POLICY: 7
BOARD OPERATIONS
In order to carry out its responsibilities effectively, the Board will hold periodic meetings of several types. Formal meetings, at which all formal and legal business of the Board as a corporate body shall be done, may be designated as Inaugural, regular, special, or closed (in-camera). The Board may also hold informal meetings from time to time for the purposes of general discussion, meeting with other individuals or groups, or for information gathering and sharing.
The Board has adopted a specific policy governing the conduct of its formal meetings.
All meetings held and processes undertaken are to be consistent with criteria of orderliness, appropriate opportunity for due consideration of issues, meeting legal and contractual requirements, reasonable informality of operation, and providing public accountability.
Specifically
1. Definitions
1.1 In this policy, unless the context requires otherwise:
1.1.1 Act means the School Act of British Columbia.
1.1.2 Board means the Board of Education of School District 37.
1.1.3 Chair means the individual elected by the Board to serve as its Chair.
1.1.4 Election period means from the day trustee candidate nominations are concluded until the election date.
1.1.5 Majority vote means more than half of the votes cast are in the affirmative.
1.1.6 Public means current Delta School District parents/guardians or Delta residents
1.1.7 Presiding Officer means the person presiding over a meeting.
1.1.8 Secretary-Treasurer means the Secretary-Treasurer of the District.
1.1.9 Superintendent means the Superintendent of the District.
1.1.10 Trustee means a person elected to serve as trustee for the current term of office.
1.1.11 Two-thirds vote means at least two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast are in the affirmative.
1.1.12 Unanimous Consent means there is no objection at a meeting to a non-contentious decision such as a change to the agenda or a non- controversial amendment.
1.2 The definitions and provisions in the Act apply to this policy and supersede any provisions in this policy that may conflict with it. Provisions in this policy that are identical to those in the Act may not be altered or suspended. If an amendment to the Act creates a conflict with a provision in this policy, such an amendment shall come into effect immediately, and this policy shall be deemed to have been altered accordingly.
2. General Provisions
2.1 All decisions and acts of the Board require a majority vote of the trustees at a duly convened Board meeting with a quorum present, except in cases where the Act or this policy may require more than a majority vote.
2.2 In all unprovided cases, the meetings of the Board and its Committees are governed by the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, to the extent that it is relevant and applicable to the proceedings of the Board, and then only in cases where it is not inconsistent with the Act or this policy. The rules of order are to be used in a manner that facilitates progress and protects fundamental rights. In cases where the applicability of Robert’s Rules of Order is disputed, the Board shall determine the applicability.
2.3 A quorum for the meetings of the Board and its Committees is a majority of the voting members, with the Presiding Officer (if a voting member) being counted in calculating the quorum and in determining whether a quorum is present. If a quorum is not present at the scheduled starting time of a meeting, the trustees present wait for up to thirty (30) minutes, and – if at that time a quorum is still not present – the meeting is adjourned.
2.4 The Board shall allow trustees to participate in or attend a meeting of the Board by telephone or other means of communication if all trustees and other persons participating in or attending the meeting are able to clearly communicate with each other. This option shall not be unreasonably denied. If a trustee participates in or attends a meeting of the Board by telephone or other means of communication, the trustee is to be counted for the purposes of establishing a quorum.
2.5 Board discussions, once trustee candidate nominations are concluded, are to be confined to necessary Board business, thus avoiding campaign discussion or unnecessary focus on controversial issues which may become part of the campaign.
3. Board Meeting Schedule
3.1 The Board schedule includes Inaugural Meetings, regular meetings, special meetings, and closed (in-camera) meetings. No Board meeting may be held on a statutory holiday, unless the Board waives this restriction by a two-thirds (2/3) vote.
3.2 The Board holds an Inaugural Meeting annually on the first Tuesday in November, for the purpose of electing the Chair and Vice-Chair and making additional appointments, as needed. The Presiding Officer for an Inaugural Meeting is the Superintendent or designate, who shall continue to preside until the Chair for the coming year has been elected. The election of the Chair and Vice-Chair is by plurality vote. Tie votes are resolved by additional ballots. If, after three (3) ballots, a tie persists, the new Chair or Vice-Chair is elected by drawing lots.
