Official notice may be taken of any material fact not appearing in evidence in the record if the Circuit Courts of this State could take judicial notice of the fact. In addition, notice may be taken of generally recognized technical facts within the Board's specialized knowledge, such as the date that an officer was certified and training records. Parties shall be notified of the taking of official notice either before or during the hearing or by reference in preliminary reports or otherwise of the material noticed, including any staff memoranda or data, and they shall be afforded an opportunity to contest the facts noticed. The Board's expertise, technical competence, and specialized knowledge may be utilized in the evaluation of the evidence.