1-04 Rules of Procedure for Meetings of the District Board of Trustees

Policy: 6Hx28: 1-04

Responsible Executive: Vice President, Policy and General Counsel

Policy Contacts: Vice President, Policy and General Counsel

Specific Authority: 1001.61-65, 1004.70 F.S.

Law Implemented: 1001.61-65, 1004.70, 286.0114, F.S.

Effective Date: 06-24-2020

Date of Last Policy Review: 10-14-2022

Policy:

1. The Chair, or the Vice Chair in the absence of the Chair, shall preside at all meetings of the District Board of Trustees. In the absence of the Vice Chair, or for other good reason, the Chair may appoint or designate a member of the District Board of Trustees to preside. The Chair, or the presiding member in the absence of the Chair, shall conduct all business according to parliamentary rules Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (or the latest revision or amendment thereto) with respect to small boards, unless modified by the District Board of Trustees. The District Board of Trustees may observe the special procedures to be followed by small boards, in light of the intent of using parliamentary procedures to maintain order in the decision-making process, not to limit or stifle open discussion. The District Board of Trustees shall strive for consensus and will work as a responsible corporate body taking into consideration individual interests and concerns. District Board of Trustees’ decisions and position statements will reflect the position of the District Board of Trustees and not any one individual. The Chair shall have the right to vote upon all questions, motions or recommendations submitted to the District Board of Trustees.
2. Appearances before the District Board of Trustees
   1. Members of the public shall be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard on a proposition before the District Board of Trustees. The opportunity to be heard need not occur at the same meeting at which the Board takes official action on the proposition if the opportunity occurs at a meeting that is during the decision making process and is within reasonable proximity in time before the meeting at which the Board takes the official action.
   2. The reasonable opportunity to be heard shall not apply to any official act that must be taken to deal with an emergency situation affecting the public health, welfare, or safety, if compliance with the requirements would cause an unreasonable delay in the ability of the Board act; an official act involving no more than a ministerial act; a meeting that is exempt from s. 286.011; and a meeting during which the Board is acting in a quasi-judicial capacity.
   3. Each meeting agenda of the District Board of Trustees shall provide for public comment before or while items of new business are considered. Persons desiring to provide public comment on Board agenda items will be permitted to speak during the public comment period at the meeting during which the item is presented to the Board of Trustees for action, or at a Board meeting that is during the decision making process and within a reasonable proximity before the meeting at which the District Board of Trustees will take official action. A person wishing to speak on a particular item must complete a Record of Appearance for Public Comment form provided by the President and made available at the meeting and submit it to the President or President's designee no later than ten (10) minutes prior to the beginning of the scheduled meeting of the District Board of Trustees.
   4. Each person providing public comment will be limited to up to five (5) minutes, as determined by the Chair. If an organization, committee, delegation or other group or faction on a proposition desires to provide public comment, the organization, committee, delegation or group or faction on a proposition shall be represented by one spokesperson who may speak for five (5) minutes. The total time for audience presentation on any single item of business will be limited to fifteen (15) minutes unless the Chair, or the Board by majority vote, approves an extension of time.
3. Protocol for Meetings of the District Board of Trustees
   1. All those in attendance at meetings of the District Board of Trustees may be asked to identify themselves to the Secretary or a designee upon entry to the meeting.
   2. Only members of the District Board of Trustees, the President, and those recognized by the Chair may address the District Board of Trustees.
   3. If space is limited in the meeting room, those with business before the District Board of Trustees and the members of the press shall have priority over those who are visitors.
   4. No person shall cause any disturbance, delay, or interference, or cause any threats thereof at any meeting of the District Board of Trustees. Further, no person shall intentionally or through coercion, force, or intimidation, deny or interfere with the right of another to free access or egress from any meeting.
   5. All persons attending meetings of the District Board of Trustees shall observe the reasonable requests of the Chair.

Procedures:

The District Board of Trustees may choose to broadcast video and/or audio feeds of all or some meetings, or portions of such meetings, as it deems appropriate. These broadcast feeds are not interactive, and public comments will not be received from remote locations during a meeting. All appearances before the District Board of Trustees shall occur in person at the meeting during the time allotted in the official agenda for public comment, in accordance with applicable law and Section II of Policy 6Hx28: 1-04.

Procedure History: Amended 10-14-22

Date of Last Procedure Review: 10-14-2022

Policy History:

Replaced former Policies 6Hx28:01-00, 6Hx28:02-00, 6Hx28:02-01, 6Hx28:02-02, 6Hx28:02-03, 6Hx28:02-05, 6Hx28:04-01and 6H28:04-02; Amended 11-20-01; Amended 10-16-13; Amended 6-24-2020

Related Documents:

Record of Appearance for Public Comment Form