Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board directors are considering a change to the policy for public comment. Time restrictions are to remain in place, but residents will need to sign up to comment at board meetings if the change goes through.
The proposed change to Policy 903 reads as follows:
“The Board will allow for public comment during open meetings. In addition, when meeting in person, the Board will allow for virtual public comment. In all cases, those wishing to make public comment should signup using the link on our website or by calling 610-347-0970 x3315.”
Discussion of the possible change came during the Oct. 18 board meeting, two months after directors went into an early recess during their August session when one resident announced he didn’t intend to abide by the three-minute rule. It was also after the in-person August meeting when the board reverted back to virtual meetings.
Though not in the draft of the proposed change, board President Jeff Hellrung said people don’t have to sign up in advance but will have a chance to do so during the meeting.
“If you don’t sign up prior to the meeting, we still want you to have the opportunity to give public comment…Even if you don’t have the ability to sign up or you change your mind or come at the last minute, you’ll still have to sign up, but you can sign up right at the meeting,” he said.
In responding to a question from Director Tom Day, Hellrung said the purpose of having people sign up is to have an accurate record of who is commenting without any audio issues, have the correct spelling of names, and help assure proper follow-up with the person commenting if needed.
Hellrung also said that he sees signing up as beneficial since people wouldn’t have to attend an in-person meeting to comment. But he also said that the written comments submitted beforehand might not be read at the meeting. Instead, they would be added to the minutes.
“It would be wise for us to make that clear so [people] don’t expect — in mailing the comments in — to hear them read at the meeting. We don’t intend to do that, as I understand,” he said.
Policy 903 would retain the three-minute per speaker and the 30-minute time limit for the comment period, though the 30-minute limit could be extended at the presiding officer’s discretion.
After further discussion, the board tabled the matter until other possible wording changes are considered. A second reading of the revised policy is planned for next month.
Policy 903, with the current suggested revisions, may be found on the district’s Boarddocs page.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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