3.3 Regular Board meetings are held at least once a month on the second Tuesday of every month, or such other day as the Board decides. Regular meetings are not held in July and August, except at the call of the Chair for emergency business only.
3.4 A special Board meeting is called for the purpose of dealing with urgent business that cannot wait until the next regular meeting. Such a meeting may be called by the Board Chair and must be called if three (3) or more trustees request such a meeting in writing.
3.5 A closed (in-camera) Board meeting is called for the purpose of dealing with issues that – in the Board’s opinion – the public interest requires be held in private. Issues that can justifiably be dealt with in a closed (in-camera) meeting include:
3.5.1 Salary claims and adjustments and the consideration of requests of employees and Board officers with respect to collective bargaining procedures;
3.5.2 Accident claims and other matters where Board liability may arise;
3.5.3 Legal opinions respecting the liability or interest of the Board;
3.5.4 The conduct, efficiency, discipline, suspension, termination or retirement of employees;
3.5.5 Medical matters or examinations and medical reports;
3.5.6 Matters pertaining to individual students including the conduct, discipline, suspension or expulsion of students, truancy and indigent students;
3.5.7 Staff changes including appointments, transfers, resignations, promotions and demotions;
3.5.8 Purchase of real property including the designation of new sites, consideration of appraisal reports, consideration of accounts claimed by owners, determination of Board offers and expropriation procedures;
3.5.9 Lease, sale or exchange of real property prior to finalization thereof;
3.5.10 Matters pertaining to the safety, security or protection of Board property;
3.5.11 Such other matters where the Board has decided that the public interest so requires, or which in the opinion of the Board are of a confidential or sensitive nature.
3.6 No trustee or staff member shall disclose to the public the proceedings of a closed (in-camera) meeting unless a resolution has been passed at the closed (in-camera) meeting allowing disclosure of a particular motion or action. All motions to publicly release items dealt with in a closed (in-camera) meeting shall be made and dealt with during that closed (in-camera) meeting.
3.7 Notices of Board meetings must be given to the public at least one (1) week in advance of such meetings. The agendas for such meetings must be announced to the public at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of a Board meeting.
4. Agendas and Notices
4.1 Agendas for Board meetings are prepared by the Agenda Review Committee and may include preliminary time limits on presentations and agenda items. Meeting agendas are to be reviewed by the Agenda Review Committee, consisting of the Board Chair, the Superintendent and the Secretary-Treasurer or designate(s). The Committee will conclude its task no later than noon (12:00 p.m.) of the Thursday prior to the Board meeting.
4.2 Trustees may give a notice of motion or notice of an agenda item to be added to a subsequent meeting agenda by:
4.2.1 Giving written notice at a regular meeting of their intention to introduce a motion or agenda item at a subsequent Board meeting; or
4.2.2 Submitting such motion or agenda item in writing to the Secretary- Treasurer no later than 10:00 a.m., seven (7) calendar days before the meeting during which it is to be considered.
4.3 Additions to the agenda presented after the deadline in section 4.2 are generally permitted only if they do not lead to decision making. If such late addition is for decision making, it requires the unanimous agreement of the trustees present to proceed to decision making, or else such decisions are postponed until the next Board meeting.
4.4 The standard order of business for a regular meeting, which may be modified by the Board by a majority vote or by unanimous consent, is as follows:
4.4.1 Call to Order
4.4.2 Consideration and Adoption of Agenda
4.4.3 Good News
4.4.4 Receiving School/Student Presentations
4.4.5 Receiving Delegations, Briefs and Presentations
4.4.6 Approval of Minutes
4.4.7 Receipt of Records of Closed Meetings
4.4.8 Unfinished Business and Routine Action
4.4.9 Chair’s / Committee Reports
4.4.10 Proposals and Reports
4.4.11 Items for Information/Correspondence
4.4.11.1 Public
4.4.11.2 Politicians
4.4.12 Question Period
4.4.13 Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
4.4.14 Adjournment
4.5 The hours of regular meetings are as set below, subject to a motion to extend the time, requiring a two-thirds (2/3) vote or unanimous consent:
4.5.1 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. – regular meeting open to staff, media, and the public and followed by a general question and answer period.
