VCSB Pushes Change To Board Meeting Public Comment Policy To January

DeLand, FL - Policy changes to public comment during a regular Volusia County School Board (VCSB) meeting were pulled from the agenda at Tuesday's meeting. Volusia County Schools (VCS) Community Information Director Kelly Schulz said, "The board decided to postpone the public participation policy changes until our January meeting. In the meantime, board members will individually send General Counsel Kevin Pendley their preferred changes. Once he puts it all together he will put it on the agenda for January for the board to discuss and vote on."

Here are the proposed changes that will add a section on decorum during meetings:

• prohibits people from addressing individual board members;
• prohibits people from discussing ongoing litigation or disciplinary issues;
• prohibits profanity, personal attacks, or abusive comments;
• prohibits clapping, heckling, or comments from the audience;
• prohibits people from talking on the phone in the board room;
• and gives the chairperson the ability to cut anyone off from speaking if they violate the policy and call in law enforcement to remove the individual from the meeting. 

VCSB is still working on its version of redistricting, with Board members still undecided on which map to choose. According to Schulz, during Tuesday's meeting, Mr. Persis said he liked Map Z, Mr. Colon, and Ms. Haynes like map L. Ms. Burnette doesn’t’ really like map L because it divides a subdivision.  Approving a map has been pushed to the December board meeting.