Public Comment Guidelines

The Board encourages comments about the District from members of the public. Anyone who has signed up to speak in advance of the meeting in accordance with the Board procedures may do so at this time. The Board asks that each participant’s comments pertain to District business.

Each speaker will be given up to five minutes for agenda items and three minutes for non-agenda items to address the Board.

For any member of the public who is accompanied by a translator, your time will be doubled as required by law.

Remember that the Board may not discuss or act upon any issues that are not posted on our agenda.

Participants are encouraged to address issues about District personnel directly with Administration. If participants speak about personnel during public comment, all comments shall be restricted to professional topics.

Participants will not give the names of students other than their own during public comment.

The Board shall not tolerate disruption of the meeting by members of the audience. If, after at least one warning from the presiding officer, any person that continues to disrupt the meeting by his or her words or actions, the presiding officer may request from law enforcement officials to have the person removed from the meeting.

The Human Resources Director of WSISD shall act as the timekeeper and notify the presiding officer when the time limit has expired.

In addition, the Board has adopted policies to provide prompt and equitable resolution of complaints and concerns for employees, students or their parents, and the general public. Copies of our District policies and procedures on public comment and filing complaints are available from Administration Office.

If Necessary:

Due to the large number of individuals wishing to speak tonight and in the interest of time, the following adjustments to the public comment procedures will apply:

If, however, the total number of speakers seeking to address the Board at a meeting exceeds 10, the per-speaker time limit may be reduced. In no event will a speaker be given less than one minute to address the Board. A speaker who wishes to address multiple agenda items may be given additional time to address the Board.

Public comment at regular Board meetings will be conducted in accordance with BED(LOCAL) and the Board’s procedures on public comment.

At meetings other than regular Board meetings, public comments are limited to items on the posted meeting notice and agenda. At regular meetings, comments on other topics may be allowed as time permits. Public comments should be limited to topics relevant to District business.

In lieu of or in addition to speaking at an open meeting, a member of the public may also submit written comments to the Board regarding District business as follows.

The following guidelines apply to public comment:

1. Individuals who wish to provide comment or testimony to the Board at the designated time during the Board meeting must sign-up. Sign-up for Public Comment at a regularly scheduled Board meeting begins on the business day prior to the Board meeting at 8 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. the day of the meeting. Those wishing to address the Board during Public Comment may sign-up in the following ways:

• In-Person
  Individuals can complete this sign-up form at the WSISD Administration Building, 8224 White Settlement Rd, White Settlement, Texas 76108.
   

• Online
  Individuals can sign-up via the online form. 
  https://laserfiche-forms.wsisd.net/Forms/Board_Public-Comment-Signup

• Email
  Individuals can download the sign-up form, complete it, and send it via email to boardpubliccomment@wsisd.net.

Special/Emergency Meetings

Public Comment sign-up for special or emergency meetings will be one business day prior to the meeting from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Public Comment at Special/Emergency Meetings will be limited to agenda items only.

All Public Comment Forms must be complete. Submitting an incomplete form may result in an individual not being allowed to address the Board.

2.        If an agenda item is continued or posted again for a meeting on a later date, individuals who wish to address the Board on the item must sign up separately for that later date.

3.        The period reserved for public comment at a Board meeting will generally occur at the beginning of the meeting. However, in the interest of time and the orderly conduct of public business, the presiding officer may make adjustments in accordance with the Board’s adopted procedures on public comment.

4.        A speaker will be given five minutes for agenda items and three minutes for non-agenda items to address the Board. If, however, the total number of speakers seeking to address the Board at a meeting exceeds 10, the per-speaker time limit may be reduced. In no event will a speaker be given less than one minute to address the Board. A speaker who wishes to address multiple agenda items may be given more time to address the Board in accordance with the Board’s procedures.

5.        Under the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Board is not permitted to discuss or act upon any issues that are not posted on the agenda for the meeting.

6.        The Board has adopted complaint policies that are designed to secure, at the lowest possible administrative level, a prompt and equitable resolution of complaints and concerns for employees, students or their parents, and the general public. [See DGBA, FNG, and GF] Each of these processes provides that, if a resolution cannot be achieved administratively, the person may appeal the administrative decision to the Board as a properly posted agenda item. For further information on those policies, please contact the Human Resources Director at (817) 367- 1300. If the subject of a speaker’s comment involves a pending grievance, the speaker should seek resolution through the grievance process and address the Board only at the appropriate stage of that process.

7.        Under the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Board may exercise its authority to discuss certain subject matters on the agenda in closed session, including matters involving individual District staff members and individual students. If a speaker’s comment concerns one of these subjects, the speaker should address the concern through the District’s complaint policies.

8.        Rules of order and decorum will be enforced during the public comment period to ensure efficient meetings. Unlawful or disruptive conduct, including interrupting scheduled speakers, speaking out of turn, or interfering with the rights of others, will not be tolerated. Each participant is legally responsible for the content and consequences of his or her own statements.