school boards

When public pressure is intense, what can you do?

By Ann Macfarlane / January 21, 2021 /

At a recent workshop, a director from a school board split by pandemic-related decisions asked me what board members can do in the face of intense public pressure. These are tough times for local non-partisan government bodies, for sure. Here are some thoughts about what can be done. Download PDF Listen to your constituents, while…

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Don’t get into back-and-forth exchanges during public comment

By Ann Macfarlane / March 6, 2018 /

Updated March 11, 2020 – see link to news story below. When city councils, school boards or other public bodies hold their meetings, it is usual to reserve a time in the meeting for members of the public to speak to their elected officials. One common name for this is the public comment period. We…

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