0170    PUBLIC CORRESPONDENCE

As described in Policies 0167, 9100, and 9120, the Montgomery Township Board of Education recognizes the importance of public input in its decision-making process.  One method of providing the public and opportunity to comment is through written or email correspondence to the Board.  Such correspondence will be processed using the following rules:

1. Written correspondence should be addressed to “Board of Education” and be mailed or delivered to the Board of Education office.  Email should be sent to the email address established for the Board of Education.  These addresses will be listed on the district web site and on appropriate district documents and pamphlets.  Email or written correspondence sent to individual board members will not be recognized or handled as official correspondence.
   
   
2. The Board will only recognize within the scope of this policy, correspondence that is signed with the author’s full name and the sender’s postal or email address.  The Board will not acknowledge or consider anonymous messages except as may be identified by the School district’s Emergency Response Manual.
   
   
3. Upon receipt of correspondence to the Board via email, a response shall be sent to the sender acknowledging (a) receipt of such email and (b) that such email has been distributed to each member of the Board of Education.  In some circumstances, the Webmaster (or other person designated by the Superintendent) may reasonably determine that such email should be rerouted to the Superintendent, a building or other administrator, as the subject matter of the email is more appropriately addressed by such other party.  In such cases, the Webmaster shall reroute such email and send a response to the sender, advising him/her of the more appropriate recipient.
   
   
4. The Board of Education deliberates and makes its decisions in public at its public meetings, subject to the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.A.C. 10:4-6 et seq. (Sunshine Laws).  The Board does not engage in substantive written or email correspondence on matters before it or on which it has been asked to deliberate on an individual basis with members of the public.  This policy is intended to maintain compliance with and preserve the intent of the Sunshine Law, affording all members of the public the opportunity to observe in public the deliberations of the board of Education.  The Board of Education will not respond individually to each communication it receives, other than as provided in Paragraph 3 above.
   
   
5. All correspondence received shall be listed in the “Acceptance of Correspondence” section of each business meeting agenda. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, confidential matters will not be publicly acknowledged.  Each item shall indicate the date received, the sender’s name, the general subject of the correspondence, and an indication whether it is an email or a written letter.

Approved:    28 July, 2005