Guest Jerry C Anderson Posted July 7, 2014 at 10:17 AM Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 at 10:17 AM I am the new Chairman and we are having difficulty getting a quorum for the Executive Committee (EC). Therefore, we are in the process of developing an email procedure where an email notice is used to call for a meeting to get a Motion, 2nd, then Discussion then taking a vote. Here is what I am proposing, and am asking for your input: I as Chairman will send out an email asking for the Executive Committee to convene via email.I will propose an Agenda with an issue identified as New Business.- only that issue will be addressed and none other while that agenda item is discussed.- the discussion will be restricted to it alone.- all replies have to be to Reply All- I will set an end date and time for this agenda itemI will explain the issue that is being brought forward as best as I can in my email. if not clear then the clarification will happen either in one of two ways:- Someone will ask a question and I will respond to all.- Or it may come out in the discussionThen someone from the EC will make a Motion.Then I will acknowledger the Motion to the email group.Then someone will Second the Motion.Then after I have received the Second, I will acknowledge the Second and Open the Discussion on the Motion.Then the Discussion can begin.At the end of the time limit I will send out an email that now a vote is requested. Does anyone have a similar type process that meets the Roberts Rules of Order? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Honemann Posted July 7, 2014 at 10:40 AM Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 at 10:40 AM I am the new Chairman and we are having difficulty getting a quorum for the Executive Committee (EC). Therefore, we are in the process of developing an email procedure where an email notice is used to call for a meeting to get a Motion, 2nd, then Discussion then taking a vote. Here is what I am proposing, and am asking for your input: I as Chairman will send out an email asking for the Executive Committee to convene via email.I will propose an Agenda with an issue identified as New Business.- only that issue will be addressed and none other while that agenda item is discussed.- the discussion will be restricted to it alone.- all replies have to be to Reply All- I will set an end date and time for this agenda itemI will explain the issue that is being brought forward as best as I can in my email. if not clear then the clarification will happen either in one of two ways:- Someone will ask a question and I will respond to all.- Or it may come out in the discussionThen someone from the EC will make a Motion.Then I will acknowledger the Motion to the email group.Then someone will Second the Motion.Then after I have received the Second, I will acknowledge the Second and Open the Discussion on the Motion.Then the Discussion can begin.At the end of the time limit I will send out an email that now a vote is requested. Does anyone have a similar type process that meets the Roberts Rules of Order? No attempt to conduct a meeting by e-mail will be in compliance with the rules in Robert's Rules of Order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted July 7, 2014 at 11:04 AM Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 at 11:04 AM As noted in response #2, it isn't proper at all -- until you change your bylaws to authorize e-mail "meetings". While you are going through that process, contact me (via this board's internal mail system - you will have to become a member first, but that is no biggie) and I can probably help you out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted July 7, 2014 at 06:45 PM Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 at 06:45 PM As noted in response #2, it isn't proper at all -- until you change your bylaws to authorize e-mail "meetings". Even if the bylaws are amended to authorize them, it's still worth noting they won't be a true deliberative assembly, as defined in RONR: "A group that attempts to conduct the deliberative process in writing—such as by postal mail, electronic mail (e-mail), or facsimile transmission (fax)—does not constitute a deliberative assembly. When making decisions by such means, many situations unprecedented in parliamentary law will arise, and many of its rules and customs will not be applicable (see also pp. 97–99)." RONR (11th ed.), p. 1fn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Posted July 7, 2014 at 07:52 PM Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 at 07:52 PM There are software packages available, however, that seem to alleviate the problems RONR identifies with conducting electronic meetings. I don't have a great deal of experience with the various packages, but I know IBM's Sametime software allows all people to hear and to speak, it also has a feature where the participants can raise a virtual hand so the chair would know that they wanted to speak. An appropriate statement in the bylaws would still be needed, but software like this is much more closely aligned to RONR than what e-mail is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted July 7, 2014 at 08:32 PM Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 at 08:32 PM And a lot more expensive, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Posted July 7, 2014 at 09:39 PM Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 at 09:39 PM And a lot more expensive, too. No, not really. I'm thinking it is less than $200 per year. It might not make sense if everyone lives close together and meet infrequently, but for groups that live some distance apart, the money saved on travel expenses would more than cover the annual fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted July 8, 2014 at 12:47 AM Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 at 12:47 AM Since e-mail is free, I think "a lot" is valid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Posted July 8, 2014 at 02:24 AM Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 at 02:24 AM E-mail isn't actually free, it is just that it is usually packaged with some service that you're already paying for. And when you take into account that e-mail doesn't meet the requirements, it really doesn't matter because even if you were being paid to use it, it wouldn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted July 8, 2014 at 08:33 AM Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 at 08:33 AM it wouldn't work. Sure it can - send me your e-mail and I'll ship you the "how-to" documents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Honemann Posted July 8, 2014 at 10:05 AM Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 at 10:05 AM Well, as noted in post #4, it won't "work" in the sense that a meeting by e-mail will not constitute the sort of deliberative assembly for which the rules of parliamentary law, as now codified in RONR, have been devised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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