4.6 The agenda for a special meeting includes only those items which are included in the notice of such meeting, and no additional items may be considered, except by unanimous consent of the trustees present.
4.7 The agenda will be distributed on Friday afternoon to trustees only. The agenda will be distributed to all other recipients no later than the Monday preceding the meeting.
4.7.1 Supporting materials will accompany the agenda distribution to trustees whenever possible but in no case are they to be distributed later than the Monday preceding the meeting.
4.7.2 Trustees may postpone the agenda item to a subsequent meeting if supporting materials receipt has been delayed.
5. Presiding Officer
5.1 As indicated in section 3.2, at its Inaugural Meeting, the Board elects one (1) of the trustees to serve as Board Chair and another trustee to serve as Vice- Chair for the coming year.
5.2 The Chair, if present, is the Presiding Officer at all Board meetings, except that the Chair may, on an as needed basis, delegate the presiding task to the Vice-Chair.
5.3 If the Chair is not present, the Vice-Chair acts as Chair and Presiding Officer at the respective meeting.
5.4 If both the Chair and the Vice-Chair are not present, the Board may select one (1) of its members to act as Presiding Officer in the interim.
5.5 The Presiding Officer is entitled to vote and participate in debate, under the same rules that apply to the other trustees.
5.6 During a meeting, the Presiding Officer’s role is to maintain order and decorum, recognize trustees or others to speak, enforce the rules of order, and make rulings on points of order, subject to appeals by trustees.
6. Rules of Order
Rules for Participation in Meetings
6.1 A trustee who wishes to speak or make a motion at a meeting shall wait to be recognized by the Presiding Officer. Recognition shall generally be on a first- come-first-served basis, and the Presiding Officer shall keep a speaker’s list.
6.2 A trustee who is speaking shall address the Chair as “Chair ”, and shall address other trustees as “Trustee ”.
6.3 A trustee shall not interrupt another person who was duly recognized to speak, except to raise a point of order or a question of privilege.
6.4 A trustee who makes a motion is entitled to speak on it for the first time in preference to other members, but does not have the right of speaking last.
6.5 Each trustee is entitled to speak up to two (2) times on each debatable motion or issue, each time no longer than four (4) minutes, except when granted permission by the Board to exceed these limits.
6.6 A trustee who wishes to speak for the second time on the same motion or issue must wait until those trustees who wish to speak on it for the first time have spoken.
6.7 The Presiding Officer may alternate between proponents and opponents of a proposal, regardless of the first-come-first-served rule stated in 6.1.
6.8 Debate on a motion may be closed informally, by unanimous consent, or – in the absence of unanimous consent – by voting on a motion to close debate.
Rules of Decorum
6.9 Trustees must keep their comments germane to the issues at hand.
6.10 Trustees must remain civil and courteous, avoid offensive language or personal attacks, and abide by the Presiding Officer’s instructions.
6.11 Remarks or questions to other trustees, staff members or a public delegation shall be directed through the Chair.
6.12 Board accepted Protocols which were created to enhance and enable effective governance are expected to be honoured by all trustees.
Confidentiality
6.13 Trustees must uphold the confidentiality of the proceedings of closed (in- camera) meetings.
Conflict of Interest
6.14 The trustee is directly responsible to the electorate of the District and to the Board.
Upon election to office, the trustee must accept a position of public trust and is expected to act in a manner which will enhance the trust accorded the trustee, and through the trustee, the trust accorded to the Board.
Elected officials must not have financial interests, liabilities or appointments which place them in a position of conflict of interest or opportunity for personal gain while representing the District.
