District Policy 5010 - Board Meetings

5010.10 Except as indicated herein, regular meetings of the Board of Trustees shall occur on the 2nd Wednesday of each calendar month at 6:00 p.m. The regular meetings of the Board of Trustees, and all other meetings of the District’s legislative bodies that are subject to the Brown Act, shall be simultaneously held at the District Board Room, 1351 Rollins Road, Burlingame, California 94010 and via electronic means via https://www.smcmvcd.org/board-meetings. All members of the public seeking to observe and/or to address the local legislative body may participate in the meeting in person, telephonically, or otherwise electronically in the manner set forth in the agenda notice for the meeting of the legislative body, which may be updated, from time to time.

Unless specifically needed, no regular Board meeting will be held in August. The December Board meeting shall be designated as a Trustee Field Day. Notice of meetings and posting of the agenda for public viewing will be provided in accordance with the provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act (California Government Code §54950 through §54960) (“Brown Act”). Meetings shall be conducted in compliance with District Policies and legal requirements.

5010.20 Special meetings of the Board of Trustees may be called at any time by the District Manager, the Board President or by a majority of the Board in accordance with the Brown Act.

      5010.21 All Trustees, District Manager, requested District Counsel, and requested staff shall be notified of a special Board meeting and the purpose or purposes for which it is called. Said notification shall be in writing, delivered to the Trustees, District Counsel, and staff at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting.

      5010.22 In accordance with the provisions of the Brown Act, newspapers of general circulation in the District, radio stations and television stations, organizations, and others who have requested notice of meetings shall be notified by a mailing. If the special meeting is called less than one week in advance, notice will be given by telephone during business hours as soon after the meeting is scheduled as practicable.

      5010.23 An agenda shall be prepared as specified for regular Board meetings in Policy # 5020 and shall be delivered with the notice of the special meeting to those specified above.

      5010.24 Only those items of business listed in the published agenda for the special meeting shall be discussed and/or acted upon by the Board at the special meeting.

5010.30 Emergency Meetings. In the event of an emergency situation involving matters upon which prompt action is necessary due to the disruption or threatened disruption of public facilities, the Board of Trustees may hold an emergency special meeting without the twentyfour (24) hour notice required in Policy 5010.21 as long as all Trustees, District Manager, District Counsel, are notified by email or telephone.

      5010.31 For purposes of this policy, an emergency situation means a work stoppage, crippling or eminent disaster, or other activity that severely impairs or threatens public health, safety, or both, as determined by the District Manager, Board President, or Vice President in the President’s absence.

      5010.32 In accordance with the Brown Act (California Government Code §54950 through §54960), newspapers of general circulation in the District, radio stations and television stations, which have requested notice of special meetings, shall be notified by at least one (1) hour prior to the emergency special meeting. In the event that telephone services are not functioning, the notice requirement of one hour is waived, but the District Manager, or designee, shall notify such newspapers, radio stations, or television stations of the fact of the holding of the emergency special meeting, and of any action taken by the Board, as soon after the meeting as possible.

      5010.33 A closed session may not be held during an emergency special meeting, and all aspects of the Brown Act governing special meetings shall be complied with. The District shall post the following for a minimum of ten (10) days in the District office and at a location where the public can view these documents, or as soon after the meeting as possible: the minutes of the emergency special meeting, a list of persons the District Manager or designee notified or attempted to notify, a copy of the roll call vote(s), and all actions taken at such meeting.

5010.40 Adjourned Meetings. A regular or special meeting can be adjourned and reconvened to a time and place specified in the order of adjournment. If no time is stated, the meeting is continued to the hour for the next regular Board of Trustees meeting. In the absence of a quorum, a vote of a majority of the Trustees present may adjourn the meeting. If no Trustees of the Board are present, the District Manager may adjourn the meeting. If a meeting is adjourned for less than five calendar days, a new agenda need not be posted so long as a new item of business, not on the prior agenda, is not introduced. A copy of the order of adjournment must be posted within 24 hours after the adjournment, at or near the door of the place where the meeting was held and at a location from which the public on City of Burlingame public property can read it.

5010.50 The Board of Trustees shall hold an election at its regular meeting in January every other year. The Board’s policies for its internal election of Board officers are set forth in Policy 4150

5010.60 The Board President will chair the Board meeting and shall determine the order in which the Board shall consider agenda items for discussion and/or action.

5010.70 The Board President and the District Manager shall ensure that appropriate information is available from the Board Secretary for the members of the public attending meetings of the Board of Trustees, and that physical and/or electronic facilities for Board meetings are functional and appropriate.

Issued: October 9, 2002

Revised: September 2021

Legal Counsel Review: September 2021

Review by Policy Committee: July 2015

Board Approval: September 8, 2021