2008: Meetings
The formation of policy is public business and will be conducted openly in accordance with the Nebraska Open Meetings Act.
- Types of Meetings
- The board shall hold its regular meetings on or before the third Monday of each month, except July.
- Special and emergency meetings may be called as provided by law.
- The board may schedule work sessions and retreats in order to provide board members and administrators with the opportunity to plan, research, and engage in discussion.
- Notice
- The board shall give reasonable advance publicized notice of the time and place of each of its meetings, which generally will be 48 hours or more in advance of the meeting. Such notice shall be transmitted to all members of the board and to the public. Notice of regular and special meetings shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the ESU and, if available, on the newspaper’s website. Newspapers of general circulation in the ESU include, but are not necessarily limited to the Auburn Newspapers, Falls City Journal, Nebraska City News-Press, Pawnee Republican, Tecumseh Chieftan, or the Omaha World-Herald. Such notice shall contain a statement that the agenda shall be readily available for public inspection at the office of the administrator during the normal business hours. In addition, the administrator is authorized, but not required, to publish the notice of any meeting on the ESU’s website, posting in three prominent places within the ESU, or by any other appropriate method designated by the board.
- In case of refusal, neglect, or inability of the newspaper to timely publish the notice, the ESU will (1) post the notice on its website, if available, and (2) post the notice in a conspicuous public place in the ESU’s jurisdiction. The ESU will keep a written record of the posting.
- When it is necessary to hold an emergency meeting without reasonable advance public notice, the nature of the emergency shall be stated in the minutes of the meeting, and any formal action taken in such meeting shall pertain only to the emergency. Complete minutes of such emergency meetings specifying the nature of the emergency and any formal action taken at the meeting shall be made available to the public no later than the end of the next regular business day.
- Weather Delays
- In the event of inclement weather which makes it dangerous or unreasonable for board members or members of the public to attend a meeting for which notice has already been given, such meeting may be postponed by the board president.
- The board will communicate the delay and the updated date, time, and location of the postponed meeting to members of the public by posting it on the district’s website and by following the same communication protocol that the district follows when student attendance at school is called off due to inclement weather.
- When possible, the board president and superintendent will attempt to communicate the information to local media members and business owners to assist in notifying the public of the delay.
- Minutes
- The board shall keep minutes of all meetings showing the time, place, members present and absent, and the substance of all matters discussed.
- Any action taken on any question or motion duly moved and seconded shall be by roll call vote of the board in open session, and the record shall state how each member voted, or if the member was absent or not voting.
- The minutes of all meetings and evidence and documentation received or disclosed in open session shall be public record and may be published on the ESU's website.
- Order of Business, Regular Meeting
- Unless altered by the ESU 4 Board itself prior to the actual meeting, the order of business at regular meeting shall be:
- Announcements - Introductions
- Call the Meeting to Order
- Roll Call
- Action on Agenda
- Action on Minutes
- Action on Claims
- Action on Treasurer's Report
- Reports
- Public Comment
- Action Items
- Discussion Items
- Next Meeting
- Adjournment
- Quorum
- In all meetings of the Board of Directors of Educational Service Unit 4 a majority of the members required by statute shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Since the Board of Directors of Educational Service Unit 4 is made up of nine (9) members, five (5) members shall be considered the majority.
- When, due to unforeseen circumstances, a quorum is not present; the administrator is authorized to process payments for any bills deemed necessary; also to re-schedule and re-advertise the regular meeting in order for normal business to be conducted.
Adopted on: March 10, 2008
Revised on: February 12, 2018
Revised on: November 9, 2020
Reviewed on: April 11, 2011
Reviewed on: Aug. 12, 2019
Reviewed on: March 8, 2021
Revised on: August 12, 2024