The Board’s ability to discharge its obligations is dependent upon the confidence the residents of the District place in the Board and in its trustee members.
Trustees are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards appropriate to their public office and must promptly disclose any pecuniary interest relating to decisions pending before the Board.
6.14.1 The trustee is expected to be conversant with Sections 55 to 60 of the School Act.
6.14.2 The trustee is responsible for declaring him/herself to be in possible conflict of interest.
6.14.2.1 The trustee shall make such declaration in an open meeting prior to Board or Committee discussion of the subject matter which may place the trustee in conflict of interest.
6.14.3 It shall be the responsibility of the trustee in conflict to absent him/herself from the meeting in accordance with the requirements of the School Act and ensure that his/her declaration and absence is properly recorded within the minutes. Further, the trustee may not in any way attempt to influence the decision on such issues.
6.14.4 The Financial Disclosure Act requires all trustees and selected employees to disclose personal financial information as required under the Act.
6.14.4.1 In accordance with the Financial Disclosure Act all trustees shall file disclosure forms by January 15 each year.
Remedies for Non-Compliance with Sections 6.1 to 6.13
6.15 If a trustee does not abide by one (1) or more of the rules in Sections 6.1 to 6.13, the Presiding Officer shall indicate the violation and direct that the member abide by the respective rule.
6.16 If, after one (1) or more warnings, a trustee persists in breaching the rules, the Presiding Officer may order that the member leave for the remainder of the meeting or for a portion thereof.
6.17 From time to time, for the effective governance of the District, the Board will write and agree on Board Protocols and they shall be honoured.
7. Minutes
The Board shall maintain and preserve by means of minutes a record of its proceedings and resolutions.
7.1 The minutes shall record:
7.1.1 Date, time and place of meeting;
7.1.2 Type of meeting (Inaugural, regular or special);
7.1.3 Name of presiding officer;
7.1.4 Names of those trustees and administration in attendance;
7.1.5 Approval of preceding minutes;
7.1.6 A brief summary of the circumstances which gave rise to the matter being debated by the Board;
7.1.7 All resolutions, including the Board’s disposition of the same, placed before the Board, are to be entered in full;
7.1.8 Points of order and appeals;
7.1.9 Appointments;
7.1.10 Summarized reports of Committees;
7.1.11 Trustee declaration pursuant to Section 56, 57 or 58 of the School Act.
7.2 The minutes shall:
7.2.1 Be prepared as directed by the Superintendent;
7.2.2 Be reviewed by the Secretary-Treasurer prior to submission to the Board;
7.2.3 Be considered an unofficial record of proceedings until such time as adopted by a resolution of the Board; and
7.2.4 Upon adoption by the Board, be deemed to be the official and sole record of the Board’s business.
7.3 The Secretary-Treasurer shall ensure that, upon acceptance by the Board, appropriate initials are appended to each page of the minutes, and that appropriate signatures and the corporate seal of the District are affixed to the concluding page of the minutes.
7.4 The Secretary-Treasurer shall establish a codification system for resolutions determined by the Board which will:
7.4.1 Provide for ready identification as to the meeting at which it was considered;
7.4.2 Provide for cross-referencing with resolutions of similar nature adopted by the Board at previous meetings; and
7.4.3 Establish and maintain a file of all Board minutes.
7.5 All Committees of the Board, unless otherwise directed, shall prepare and submit minutes or a report to the Board.
7.6 As part of its ongoing effort to keep staff and the public fully informed concerning its affairs and actions, the Board expects the Superintendent to institute and maintain effective and appropriate procedures for the prompt dissemination of information about decisions made at all Board meetings.
7.7 The approved minutes of a regular or special meeting shall be posted to the website as soon as possible following approval. The Superintendent or designate is responsible to distribute and post the approved minutes.
7.8 Upon adoption by the Board, the minutes shall be open to public scrutiny at the District Office at all reasonable times.
