Meeting times

[Guest Lou Mol]

President has scheduled a Board of Directors meeting to run from 10AM to 11:30AM. Several members say meeting MUST stop exactly at 11:30AM. There is still business to conduct. How can meeting be extended and what is the motion?

[J. J.]

President has scheduled a Board of Directors meeting to run from 10AM to 11:30AM. Several members say meeting MUST stop exactly at 11:30AM. There is still business to conduct. How can meeting be extended and what is the motion?

Unless the Board adopts a motion fixing a time to adjourn stating that is then when the meeting will end (p. 232-3).

[Chris Harrison]

Unless the Board adopts a motion fixing a time to adjourn stating that is then when the meeting will end (p. 232-3).

President has scheduled a Board of Directors meeting to run from 10AM to 11:30AM.

I would question if the President has the authority to unilaterally set a time to end the meeting. Seems like unless the assembly has the 11:30 adjournment set by an adopted agenda or adopted motion that the President's decree is not binding on the assembly and no motion is necessary to extend the meeting.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

President has scheduled a Board of Directors meeting to run from 10AM to 11:30AM.

Several members say meeting MUST stop exactly at 11:30AM.

Not true. No individual sets the hour of adjournment. It is a rule of order. It is subject to manipulation by the assembly.

There is still business to conduct. How can meeting be extended and what is the motion?

Your choice:

1. make a (main) motion, to adjourn at [new time].

2. vote down a motion to adjourn when/if a member makes that motion at 11:30 a.m.

3. move to set aside the orders of the day, before #2 occurs, like when you are on the last agenda item and wish to finish it, and you risk spilling over the 11:30 deadline.

See RONR for details.

Pick the best tool for the job, for the situation.