The Park County School District 1 Board of Trustees is, once again, responding to the will of the community. 

At a Tuesday working meeting a majority of trustees signaled a desire to add an extra public comment period to business meetings and, for the first time, an official public comment period to working meetings, as a way to give the public more opportunities to speak to the board. 

What was good to see was the way trustees were able to debate from sometimes widely opposite points of view, and do so in a civil manner and with respect. 

Thus, I hope that, if these new guidelines do indeed pass over the next few meetings into policy as I'd expect them to, attendees at future meetings are respectful in making their comments. 

State statute does not require public boards to allow public comment — it should, but that’s another editorial — so what our school board is doing is above and beyond what it has to do. Whether you believe they should have had more opportunities for public comment all along, the point is still that these new guidelines, if they do indeed come to fruition, can be taken away if trustees don’t like what they hear from these new public comment periods. 

Therefore, it’s incumbent among the public to take advantage of the opportunity if desired, but to do so in a respectful manner. From my years of covering boards, I can tell you board members are much more apt to listen to, and potentially change policy, when attendees comment reasonably and refrain from yelling or making personal attacks. 

The board has in its draft guidelines language that allows for the cutting off of a speaker — after one warning — for talking about issues not allowed, such as personnel. 

Public comment is, in my view, a vital component of public board meetings. This is a chance for people to publicly air grievances, concerns or, hopefully, praise, in a public setting in front of a group of people elected by this community to guide an institution that educates future generations. 

The trustees are on the right path toward increased community involvement. Our duty as the public is to prove that the discussions to get to this point have been worth their while.