Absence of chair

[Guest NDG]

Our chair will not be in attendance at the next board meeting and the chair elect will be presiding.  Can the chair elect introduce new business, take part in the debate and hold a vote?  This is a controversial issue which the chair elect has a strong interest.  I'm concerned about impartiality.

[Hieu H. Huynh]

If this is a small board of not more than about a dozen members, the chair can participate like other members.

[George Mervosh]

    See the answer to FAQ#1  http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html#1

[Guest Small board rules]

This board has fifteen members. Can one member suggest that we suspend Robert's Rules or remain with the small board rules, especially if only 11 or 12 are in attendance?

[Hieu H. Huynh]

You can use the small board rules in that case.

[Richard Brown]

1 hour ago, Guest Small board rules said:

This board has fifteen members. Can one member suggest that we suspend Robert's Rules or remain with the small board rules, especially if only 11 or 12 are in attendance?

A motion to "suspend Robert's Rules" would not be in order.  However, as Hieu andGeorge have pointed out, your board can decide, by motion or by the creation of a special rule of order, to use the Small Board Rules in RONR.  Often this just becomes a custom. The  rule is worded the way it is, referring to boards of "not more than about a dozen members", to give flexibility to organizations.  In another place, RONR refers to using the Small Board Rules in meetings where not more than about a dozen board or committee members are present.  There is no limit to the size of groups that can elect to use all or some of the relaxed rules in the Small Board Rules.