Board Meetings and Requests for Information
Public Attendance at Board Meetings
There is nothing in our By-Laws stating that our monthly board meetings are closed to the public, therefore we welcome anyone to attend our meetings. However, since we are a private entity and not a public body or governing board we are not required to have a public forum or comment section during our meetings.
We expect you to abide to the following rules while in attendance while we in return offer a safe & open environment for you to bring your comments forward without any fear of retaliation:
- All phones and electronic devices must be shut off as to not disrupt the business of the meeting.
- To remain quiet and refrain from applauding, cheering, hissing, or booing.
- No offensive use of abusive, obscene, profane, slanderous, or threatening language or gestures.
- No acting or behaving in such an unreasonable manner so as to alarm or disturb another to provoke breach of silence.
- Any other act designed to intimidate, threaten, or harm persons or damage or destroy property.
- You shall not engage in audible conversations which prohibit individuals from hearing the board discussion or disrupts the conduct of business.
In addition to Public Comments, the Executive Board will be more than happy to set up a meeting to discuss any concerns from our community. The Executive Board consists of the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer.
Executive Sessions
Nonprofit board meetings are convened for the board to transact business and address important organizational issues. While many nonprofit boards choose to conduct their meetings in private, some organizations are required to operate in the public arena. For all boards, however, specific instances warrant that some portion of the meeting be conducted in executive session.
What are Executive Sessions?
An executive session — sometimes called a closed meeting or an in camera session — is a useful tool for protecting and advancing the best interests of an organization. Executive sessions provide a venue for handling issues that are best discussed in private, for fostering robust discourse, and for strengthening trust and communication.
By the board and for the board, executive sessions enable the board to manage itself. They create an appropriate forum for board members to talk openly about topics that warrant special treatment. In effect, executive sessions are a kind of special meeting-within-a-meeting. Executive sessions may take place before, in the middle, or at the end of a regular board meeting. They are, by definition, exclusive to board members, but others, such as the chief executive or professional advisors, may be invited to join for part or all of the session.
The notion of a private conversation for board members may seem contrary to the ethos of transparency expected of nonprofit organizations and to the development of a constructive partnership between the chief executive and the board. However, executive sessions are an effective mechanism for boards of all organizations to deal with certain kinds of issues, provided that they are called for the right reasons and handled appropriately.
Minutes of the Executive Session
If the session is an informal discussion, detailed minutes may not be necessary, but the general substance of the executive session itself should be noted. If the session contributed to a board decision about a difficult situation then minutes may be necessary.
Some organizations have legal counsel maintain minutes of all executive sessions. Executive session minutes should be shared only with participants and should not be attached to the regular board meeting minutes. Any confidential documents distributed for an executive session should be clearly marked as confidential and maintained by the chief executive and/or the board chair.
Board Meeting Minutes
The regular board meeting minutes should indicate when the board went into an executive session, what the primary reason was, any formal decisions that were made in executive session, and when the board came out of executive session.
Records Request
The Following documents are made available to the Public:
Articles of Incorporation By-Laws
Conflict of Interest Policy Whistle Blower Policy
Board Meeting Agendas Board Meeting Minutes
Annual Reports IRS Form 990 (Postcard)
You can also send a request for records to info@battlecreekpride.org or snail mail to
Battle Creek Pride
Record Request
PO Box 715
Battle Creek, MI 49016
Please allow 15-30 days to fulfillment as we are an all volunteer organization.
