Policy Details Page

Regulation 1400R

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Open Meetings
All meetings, including study sessions and retreats, must be advertised as meetings that are open to the public in compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA). If a Board wishes to devote all or most of a special meeting to an issue(s) to be discussed in executive session (Policy 1410), the special meeting should be called to order and recessed to an executive session. The purpose of the executive session should be announced and recorded in the minutes (e.g., real estate matters, litigation).

All regular business and regular study session meetings must be held with a physical location within the district boundaries, unless there is a local, state or federal emergency that prevents an in-person meeting. Special meetings may be held outside the district with proper notice of the time and location. For regular business meetings or regular study session meetings because the Board believes in the importance of in-person participation, individual school directors must participate in-person unless the regular business or study session meeting is being held remotely based upon a vote of the Board or a decision of the Board President in the event of an emergency. Special meetings, including Committee of the Whole, Retreats and Executive Sessions, may be held remotely, with corresponding public access, upon decision of the Board President.  

Broadcasting and Recording Meetings
All regular, business meetings and study sessions will be broadcast to the public and recorded for viewing online for a minimum of six months after the meeting date. Special meetings, including Committee of the Whole and Retreats will not be broadcast or recorded. If an emergency has been declared and the Board determines it cannot hold an in-person meeting, if the Board must limit attendance at an in-person meeting or if the Board determines it will hold a meeting remotely, the District will broadcast and record the meeting as appropriate to provide public access.

Meeting Notices
A regular business meeting does not require a public notice if held at the time and place provided by Board policy. If the Board does not meet at its regular location, the meeting should be treated as a special meeting with proper notice to the press stating the time, place and purpose of the meeting. The district is required to notify newspapers and radio and television stations which have filed a request for such notification. A regular business meeting agenda shall be posted online twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting. Each director should receive an agenda twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting.  All public notices of Board meetings should inform persons who want to provide verbal comment who have difficulty attending a business meeting by reason of disability, limited mobility, or for any other reason that makes physical attendance at a meeting difficult that they may contact the Board secretary at least three (3) days before the meeting so that feasible accommodations may be offered. 

While other items of business may be discussed at a special meeting, no final action can be taken on topics which have not been identified on the set agenda. If an item is to be discussed in executive session in accordance with Policy1410, the item of business must also appear on the agenda if final action is to be taken following the executive session. Special meeting notice is not required if it is called to deal with an emergency involving injury or damage or when the notice cannot be posted or displayed with reasonable safety.

No meeting notice is required when the Board is acting as a quasi-judicial body as provided under RCW 42.30.140.

Meeting Recess and Continuation
The Board may recess a regular, special or recessed meeting to a specific future time. Notice of such a recess and continuation must be posted at or near the door of the meeting room. Notification to the press is not required.

Public Comment
A provision for Public Comment will be made at all regular, business meetings in which final Board action is taken. Public Comment may be provided through either in-person verbal comment or written comment pursuant to Policy 1430. 

Reference:    

RCW Chapter 42.30 Open Public Meetings Act
RCW 28A.320.15
AGO 2017 No. 4
Policy 1430 – Public Comment

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Adoption Date: 3/01/1999

Revised Date: 6/09/2022