File: BEE

SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCTING HEARINGS

The School Committee shall receive all petitions by notifying the School Committee and the Superintendent of Schools which are addressed to them and signed by a voter and may, in their discretion, take such action in regard to such petitions as they deem necessary and appropriate.

The petition must be submitted seven (7) calendar days prior to a regularly scheduled School Committee meeting at which time the School Committee will vote by majority vote whether or not to conduct a hearing and, if so, will establish a posting for the hearing.

The public will be informed at the beginning of the hearing the particular procedures that will be followed in regard to questions, remarks, rebuttals, and any time limitations or other rules that must be followed to give everyone an opportunity to be heard.

In conformance with customary hearing procedures, statements and supporting information will be presented first by the committee, or by others for the committee; to comment, citizens must be recognized by the chair, and all remarks must be addressed to the chair and be germane to the topic. To assure that all who wish get a chance to speak, the chair will recognize persons who have not commented previously during the hearing before recognized persons who wish to remark a second time.

LEGAL REF.: Agawam City Charter, 8-1 through 8-5

Revised: 01/02/01, 01/09/01

Agawam Public Schools