BIDDEFORD — General communications will no longer be a regular agenda item during School Committee meetings. On Tuesday, the majority of members voted against continuing to hold this section of the meeting which allowed committee members to communicate with one another about items that were not listed on the regular agenda.

Earlier this year, some heated discussions had taken place during this portion of the meeting.

“Seldom has an item of emergency” been brought up during the general communications section of the meeting, said committee member Daniel Boucher, who voted against continuing the item as a regular occurrence on meeting agendas.

“In the past,” he said, “it has been used for political reasons” or committee members have espoused their personal philosophies.

“Meetings should be for committee business only,” said Boucher, not as a time for committee members to bring up personal opinions.

Committee member Laura Seaver disagreed with Boucher’s assessment. She voted in favor of continuing general communications by committee members during meetings. “I’m opposed to censorship in any form,” she said, adding that the general communications section provides a forum for members to bring up issues that might not qualify as agenda items.

In the past, noted Seaver, these communications hadn’t held to Robert’s Rules of Order, a system of rules under which the School Committee operates. However, she said an effort should be made to assure future that communications follow these rules and are allowed to continue.

Committee member Anthony Michaud also voted to continue with the general communications portion of meetings. It provides an opportunity for committee members to share their thoughts and feelings with each other, he said.

There is no other opportunity for this, said Michaud, because committee members are required to talk about school issues in public.

The two student members of the committee were split on the issue. The four officers of the student body discussed the issue and felt this opportunity for committee members to discuss items that are not on the agenda should continue, said Biddeford High School Senior Ryan Gavin, who is president.

Ryan Fecteau, a junior at BHS, voted against continuing the item on the agenda.

In a 5-4 vote, it was voted not to continue general communications among committee members.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.