Wording of Meeting Agenda Items

[Guest Dave]

Does it make ant difference whether an agenda item is listed for DISCUSSION or ACTION? Can  a council vote to approve or disapprove a motion made if the agenda item stated it will be DISCUSSION?

[Guest Who's Coming to Dinner]

Why bother to discuss something without the possibility of taking action? At any rate, the agenda is not binding unless adopted, and if adopted, may be changed by means of a motion to Amend Something Previously Adopted. Now, if this is an item which requires previous notice and the notice was of only a "discussion," I would say a vote cannot be taken.

[Richard Brown]

12 minutes ago, Guest Who's Coming to Dinner said:

. . . Now, if this is an item which requires previous notice and the notice was of only a "discussion," I would say a vote cannot be taken.

Personally, I agree with you, but I believe we are in a minority and that others on this board, including the authorship team, take the position that if previous notice is given that something willl be "discussed" at a special meeting , that implies (or infers ... ) that action can actually be taken on the item.

 

[jstackpo]

And, if anyone raises a point of order at the meeting when the "for discussion" motion is put to a vote, the chairs ruling, and a possible appeal, will settle on whether "discussion" includes voting on the motion.

[Transpower]

Discussion without a motion on the floor is considered bad practice.  RONR (11th ed.), p. 34, ll. 7-9:  "Under parliamentary procedure, strictly speaking, discussion of any subject is permitted only with reference to a pending motion."  (A motion is a proposal that the assembly take a certain action.)