NOTICE OF MEETINGS | Policy Manual | Loogootee Comm. School Corp.

0164 - NOTICE OF MEETINGS

The School Board shall give notice of regular, special, and emergency Board meetings to Board members, the news media, and the general public in compliance with Indiana law on the organization and operation of the governing body of a school corporation, the Open Door Law, and as provided herein.

Definitions

As used in this bylaw, "legal holiday" means a day listed in I.C. 1-1-9-1.

As used in this bylaw, "regular meeting" means a meeting of the Board held in compliance with a schedule of meetings approved by the Board at its annual organizational meeting.

As used in this bylaw, a "special meeting" of the Board is a meeting other than a regular meeting on a schedule of regular meetings established at the Board’s annual organizational meeting. At a special meeting, the Board may take any action permitted at a regular meeting. Executive sessions are excluded from this definition.

Notice Required

Public notice of the date, time, and place of any meetings, executive sessions, or of any rescheduled or reconvened meeting, shall be given at least forty-eight (48) hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) before the meeting. This requirement does not apply to reconvened meetings (not including executive sessions) where the announcement of the date, time, and place of the reconvened meeting is made at the original meeting and recorded in the memoranda and minutes thereof, and there is no change in the agenda. This requirement also does not apply to regular meetings of the Board held in compliance with a schedule of meetings approved by the Board at its annual organizational meeting if the Board has public notice of its annual notice of scheduled regular meetings for the next year on or before December 31 of the preceding calendar year.

The Board shall give public notice by posting a copy of the notice at the administrative offices of the Corporation and by delivering notice to all news media that submit an annual written request for such notice for the next calendar year to the Board on or before December 31 of the preceding calendar year.

Notice to the news media shall be given by depositing the notice in the United States mail with first-class postage prepaid, transmitting the notice by e-mail, or transmitting the notice by facsimile (fax).

In addition to notice of regular meetings to the news media, the Board shall give public notice to persons who give the Board a written request for notice of meetings not later than December 31 of the preceding calendar year. The Board shall give this notice by e-mail or by publishing notice of regular meetings on the Corporation’s Internet website at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.

Notice of any meeting of the Board shall contain the following statement:

"The Board’s meeting site is fully accessible to all persons. Any person requiring further accommodation should contact the Superintendent with the School Corporation’s administrative office at 812-295-2595."

In the event of an Executive Order issued by the Governor or guidance provided by the Public Access Counselor, notice of a Board meeting may be provided using alternative means than is required by the Open Door Law. For example, permitting notice to be made through electronic means, e.g., on the Corporation website or social media site rather than by posting and publication.

Any notice requirement for a Board meeting or hearing before the Board established by the Open Door Law (I.C. 5-14-1.5) or this bylaw shall not serve to shorten or otherwise modify the content or timing of notice required by another statute or policy. For example, I.C. 5-3-1-2 establishes a ten (10)-day minimum notice period for public hearings held by the Board on certain contract matters.

If the Board utilizes an agenda for the meeting, a copy of the agenda shall be posted at the entrance to the location of the meeting prior to the meeting.

Notice of Regular Board Meetings

Notice need not be given to a Board member for holding or taking any action at a regular meeting.

Public notice of regular Board meetings shall be given only once a year by posting a copy of the notice at the administrative offices of the Corporation and delivering notice to all news media which submit an annual written request for such notice for the next calendar year to the Board on or before December 31 of the preceding calendar year.

Additional notice of a regular meeting shall be given by the Board if the date, time, or place of a regular meeting is changed. Notice to the public of a change in the date, time, or place of a regular Board meeting, executive session, or any rescheduled or reconvened meeting shall be given at least forty-eight (48) hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) before the meeting is to convene by posting a copy of the notice at the administrative offices of the Corporation and delivering notice to all news media which submit an annual written request for such notice for the next calendar year to the Board on or before December 31st of the preceding calendar year. With the exception of executive sessions, this requirement does not apply to reconvened meetings where the announcement of the date, time, and place of the reconvened meeting is made at the original meeting and recorded in the memoranda and minutes of the meeting if there is no change in the agenda.

Notice of Executive Sessions

Notice of an executive session shall include the purpose(s) of the session as enumerated in I.C. 5-14-1.5-6.1(b) (see Policy 0167.2 - Executive Session).

Notice of Special Board Meetings

A special meeting of the Board shall be held when called by the President or Superintendent. The call shall be evidenced by a written notice specifying the date, time, and place of the special meeting. Special meetings shall be held at the regular meeting place of the Board.

A copy of the notice of a special meeting shall be served upon each member of the Board so that it is received by the Board member at least seventy-two (72) hours before the special meeting is to convene. This notice shall be given by delivering written notice to the member personally or by mail or telegram. Notice may be given by e-mail or facsimile if the member agrees to receive notice in this form. If each member of the Board has waived notice of the special meeting, notice of the meeting to Board members is not necessary.

Waiver of notice of a special meeting by a Board member may be given by the member’s presence at the special meeting or the member’s execution of a written waiver of notice of the date, time, and place of the special meeting, executed either before or after the special meeting. If a waiver of notice of a special meeting is executed by a Board member after the meeting, the waiver also shall state in general terms the purpose of the special meeting. If a waiver specifies that the waiver was executed before the meeting, third persons are entitled to rely on the statement.

Notice to the public and news media of a special meeting shall state the date, time, and place of the special meeting and the business to be transacted, as well as the name, address, and telephone number of the Corporation’s administrative office. This notice shall be given at least forty-eight (48) hours before the special meeting convenes, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.

Notice of Emergency Board Meetings

The Board may meet to address an actual or threatened emergency involving injury to a person or property or actual or threatened disruption of the operation of the Corporation. The notice requirements of the Open Door Law do not apply to a Board meeting convened to address such an emergency, but news media which have requested notice of meetings shall be given the same notice as is given to Board members without charge, and the public shall be notified by posting a copy of the notice at the administrative offices of the Corporation and on the Corporation’s Internet website.

T.C. 2/20/25