Northport BOE Attempts to Curb Meeting Lengths

The Northport-East Northport Board of Education recently announced measures to avoid marathon meetings by separating business meetings and work sessions.

"Business meetings will have agenda items which require Board action such as approval of personnel, financial reports, contracts etc," read an announcement on the District's website.

"Work sessions will be meetings where the Board will discuss policies, honor students and staff and hear District presentations. If Board action is necessary before the next scheduled business meeting, the Board may take that action before or after the work session. Both types of meetings will have public participation."

If all goes well with the new arrangement, meetings will be shorter and the public will be able to speak earlier in the evening. It will also give members of the public the ability to choose the type of meeting they wish to attend.

Though the calendar of meetings has not changed, each meeting has now been delineated as either a work session or a business meeting and will start at 7 p.m. Agendas are available on the District web site three days before the meeting at http://www.boarddocs.com/ny/nens/Board.nsf/Public.

Upcoming meetings:

• October 1, 2012 – Business Meeting

• October 15, 2012 – Work Session 

• November 5, 2012 – Business Meeting

• November 19, 2012 – Work Session
• December 10, 2012 – Business Meeting
• January 14, 2013 – Business Meeting
• January 28, 2013 – Work Session
• February 11, 2013 – Business Meeting
• March 4, 2013 – Budget Meeting (Personnel Service Costs)                        
• March 11, 2013 – Budget Meeting (Transportation, BOCES, Special Education, etc.)
• March 18, 2013 – Budget Meeting (Revenue, Fund Balance, Reserves)
• April 8, 2013 – Meeting to Finalize Budget
• April 23, 2013 – Vote on BOCES Budget & Trustees
• May 13, 2013 – Business Meeting/Hearing on Finalized Budget
• May 21, 2013 – Meeting to Accept Voting Returns
• June 3, 2013 – Business Meeting
• June 17, 2013 – Work Session

Do you think this measure will be effective? Tell us in the comments.

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