Gila County - Governing School Boards
School district governing board members are elected by citizens of the district. Members serve as public officers. Among other things, the governing board sets goals, hires personnel, and establishes budgets, policies, curriculum, and goals for the district. Members receive no pay for their services. Their authority to make decisions is limited to being a part of a majority vote of the board when it is in session with a quorum present. At other times, governing board members have no more authority regarding the school than any other resident of the district.
Members are elected in even-numbered years. Persons seeking election to the governing board must be registered voters who have lived in the school district for at least one year prior to Election Day. No employee of a school district or spouse of such employee may be a governing board member. Nominating petitions may be taken out from the county school superintendent’s office.
Members of governing boards are subject to recall by the qualified electors of the school district. A person or organization intending to file a recall petition against a member of the governing board shall submit an application to the county school superintendent.
School district governing boards are subject to Arizona open meeting laws. Notices of meetings, including an agenda of the matters to be discussed or decided, must be available to the public at least 24 hours prior to the meeting, except in the case of an actual emergency. The minutes or a recording shall be open to public inspection three working days after the meeting. The board may hold certain discussions in executive session (not open to the public). Examples include discussions of employment, salaries, and consultations with attorneys for the district. A public vote shall be taken before any legal action binds the school district.
Should a board member be unable to complete their term of office, the county school superintendent shall fill this vacancy by appointment. The term of the appointment shall be until the next regular election. If the superintendent deems it in the best interest of the community, she may call a special election to fill the vacancies.
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