions to address topics of study or as other needs arise. The Board reserves the third Thursday of each month for work sessions, but they also may be scheduled at any other time when a need arises. The Board reserves the right to schedule or reschedule meetings as necessary to meet the operational needs of the District. A written Agenda is posted for each Board meeting at least 72 hours before the meeting is scheduled. If an Emergency Meeting is authorized, an agenda will be posted at least one hour before the meeting is scheduled.
The Public Comment Section for agenda-related topics ordinarily will be placed on the Agenda just prior to the first business item on the Agenda. Where appropriate for efficient meeting management, the section for comments related to non-agenda topics may be placed on the Agenda after other action and information items. A speaker who attempts to address a non-agenda related topic during any period reserved for agenda-related topics is engaging in disruptive behavior. The speaker must stop his or her comments when directed.
When necessary for effective meeting management, to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the Board at a meeting, or when otherwise advisable to accommodate specific circumstances, the Board delegates to the presiding officer the authority to make adjustments to these public comment procedures. Such adjustments may include, without limitation, adjusting when public comment will occur during a meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring public comment on non-agenda items, continuing an agenda item to a later meeting, temporarily revising public comment procedures as necessary if a meeting is conducted via videoconference, providing expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for public comments and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker.Speaker Topics
- Regular Business Meetings. Speakers may comment on specific Agenda items, as well as matters not on the posted Agenda (i.e. nonagenda items), during the Public Comment Section at regular business meetings.
- Work Sessions or Other Called Meetings. Speakers may comment only on specific agenda items during the Public Comment Section at work sessions and other called meetings.
- Public Hearings. When RISD gives notice of a public hearing, speakers may complete a separate online public comment form for the public hearing. Speakers may only comment on the specific topic noticed for the public hearing. All other rules noted herein apply to comments during a public hearing.
Public Comment Form
- Persons wishing to address the Board must complete an online Public Comment form by signing up at the designated registration form link on the District’s website. The online registration will be available according to the time on the agenda. Persons wishing to speak must complete the designated registration form in full and be present at the meeting to make his/her own comments during the designated time for Public Comment to be eligible to speak. Any registered speaker who is absent from the meeting at the time for Public Comment forfeits the opportunity to address the Board at that meeting.
- In addition to identifying information, each speaker must indicate the specific Agenda item about which he or she wishes to comment and/or identify the non-Agenda topic of the comments.
- If RISD gives notice of a public hearing, it will provide a separate designated registration form link on the District’s website for the public hearing that persons who wish to speak must complete. The online registration will be available according to the time on the agenda.
- Persons who do not have access to a computer to complete the Public Comment form online may contact the Board Office at 469- 593-0403 for assistance. The online registration will be available according to the time on the agenda.
Written Materials
- A speaker who wishes to provide written materials to the Board of Trustees must bring at least nine (9) copies of the materials to the Board meeting. A copy of the materials will be provided to the trustees before the speaker is called. The speaker may not distribute materials when he or she is called to speak.
Time
- Each speaker is limited to a total of three* minutes and a speaker may not use time of another speaker to extend his or her comment period. Note: A speaker who addresses the Board through a translator will have six* minutes to present comments to ensure that non-English speakers receive the same opportunity to address the Board.
- Staff will set a three*-minute digital timer for each speaker. The speaker shall end his or her comments when the timer expires. Any speaker who fails to stop speaking and yield the podium at the end of his or her allotted time is considered out of order and may be escorted from the podium and/or asked to leave the meeting.
Single Comment
- A speaker may complete one online Public Comment form for each meeting. A speaker who comments during a public hearing is still eligible to speak during the regular public comment period.
Protocol for Speakers
- The Board Secretary will call the name of each speaker who has submitted an online public comment and state the topic(s) on which the individual has registered to speak.
- Each speaker should approach the podium when his or her name is called. An adjustable microphone is affixed to the podium in the Auditorium. The speaker should clearly state his or her name and the school or school(s) the speaker’s children attend or have attended before beginning to comment.
- The Board will not engage in dialogue with a speaker. Specific factual information or reference to an existing policy may be furnished in response to inquiries or statements. The Board cannot deliberate or make a decision on any subject that is not on the Agenda.
- The public comment period is not the appropriate forum for presentation of formal complaints. RISD maintains a formal grievance policy to address complaints. The Board will only consider formal complaints that remain unresolved after they have been addressed through proper administrative channels and when they have been placed on the Agenda. Speakers who wish to make a complaint regarding an employee should comply with the appropriate complaint policy. (DGBA – Employee Complaints; FNG – Student/Parent Complaints; GF – Public Complaints). Complaint policies are available on the RISD website.
- Remarks or other conduct that disrupt the meeting are considered out of order and will not be allowed. Visitors and staff must listen quietly and respectfully during the public comment section whether they agree or disagree with a speaker’s message. It is not appropriate for staff or visitors to clap, cheer, boo, display banners, or otherwise engage in disruptive conduct. Persons who disrupt the meeting will be cautioned to observe meeting rules. Persons who persist in disrupting the meeting may be removed from the meeting.
Consent for Online Publication
- RISD may audio and video record its meetings. A person who chooses to speak during the Public Comment Section is consenting to the online audio/video publication of his or her comments.
Reasonable Accommodation and Translation
- Persons desiring to make a public comment who need reasonable accommodations of a disability or who require a language translator should contact the Board office at 469-593-0403 in advance of the meeting to request assistance.