An orderly board meeting allows the board members to participate in the discussion and decision process on an issue confronting the school district. Rules of order for board meetings allow school district business and the relative information concerning the business to be brought to the attention of the board. They also allow the board to discuss, act upon and make a clear record of school district business in a regular, ordered, reasonable and consistent manner.
The board will follow Robert's Rule of Order, Revised, latest edition as modified by this policy and subsequent rule.
The purpose of modified rules adopted by the board are:
It is the responsibility of each board member to follow the rules of order stated in this policy at each meeting, and it is the responsibility of the presiding officer to conduct the board meeting within these rules.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 21.2, .7; 279.8
Cross Reference:
210 Board of Directors' Meetings
210.8 Board Meeting Agenda
Approved July 2000 Reviewed July 2021 Revised
The following rules of procedure have been adopted by the board at the annual organizational meeting:
1. Board members need not rise to gain the recognition of the board president.
2. All motions will be made as a positive action.
3. A motion will be adopted or carried if it receives an affirmative vote from more than half of the votes cast. Only "yes" and "no" votes are counted in this calculation. It should be noted that some motions require larger numbers of affirmative votes, such as to move into a closed session.
4. All motions shall receive a second, prior to opening the issue for discussion of the board. If a motion does not receive a second, the board president may declare the motion dead for lack of a second.
5. The board president may decide the order in which board members will be recognized to address an issue. An attempt should be made to alternate between pro and con positions
6. The board president shall rule on all motions that come before the board.
7. The board president may rule on points of order brought before the board.
8. The board president shall have complete authority to recognize a member of the audience regarding a request to participate in the board meeting. Members of the public who wish to participate shall follow board policy.
9. The board president has the authority to declare a recess at any time for the purpose of restoring decorum to the meeting.
10. The board president has the same authority and responsibility as each board member to vote on all issues
In keeping with the public nature of the meeting, votes by the board, except those required by law to be roll call, shall be voice vote of “yes” or “no” unless a board member requests a roll call vote. An affirmative vote of the majority of votes cast, excluding abstentions, is sufficient to adopt a motion unless a higher percentage of affirmative votes is required by law or board policy.
It shall be the responsibility of the board secretary to publicly announce the vote and record the vote of each board member in the minutes of the board meetings. The minutes should be written so that a reader can determine how each board member present at the meeting voted on each issue.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 21, 279.1-.2 (2010).
1982 Op. Att'y Gen. 162.
1980 Op. Att'y Gen. 167.
Cross Reference:
208 Ad Hoc Committees
210 Board of Directors' Meetings
210.8 Board Meeting Agenda
212 Closed Sessions
Approved July 2000 Reviewed June/July 2016 Revised