8. Voting
8.1 Voting shall be by a show of hands except for election of Chair and Vice- Chair, and only the results recorded unless a trustee requests the recording of names. Where names are recorded, both positive and negative votes shall be recorded.
8.2 As indicated in section 5.5, the Presiding Officer is entitled to vote.
8.3 Trustees are expected to vote unless they explain the reason for abstaining.
9. Main Motions
9.1 During Board meetings, only main motions that were included or implied in the notice of a Board meeting are allowed to come before the Board, except when the Board, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, allows otherwise, as per section 4.3.
9.2 A main motion has no standing and no debate on it commences until it has been seconded and has been stated by the Presiding Officer as pending before the Board.
9.3 Main motions must be concise, unambiguous and complete, and the Presiding Officer may require that a main motion be submitted in writing or that it be clarified before it is opened for debate or put to a vote.
9.4 The Presiding Officer must rule that a resolution is out of order if it violates the Act, bylaws, or Board policies. When ruling that a main motion is out of order, the Presiding Officer is expected to cite the provision that would be violated by the motion in question.
9.5 The Presiding Officer must read or clarify a resolution before a vote on it is taken or the Presiding Officer may direct that a designated staff member do the same.
9.6 At the request of a trustee, a main motion will be read by the Presiding Officer or a designated staff member.
10. Secondary Motions
10.1 While a main motion is pending before the Board, secondary motions may be introduced and voted on prior to the vote on the main motion.
10.2 This section outlines the rules for the most commonly used secondary motions. For a more complex application of procedures, Robert’s Rules may be consulted or the Board may interpret the procedural rules at its discretion.
Amendments
10.3 An amendment is a proposal that the wording of another motion be changed before the vote on it is taken. The following main rules apply to amendments:
10.3.1 An amendment is generally required to be in one (1) of these three forms:
10.3.1.1 To amend by inserting or adding text; or
10.3.1.2 To amend by striking out text; or
10.3.1.3 To amend by striking out text and inserting other text in its place.
10.3.2 An amendment requires a seconder, is debatable, and requires a majority vote to adopt.
10.3.3 An amendment must be germane (or closely related) to the motion that it seeks to modify, but it does not have to be supportive of its intent.
10.3.4 There may be up to two (2) amendments at the same time, while a motion is on the floor, and are voted on the reverse order of introduction:
10.3.4.1 A primary amendment is an amendment to the main motion.
10.3.4.2 A secondary amendment is an amendment to the amendment.
Motions to Dispose of a Pending Main Motion
10.4 The following four (4) motions may be used to dispose of a pending main motion, permanently or temporarily, without taking a direct vote on it:
10.4.1 Postponement to a definite time: A motion to postpone consideration of the pending main motion to a later time. This motion requires a seconder, is debatable, and requires a majority vote to adopt, and must specify the time to which consideration is to be postponed.
10.4.2 Referral: A motion to send a pending main motion to the Superintendent or a Committee. This motion requires a seconder, is debatable, and requires a majority vote to adopt.
10.4.3 Indefinite postponement: A motion to decline to take a position on a pending main motion. This motion requires a seconder, is debatable, and requires a majority vote to adopt.
10.4.4 Tabling: A motion to set aside the pending resolution or bylaw temporarily, with the purpose of accommodating something else of immediate urgency (e.g.: an important visitor that the Board wants to hear from). This motion is not debatable and requires a seconder and a majority vote to adopt. Its effect is to set aside the resolution or bylaw temporarily.
Motions to Limit, Extend or Close Debate
10.5 The following two (2) motions may be used to limit, extend or close debate:
10.5.1 Limit or extend debate: A motion to limit or extend debate (e.g.: to shorten or extend the length of speeches for a certain main motion), or to establish a closing time for debate on it. The motion to limit or extend debate is not debatable, and requires a seconder and a two thirds (2/3) vote or unanimous consent to adopt.
10.5.2 Closing debate (or “previous question”): A motion to stop debate and proceed to the vote immediately. This motion is not debatable, and requires a seconder and a two-thirds (2/3) vote to adopt.
