Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Member Voting Participation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Policy committee advances revised board-voting policy to full board after debate over virtual participation and closed sessions
Summary
Committee approved sending a revised voting-and-participation policy to the full board for first reading with amended language allowing absent members to have written notes read by the presiding officer; members split 2–1 on the measure, and several asked legal to review closed-session virtual participation rules.
The Beloit School District Policy Committee voted 2–1 to send a revised policy on board-member voting and participation to the full board for first reading after committee members debated whether absent members should be allowed to have their views read into the record and whether board members may participate virtually in closed session.
The committee amended the policy's language so that "a member who is not present may not vote by proxy and may, in their absence, have their notes shared by either the board president or committee chair during the meeting." Board member Amy Levy proposed that change to allow absent members' prepared written comments to be read by the presiding officer; other members said they opposed reading others' written remarks aloud unless those remarks came directly from the presiding officer because of concerns about authentication and confidentiality.
Tom Hankins and the policy chair (Bridal Nichols) voted to advance the amended policy; Levy voted no because she asked that district legal counsel review whether the board has the authority to exclude members from virtual participation in closed session. Levy said she supported the amendment permitting written notes to be shared in open meetings but wanted legal to confirm that the board could prohibit virtual participation in closed session if that is the committee's intent.
Members discussed WASB guidance discouraging remote participation in executive session because of confidentiality and security concerns; Board President Johnson and others said the presiding officer should be the only person authorized to read another member's written remarks. Dr. Garrison, the district administrator, said he supports procedures that facilitate collaboration and that staff can accept notes from a board president or committee chair for use in committee discussion.
The committee approved the amended policy title — from "Voting Method" to "Board Member Voting and Participation in Meetings" — and the revised language described above and forwarded the item to the full board for a first reading. Levy asked that the full board seek legal review regarding virtual participation in closed sessions and whether counsel may participate remotely at the board's discretion.
The committee's vote was recorded 2–1 to send the amended policy to the full board for first reading.
