1. Attendance at Board Meetings/Parliamentarian The School Board Attorney shall attend all public meetings of the West New York Board of Education and other meetings that the Board of Education shall convene. The School Board Attorney shall attend board of education committee meetings when so invited by the committee chairperson. (The Board Attorney shall be the parliamentarian at all board meetings, if attorney agrees.) The following is a typical meeting schedule of the board of education: ● One Regular Public meeting (inclusive of work and/or executive sessions) per month, and ● Special and Emergency meetings as may be required. 2. Board Policy Guidance and Review The School Board Attorney shall prepare and/or review all board policy as to legal form prior to review and adoption by the board of education. 3. Code of Ethics/Ethics Compliance The School Board Attorney shall provide in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:32-3.2 annual training on the School Ethics Act and the Code of Ethics to the members of the board of education at a regularly scheduled board meeting. The School Board Attorney shall provide guidance to all board members with reference to all ethics questions that may arise during the course of the year. 4. Leased Facilities— Chief Negotiator The School Board Attorney shall be the chief negotiator for all buildings in which the board of education is a tenant and provide to the board of education all proposed lease agreements no later than the May/June meeting of the board, if applicable. 5. Legal Counsel and Advice The School Board Attorney shall: Advise the board of education as to the legal and contractual procedures in which the board must take action or make a decision.Prepare oral and/or written legal opinions or provide legal advice when requested by the Superintendent or the board president, or when requested by the majority of the board of education at a public board meeting. Prepare for and attend all grievance hearings arising from the various employee collective bargaining groups of the board. The board of education negotiates with two (2) collective bargaining units, with a minimum of one (1) grievance hearing per year. Represent the board of education in all general legal matters. Prepare all legal documents for the board of education. Review all board agendas and resolutions as to legal form and recommend revisions as to legal form where necessary. Provide written legal advice on all personnel disciplinary actions, including increment withholdings, nonrenewals and tenure/non tenured dismissals and other employment related matters. Advise the board of education and the Superintendent and/or his designee of all laws, administrative code and policy related matters including employee discipline, seniority and tenure. Attend and participate in strategy sessions, using phone, fax, US mail, text messages, e- mail or in person, as may be required. Advise the Custodian of Records of the school district as to what is considered to be a “public record” pursuant to Open Public Record Act requests (OPRA). Review, when requested, the district’s response to OPRA requests to ensure confidentiality while complying with OPRA requirements.
