1. (a) Policy. The Windham School District (WSD) Board of Trustees (Board) is committed to provide access and opportunity for public testimony on items that are part of the Board's posted agenda as provided for in this subsection and in subsection (b) of this section. The Board also invites public comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Board as provided for in this subsection and in subsection (c) of this section. Persons outside the agency who wish to have items placed on the Board agenda are invited to follow the procedure in subsection (d) of this section. Public testimony and public comments shall be:

   1. (1) subject to the requirements and restrictions of subsections (b), (c), (e), (f), (g) and (h) of this section;
   2. (2) pertinent to issues under the jurisdiction of the Board, as determined by the Chairman and the Superintendent; and
   3. (3) pertinent to WSD policies, procedures, standards, and rules, while actual disputes that are properly the subject of the appeals process for contract non-renewal or employee termination, the employee grievance system, the employee disciplinary system or pending litigation shall be addressed through those processes.

2. (b) Public testimony on posted agenda topics. Persons who desire to make public testimony to the Board must provide, on the date of the meeting, a completed registration card to the Board's support staff at least ten (10) minutes prior to the meeting's posted start time. Registration cards shall be made available at the entry to the place where the Board's scheduled meeting is to be held and shall include blanks in which all of the following information must be disclosed:

   1. (1) name of the person making a presentation;
   2. (2) a statement as to whether the person is being reimbursed for the presentation, and if so, the name of the person or entity on whose behalf the presentation is made;
   3. (3) a statement as to whether the presenter has registered as a lobbyist in relationship to the matter in question;
   4. (4) a reference to the agenda item, that the person wishes to discuss before the Board;
   5. (5) an indication as to whether the presenter wishes to speak for or against the proposed agenda item; and
   6. (6) a statement verifying that all factual information to be presented shall be true and correct to the best of the knowledge of the speaker.

3. (c) Public comments on non-posted topics.

   1. (1) The Board defines its areas of jurisdiction in Board Policies 1.00 and 2.00, available at the Board office at the address in subsection (d) of this section, or on the Internet at http://www.windhamschooldistrict.org/csd/policy/. Twice a year at the first and fourth regularly called meetings of the Board, which are typically held in January and July, an opportunity shall be provided for public comment on issues that are not part of the Board's posted agenda but are within the jurisdiction of the Board.
   2. (2) Persons who desire to make public comments to the Board must provide, on the date of the meeting, a completed registration card to the Board's support staff at least ten (10) minutes prior to the meeting's posted start time. Registration cards shall be made available at the entry to the place where the Board's scheduled meeting is to be held.
   3. (3) Pre-registration is also available for individuals interested in speaking at the bi-annual public comment periods. Pre-registration must be submitted to the Board office either through first class mail (P.O. Box 13084, Austin Texas 78711) or email (tbcj@tdcj.state.tx.us), and must take place no earlier than the first day of the even-numbered month preceding the Board meeting for which the registration is intended, and no later than seven (7) days prior to the same meeting.

   4. (4) Registration cards and pre-registration submissions must disclose the following information:

      1. (A) name of the person making the presentation;
      2. (B) a statement as to whether the person is being reimbursed for the presentation, and if so, the name of the person or entity on whose behalf the presentation is made;
      3. (C) a statement as to whether the presenter has registered as a lobbyist in relationship to the matter in question;
      4. (D) the topic on which the person shall speak; and
      5. (E) a statement verifying that all factual information to be presented shall be true and correct to the best of the knowledge of the speaker.
4. (d) Requests that issues be placed on an agenda. Persons outside the agency who wish to have an agenda item posted for discussion shall address their request to the Chairman, Windham School District Board of Trustees, P.O. Box 13084, Austin, Texas 78711. Such requests should be submitted by the first day of the even-numbered month preceding the board meeting for which the request is intended and are subject to the requirements of the registration card in subsection (b). The decision whether to calendar a matter for discussion before the full Board, a Board committee, a Board liaison, or with a designated staff member, shall be within the discretion of the Chairman.
5. (e) Presentation timing. The Chairman shall have discretion in setting reasonable limits on the time to be allocated for public testimony or public comment. If several persons wish to address the Board on the same agenda item, it shall be within the discretion of the Chairman to request that persons who wish to address the same side of the issue coordinate their comments, or limit their comments to an expression of support for views previously articulated by persons speaking on the same side of an issue. For public testimony on posted agenda topics, the Chairman shall provide an opportunity for said testimony by a person who has submitted a registration card to occur prior to the Board taking action on the item denoted on the registration card.
6. (f) Disability accommodation. Persons with disabilities who have special communication or accommodation needs and who plan to attend a meeting may contact the Board Office in Austin. Requests should be made at least two (2) days before a meeting. The Board will make every reasonable effort to accommodate these needs.

7. (g) Conduct and decorum. The Board will receive public testimony and public comments as authorized by this section, subject to the following additional guidelines.

   1. (1) Questioning of those making presentations shall only occur on public testimony associated with posted agenda topics and shall be reserved to Board members and staff recognized by the Chairman;
   2. (2) Presentations shall remain pertinent to the issue denoted on the registration card;
   3. (3) A person who is determined by the Chairman to be disrupting a meeting must immediately cease the disruptive activity or leave the meeting room if ordered to do so by the Chairman; and
   4. (4) A person may not assign a portion of his or her time to another speaker.
8. (h) A person may not carry a prohibited weapon, an illegal knife, a club, or a handgun to include a licensed concealed handgun at a meeting of the Board.

Source Note:The provisions of this §300.1 adopted to be effective February 5, 2004, 29 TexReg 1199; amended to be effective February 17, 2005, 30 TexReg 714.