Board holds first reading of proposed public participation policy limiting total comment time and individual remarks

The Urbana School District 116 Board of Education conducted the first reading of proposed revisions to policy 2:230, which governs public participation during board meetings. Susan, the board’s attorney participating by Zoom, explained the primary changes: a total limit of one hour for public participation at a meeting, a reduction in individual speaker time from five minutes to three minutes, and retention of presidential authority to reduce or extend time based on speaker volume or topic.

Counsel also described a new exhibit designed to guide how the board’s requested school-based community sessions would operate (monthly informal “sharing sessions” in public venues such as libraries) and recommended that board members attend at least two school-based meetings per fiscal year to hear stakeholder concerns. To avoid Open Meetings Act exposure, the exhibit limits attendance at any single meeting to no more than two board members and asks that such attendance be reported to district administration. Counsel noted that the exhibit is advisory — encouraging engagement but not creating a mandatory duty.

Board members asked that one element of the brainstorming notes — monthly community-sharing sessions intended to provide a less formal venue for parents who prefer not to speak at a board meeting — be added before the second reading; counsel agreed to include that item in the next draft. Members indicated the item will return for a second reading and a vote during the district’s December meetings.