Currently the Buckeye Valley Local School Board of Education allows 30 minutes of public participation per board meeting. This time is provided to address items on or off the meeting agenda and is limited to 3 minutes per speaker. Due to the placement of the public comments at the beginning of each meeting (item 2.0 on the monthly agenda), many questions arise when business is conducted during the meeting, however the public is not given an opportunity to ask these questions do to the lack of a second public participation. Placing the public participation before any business is conducted leads to questions being unanswered from the Board.

By bringing back the second 30 minute public comment opportunity after business is conducted and before going into any executive session, the Board has the opportunity to address these questions and concerns which may arise as business is conducted.

We are proposing adding a second public comment session, the first 30 minute session dedicated to comments and questions addressing current agenda items only. The second 30 minute session addressing general public comments and questions.

Allowing the public to voice their opinions opens lines of communication and encourages transparency from the Board.