You will now be able to sign up online to speak at Wake County school board meetings.
Previously, people who wanted to speak at a board meeting had to go in person to the school district's headquarters to physically sign up on a sheet. Now you'll be able to register electronically anywhere you have an Internet connection.
The sign-up period will still begin at 1 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Board members rejected the idea of allowing registration days ahead of time.
People will also be able register in person at Central Office through specially provided laptop computers. The software program will tell people where they stand numerically among the speakers.
The new sign-up process, agreed to by school board members on Tuesday, will go into effect for the Oct. 7 meeting.
School board chairman Ron Margiotta had promised to review the use of online registration following a contentious vote last month that cut in half the number of monthly public comment sections. The board had agreed to change one of its two regular monthly meetings to only a work session, meaning public comment isn’t offered that day.
It's not a big leap for the school district to use online registration for board meetings. Wake has used online registration for speakers at public meetings on student reassignment changes.
Comments
I am glad they did this ...
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 22:35 — user12345I am glad they did this ... given that Debra, John and Ron don't have jobs and can spend all morning waiting for a ticket and than sit in line waiting to get in, I am glad they realized other people work for a living and do not have that luxury.
Awesome!
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 17:52 — DavidEisenstadtI'm really glad this happened, it'll allow a lot more people to sign up easily. Good move.
Next up on the slate of
Fri, 09/10/2010 - 10:19 — red_balloonNext up on the slate of improvements:
The speaker list will automatically be fed by NC WISE's list of applicant magnet students and parents. If there are more than what Margiotta would humor at one meeting, a lottery system will be used after making sure it is skewed in favor of the Enloe parades. In the spirit of 'diversity', 10% of the slots will be reserved for F&R speakers.
Can we have three minutes again?
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 14:17 — festusOr is it just too unpleasant for Board members to hear public criticism.
Don't ask the board, ask
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 16:04 — CaryCurmudgeonDon't ask the board, ask Diane Badar and the rest of the regulars. They routinely go beyond their allotted speaking time, showing a complete lack of respect for those who are waiting their turn. If the board gives them three minutes, they'll just take four.
The probability that these
Fri, 09/10/2010 - 10:22 — red_balloonThe probability that these speakers will lecture the BOE on civic conduct is directly proportional to the probability they will exceed their time limit and compounded by the probability that they will insult and abuse.
"...ask Diane Badar and the
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 20:19 — Apexter"...ask Diane Badar and the rest of the regulars. They routinely go beyond their allotted speaking time, showing a complete lack of respect for those who are waiting their turn."
Amen to this. I feel that Mr. Margiotta is going too far out of his way to be respectful to those who show nothing but contempt for the board and other speakers. I feel that in the case of repeat offenders like Ms. Bader he should direct security to escort them from the room when they go past their time and ignore repeated requests to relinquish the microphone.
They need the ability to turn off the microphone when people go past their time, although I'm sure that wouldn't deter people like Ms. Bader from continuing to rant. For speakers like that, they need the ability to pipe in an alternate feed of music to drown them out. I'm thinking something like "Yakety Sax" would do it. (For those too young to remember the Benny Hill show, it's the music in the background of this (unrelated) video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w-5_jDV3EY ). This wouldn't apply to the people who end up needing an extra 10 seconds to make their summation sentence; its for the same people who feel the need to disrupt the meeting with their rants.
We Need Chuck Barris & the Gong Show
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 20:31 — CaryCurmudgeonI say put a big gong behind behind Margiotta and let 'em have it when they go over time or off topic! Send in the Unknown Protestor too.
The Sand Man from the Apollo
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 22:12 — starsonoursThe Sand Man from the Apollo Theatre
I was thinking of that giant hook the Gong Show used.
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 21:42 — raleighlauraYes, I think people are rude to the board and to subsequent speakers when they keep talking over their time limit. I am glad people can sign up online now.
Or we could do like Mr.
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 20:38 — DrActualFactualOr we could do like Mr. Burns (ironic) from the Simpsons and have a trap door at the podium--they could be cut short from speaking and removed all at the same time thus cutting back on security expenses as well. As Mr. Burns would say, "excellent."
I agree. Mr Burns from the
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 21:49 — zandeI agree. Mr Burns from the Simpsons and the new Board have a lot in common.....
Considering the same faces
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 14:58 — red_balloonConsidering the same faces show up in the parades and that they have had multiple chances to abuse, don't you think they should be able to deliver their 'criticism' within two minutes?
ot
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 09:30 — AngelaWDemocratic Party sources forwarded Commissioner Harold Webb's letter of resignation, sent yesterday to the Wake County Clerk. Webb suffered a stroke last October. Although his health has improved, he wrote, his constituents need someone representing them full-time.
Webb's term doesn't expire for two more years. His replacement will be chosen by a committee of the Wake County Democratic Party, which was already scheduled to meet next week — on Tuesday, Sept. 14 — to select a successor for ex-Chair Jack Nichols. Nichols resigned after becoming a candidate for Wake Commissioner in the 2010 elections in November. He's taking on Republican incumbent Paul Coble
Once Brannon and Wright are
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 09:18 — red_balloonOnce Brannon and Wright are done collating computer ownership data between NEDs and EDs, you can expect press releases vilifying the BOE for seeking to muzzle public comment, constraining academic achievement, and segregating the masses with technology as the new dividing line. They will end their press release advocating WCPSS issue computers to all parents to keep it equitable. Further, to guarantee it is equitable and garners national recognition, we will use our trusted skewed lottery algorithm to award the computers.