Privileged Motions
10.6 The following Privileged Motions are most likely to be required at a Board meeting:
10.6.1 A question of privilege: A request or a motion relating to the rights and privileges of members, e.g.: a request that noises and distractions be addressed. Usually a question of privilege is addressed informally. If needed, it can interrupt a speaker.
10.6.2 Adjourn: A motion to close the meeting. This motion is usually not debatable, and requires a seconder and a majority vote to adopt.
10.6.3 Recess: A motion to take a short intermission, after which the proceedings are resumed. This motion is usually not debatable, and requires a seconder and a majority vote to adopt.
Incidental Motions
10.7 The following Incidental Motions are most likely to be required at a Board meeting:
10.7.1 A Point of Order: A complaint by a trustee that a rule of the Board has been violated. This motion does not require a seconder and can interrupt a speaker. The Presiding Officer makes a ruling as to whether the point of order is well taken or not well taken. This procedure is not to be used for purely technical violations that do not breach anyone’s rights and do not harm the transaction of business.
10.7.2 An Appeal: A motion that enables a trustee to dispute a ruling by the Presiding Officer and submit it to the Board’s decision. A majority in the negative overrides the Chair’s ruling.
10.7.3 Division of a Question: A motion to divide a multi-part motion, so as to debate and vote on each part separately. This motion is not debatable, and requires a seconder and a majority vote to adopt.
10.7.4 Withdrawal of a Motion: Until debate on a motion commences, the mover may withdraw or change it. After the Chair has stated the resolution as pending and debate has begun, the motion belongs to the Board, at which point the mover may request permission to withdraw it, and the Board may agree to grant this permission by a majority vote or unanimous consent.
11. Passage of Bylaws
11.1 Unless expressly required to be exercised by bylaw, all matters may be dealt with by resolution or by general consent. A resolution shall have only one (1) reading but a bylaw shall have three (3) readings.
The following matters shall be resolved only by bylaw:
11.1.1 Amendments to bylaws;
11.1.2 Where required by the School Act.
11.2 Written notice of intention to propose or amend a bylaw or a policy shall be provided to trustees together with the written notice of the meeting. Financial bylaws required by the Ministry of Education shall have this notice provision waived.
11.3 Every bylaw shall be dealt with in the following stages:
11.3.1 First reading – no debate or amendment;
11.3.2 Second reading – discussion of the bylaw;
11.3.3 Third reading – final decision.
11.4 The Board may not give a bylaw more than two (2) readings at any one meeting unless the members of the Board who are present at the meeting unanimously agree to give the bylaw all three (3) readings at that meeting. Where multiple bylaws of the same type are before the Board, they can be dealt with in one package with three (3) readings being given to the package rather than to each individual bylaw.
11.5 The Secretary-Treasurer shall certify on a copy of each bylaw the readings and the times thereof and the context of any amendment passed in Committee.
11.6 The trustee who introduces a bylaw may withdraw the same at any state with the agreement of the trustees.
12. Rules for Public Participation Applications
12.1 A member/Members of the public may request permission to speak to the Board at a Board Meeting (known as a public delegation), or such a person/persons may request that a document, petition or proposal be placed before the Board, by contacting the Secretary-Treasurer. Requests to appear as a public delegation must outline the topic and purpose of the delegation and must be submitted in writing ten calendar days prior to a scheduled meeting.
12.2 The Chair reviews all applications submitted under 12.1 and may:
12.2.1 Approve that the application, in which case the Chair will determine the date and the meeting at which the public delegation will be heard or at which the document, petition or proposal in question shall be placed before the Board for consideration; or
12.2.2 That the applicant(s) shall be required to submit further information before the application is considered further; or
12.2.3 That the application shall be referred to the Superintendent or to a Committee of the Board for study and recommendation as to how it is to be handled, but the Chair will retain the authority to make the final decision on the application, heeding or ignoring the recommendation; or
12.2.4 That the application shall be refused.
12.3 The Board may resolve to override or modify the Chair’s decision on a specific application submitted under Section 12.1
Presentations by Public Delegations
12.4 A presentation by a public delegation at a Board meeting is limited to five (5) minutes, must be confined to the subject that was indicated in the application, and may be followed by questions from the Board for a period of up to five (5) minutes, except that these time limits may be modified by the Board on a case-by-case basis.
