Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board discusses removing low‑use Zoom call‑in feature as staff move to Teams; further options to be explored
Summary
District IT staff told the board it will limit paid Zoom licenses and keep Zoom for board meetings only; a Zoom integrated phone/"call‑in" add‑on costs about $1,200 a year and has not been used recently. Board members asked the administration to evaluate lower‑cost ways to allow remote members of the public to make live comments.
District technology staff told the Green Bay Area School District Board on Sept. 8 that the central technology environment is migrating staff meetings from Zoom to Microsoft Teams but the district intends to retain a Zoom account for board meetings. IT reported the district will reduce paid Zoom licenses to the smallest purchasable block and maintain a dedicated account for public broadcasting of board meetings.
Why it matters: The board considered whether to keep a Zoom integrated phone/"call‑in" add‑on that allows callers to be brought into a meeting as callers without enabling them as full video participants. IT said the integrated phone add‑on costs about $1,200 a year and that the district’s records show the integrated call‑in was last used in May 2024 and not frequently used thereafter.
What was discussed: IT staff said staff are shifting daily virtual meetings to Teams and that board meetings would continue on the district’s Zoom account. An IT staff member explained the Zoom call‑in add‑on lets staff add an audio caller to a meeting in a controlled way. Several board members said they are reluctant to remove any option that gives a member of the public the ability to make a live comment if they cannot attend in person. The board did not take a final vote; members asked staff to explore affordable alternatives that would permit remote live public comments for people with access barriers.
Next steps: IT staff will follow up with the board on alternative ways to accommodate a caller who cannot attend in person without purchasing the $1,200 add‑on, and will clarify license counts and budget impacts. The board noted written submissions and public‑comment periods remain available as current alternatives.
Speakers quoted in this article are named in the meeting record and attributed by name and role in the text.
