Board Meetings Review

Would it be worthwhile for Board members to watch the January 7, 2020 Special-Called Board Meeting and learn how they could improve meetings?

Should the Board Chair and the Superintendent conduct a training session for the other members of the Board? A public-meetings coach should be hired to coach and train them.

Should the desks be re-arranged in a partial semi-circle, so that Board Chair could see when members had lost interest or were distracted by their purses, cell phones or side conversations? Also, so that he could clearly see hands when there is a hand-vote. He declared that the motion to adjourn the January 7th meeting was unanimous, but Dr. Elkins-Johnson did not vote. So the correct vote was 5-0-1 (Five Yeses; no No votes; one Abstain. (And one Absence.)

Should Board members turn off their cell phones and place them in purses or pockets, so they are not distracted by incoming text messages and do not feel a compulsion to type out replies?

When a member leaves her chair and the room, should the Secretary (or another member) call that to the attention of the Board Chair, so that he can be sure a quorum is still present?

Should any Board member call a Point-of-Order when side conversations are occurring or texting begins?

Should Board members not vote, if they were distracted or engaged in side conversations and missed the discussion? Shouldn't they know what they are voting on?