12.5 If needed, the Board may resolve to permit or request a member of the public to speak and/or respond to questions relevant to a pending agenda item without adhering to the process outlined in Sections 12.1 to 12.4.
12.6 Trustees who are asking questions of a public delegation and Question Period must limit themselves to seeking clarification and must not engage in a debate on the merits of issues.
12.7 In general, presentations by public delegations will not occur during an election period.
Question Period
12.8 A question period of up to thirty (30) minutes duration will be set aside before the adjournment of regular Board meetings.
12.9 The time allotted for anyone member of the public to ask a question is limited to two (2) minutes.
12.10 Question period is intended to enable the public to obtain information from the Board that cannot be provided by staff. Only questions relating to current formal meeting agenda topics will be allowed and are dedicated only to members of the public in attendance at the meeting.
12.11 The question period is not to be used as a political forum or for furthering presentations by delegations, or to deal with matters that should properly be dealt with through other channels.
12.12 Individuals in their role as employees of the school district shall channel their questions through an executive member of the employee group to which they belong.
12.13 Where questions cannot be answered at the meeting, they will be responded to via email following the meeting.
Disruptive Behaviours
12.14 Members of the public, including delegations, are expected to comply with Board norms of conduct and decorum at meetings. Threatening, abusive or discriminatory language, remarks of a personal, inflammatory, or accusatory nature and/or behaviour that compromises the safety of the public will not be tolerated.
12.15 The use of recording devices shall not interfere with the conduct of the meeting and may be discontinued at the discretion of the Chair.
12.16 If a member of the public is disrupting a meeting, the Presiding Officer may order that such person be removed from the Board room and may order that the Board’s proceedings be recessed until the matter has been dealt with.
13. Board Correspondence
13.1 The Board Chair or Superintendent or designate shall acknowledge expeditiously any letter, fax or email, other than letters of acknowledgement, circular letters or letters terminating a correspondence.
13.2 In general, letters, faxes or emails directed to the District and addressed to the Board Chair, or to the Board, or to officials of the Board, shall be acknowledged within ten (10) working days following receipt of such correspondence.
14. Trustee Remuneration and Expenses
Trusteeship is an opportunity for service to the community, and as such must be considered largely a voluntary activity. Demands on the trustee’s time and effort are to be limited by recognition that the role is intended to be primarily one of decision- making at the policy level, rather than day-to-day operation of the District.
Nevertheless, trusteeship involves responsibility and commitment which has the potential of causing a reduction of employment income.
14.1 Effective execution of Board responsibilities requires that trustees represent the Board at various meetings and conferences, and that they remain informed through attendance at periodic seminars, conventions and workshops related to their responsibilities. The Board encourages such attendance and shall include funds in the annual budget to cover expenses.
14.2 Trustees are expected to exercise discretion in incurring expenses within the limit of the annual budget appropriation.
14.3 Attendance at major conferences outside the Metro area shall be approved in advance by the Board Chair, in order to ensure that the opportunities selected are valuable learning experiences and are shared equitably among trustees.
14.4 In determining the appropriate level of trustee remuneration, the Board shall consider:
14.4.1 The voluntary nature of the role;
14.4.2 The potential loss of employment income;
14.4.3 The level of responsibility involved;
14.4.4 Comparative remuneration in other Districts;
14.4.5 The desire to present a financially responsible image.
14.5 Under Section 71 of the School Act, a Board may authorize the payment of remuneration to be paid to trustees.
14.5.1 The level of remuneration shall be adjusted annually to reflect the average indemnity paid to the Chair and trustees for the Metro school districts or these remuneration levels shall be adjusted annually by the percentage change in the Vancouver C.P.I., whichever is greater.
