Policies » Section B: School Board Governance & Operations » BEDG: Minutes

Policy Date: 02/20/2024

HSD File: BEDG
HOOKSETT SCHOOL DISTRICT
MINUTES

The Board will keep a record of the actions taken at Board meetings in the form of minutes. Minutes shall
include the names of members participating, persons appearing before the School Board, a brief description
of each subject matter discussed, and a record of all final decisions. When a recorded roll call vote on a
motion is required by law or called for by the Chair, the minutes will record how each board member voted
on the motion.

Copies of the draft minutes of a meeting will be sent to the members of the Board before the meeting at
which they are to be approved. Corrections to the minutes may be made at the meeting at which they are
to be approved.

All minutes will be kept in accordance with RSA 91-A:2 and RSA 91-A:3 and will be in the custody of the
Superintendent. Draft Minutes of all public meetings, clearly marked as drafts, will be made available for
public inspection no later than five (5) business days after each public session. Minutes for non-public
sessions shall be kept as a separate document. Draft minutes for all non- public sessions, unless sealed by a
recorded roll call vote taken in public session with 2/3 of the board members present supporting the
motion, will be made available for public inspection within seventy-two (72) hours after the non-public
session.

Approved minutes, except those non-public session minutes which are sealed, shall be consistently
posted on the District’s web site in a reasonably accessible location or the web site shall contain a notice
describing where the minutes may be reviewed and copies requested.

Draft minutes will be available for inspection at the District’s administrative office.
Sealed Minutes List. For non-public meetings beginning January 1, 2022, the Superintendent is directed to
maintain a list of all sealed minutes for non-public sessions. The list shall include:

a. the name of the public body (e.g., School Board, Policy Committee, etc.);

b. the date and time of the public meeting;

c. the start and end times of the non-public session;

d. the specific exemption in RSA 91-A:3 for the non-public session;

e. the date the vote to seal the minutes occurred; and

f. the date, if any, of a subsequent decision to unseal the minutes

The Sealed Minutes List shall be updated each time the public body seals non-public minutes, and the
updated List shall be made as soon as practicable for public disclosure.

Sealed minutes related to discussions in non-public session under RSA 91-A:2, ll (d) shall be made available
to the public as soon as practicable after the transaction has closed or the School Board has decided not to
proceed with the transaction.

Sealed minutes must either be reviewed within each ten year period or unsealed no later than the expiration
of ten years following the date they were sealed or last reviewed. Minutes sealed prior to October 3, 2023
must be reviewed and/or unsealed by October 3, 2033.

The Board will review previously sealed non-public minutes within ten years of the date the minutes were
first sealed, or within ten years of the last time those minutes were last reviewed by the Board. The minutes
shall be unsealed by majority vote of the Board if the circumstances justifying sealing the minutes no longer
apply.

As used in this policy, “sealed” minutes in reference to minutes of non-public sessions, means that the Board
determined by 2/3 majority vote in public session that “divulgence of the information” (i.e., information in the
minutes of the non-public session):

i. Would affect adversely the reputation of a person other than a Board member;

ii. Would render ineffective the action/proposed action taken in non-public session; or

iii. Pertains matters relating the preparation for and carrying out of all emergency
functions intended to thwart a deliberate act intended to result in widespread or
severe damage to property or widespread injury or loss of life (i.e., terrorism).

Minutes which are not reviewed after 10 years will be automatically unsealed.

Legal References:
RSA 91-A:2 II, Public Records and Meetings: Meetings Open to Public, RSA 91-A:3 III, Public Records and
Meetings: Non-Public Sessions, RSA 91-A: 4 I, Public Records and Meetings: Minutes and Records available
for Public Inspection, RSA 189:29-a Records Retention and Disposition

Adopted: October 12, 1999
Revised: March 3, 2009, November 21, 2017, February 20, 2024