14.5.2 Two-thirds (2/3) of the trustee remuneration is allotted in recognition of services rendered to the community by the trustee. The remaining one-third (1/3) of the trustee remuneration is accepted as an allowance for expenses incurred in the discharge of the trustee’s duties within the District and is deemed to cover miscellaneous non- accountable expenses and those expenses related to attending regular meetings of the Board and its Committees.
14.5.2.1 A trustee will not be reimbursed for travel expenses within Delta or for other expenses associated with fulfilling his/her duties in Delta at meetings, District events and as school liaison. Such expenses are covered by the expense allowance of the trustee remuneration. Expenses specifically assumed to be included in this allowance include, but are not limited to:
14.5.2.1.1 Telephone and cell phone costs.
14.5.2.1.2 Fuel, mileage, taxi and parking within Delta.
14.5.2.1.3 Luncheons within Delta.
14.5.2.1.4 Office expenses, books, magazines, etc.
14.5.3 A trustee who fails to attend more than three (3) regular public meetings of the Board in any quarter, or more than six (6) in any year, unless the absence is for illness or is excused by Board resolution, shall have his/her remuneration reduced by two and half percent (2.5%) for each absence in excess of the allowable number.
14.6 Expenses shall be reimbursed as follows:
14.6.1 Registration fees and/or membership dues.
14.6.2 Reasonable accommodation and travel expenses.
14.6.3 Actual meal costs and other reasonable incidental expenses up to the current BCSTA per diem amounts. Meals provided at the conference or event will not be eligible for reimbursement.
14.7 Expenses claimed must be supported by original expense receipts and where airfare is concerned, boarding passes. Charge card receipts or summary receipts which do not indicate the amount of taxes or gratuities paid are not acceptable. Gratuities are not to exceed fifteen percent (15%).
14.8 The date and purpose of an event or expense; and for meetings, the names of persons met with must be clearly outlined on the expense form (Form BP7- 2).
14.9 The Superintendent or designate will arrange for direct bank deposit of cheques by having trustees complete the necessary banking authorization form (Form BP7-3).
15. Board Self-Evaluation
15.1 The annual facilitated Board self-evaluation process will complement the Superintendent evaluation process.
15.2 The purpose of the Board self-evaluation is to answer the following questions:
15.2.1 How well have we fulfilled each of our defined roles in relation to our vision, mission, values and goals as a Board this past year?
15.2.2 How well have we considered unconscious bias and racism in our decisions and activities?
15.2.3 How do we perceive our interpersonal working relationships?
15.2.4 How well do we receive input and how well do we communicate?
15.2.5 How well have we adhered to our annual work plan?
15.2.6 How would we rate our Board-Superintendent relations?
15.2.7 How well have we adhered to our governance policies?
15.2.8 What have we accomplished this past year? How do we know?
15.3 The principles upon which the Board self-evaluation is based are as follows:
15.3.1 A learning organization or a professional learning community is focused on the improvement of practice.
15.3.2 A pre-determined process for evaluation strengthens the governance functions, builds credibility for the Board and fosters a strong Board-Superintendent relationship.
15.3.3 An evidence-based approach provides objectivity, to supplement the subjectivity inherent in any evaluation.
15.4 The components of the Board self-evaluation are:
15.4.1 Review of Board Role Performance;
15.4.2 Monitoring Interpersonal Working Relationships;
15.4.3 Monitoring Board Representation/Communication;
15.4.4 Review of Annual Work Plan Completion;
15.4.5 Monitoring Board-Superintendent Relations;
15.4.6 Review of Board Motions;
15.4.7 Review of Board Governance Policies;
15.4.8 Creating a Positive Path Forward.
Legal Reference: Sections 50, 56, 57, 58, 59, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72 School Act
Financial Disclosure Act
Income Tax Act
Revised: December 2023
Policy 7