Meetings

[robert conway]

I am being told that at our annual meetings that Voting Members cannot make motions on the floor.

This meeting is to elect Directors only and members can ONLY ask questions of BOD.

Nothing in bylaws suggest this.

Also, it is truly stupid for me to travel to the meeting only to vote when I can use a Proxy!!

Why can't I make a motion for a nominating committee? a Teller committee?

Or a motion to have the New Board provide members with a quarterly bulletin on what is happening with our property.

This should be a Meeting of the Members and it is our Meeting not the Board!!

The elected president is elected by the BOD members and is presiding officer at all meetings.

Can this person be replaced by the Members at Our annual meeting by a vote of those present?

This could be very tricky if this person has a pocket of Proxy votes?

[David A Foulkes]

I am being told that at our annual meetings that Voting Members cannot make motions on the floor.

Who told you this?

Ask for proof.

It might be there, but nothing in RONR supports it.

Maybe bylaws?

Better check.

[Josh Martin]

I am being told that at our annual meetings that Voting Members cannot make motions on the floor.

This meeting is to elect Directors only and members can ONLY ask questions of BOD.

Nothing in bylaws suggest this.

Nothing in RONR suggests it either.

Also, it is truly stupid for me to travel to the meeting only to vote when I can use a Proxy!!

Proxy voting is only permitted if authorized by the Bylaws. Also, nominations are debatable, so even if it is true that elections are the only business to be conducted (which seems unlikely), it is not true that voting is the only thing that would happen.

Why can't I make a motion for a nominating committee? a Teller committee?

Well, the chairman appoints the tellers committee. I suppose you could Suspend the Rules to change that if you wanted. Nothing in RONR would prohibit the creation of a nominating committee.

Or a motion to have the New Board provide members with a quarterly bulletin on what is happening with our property.

Nothing in RONR would prohibit it.

Can this person be replaced by the Members at Our annual meeting by a vote of those present?

Yes, but you'll need a 2/3 vote to pull it off. See Official Interpretation 2006-2.

This could be very tricky if this person has a pocket of Proxy votes?

Proxy voting is only permitted if authorized in your Bylaws and is governed by the rules in your organization's Bylaws. Assuming your rules permit it, it would indeed be difficult to oust a President with numerous proxy votes. It could even be impossible if he has enough proxy votes.

[robert conway]

Nothing in RONR suggests it either.

Proxy voting is only permitted if authorized by the Bylaws. Also, nominations are debatable, so even if it is true that elections are the only business to be conducted (which seems unlikely), it is not true that voting is the only thing that would happen.

Well, the chairman appoints the tellers committee. I suppose you could Suspend the Rules to change that if you wanted. Nothing in RONR would prohibit the creation of a nominating committee.

Nothing in RONR would prohibit it.

Yes, but you'll need a 2/3 vote to pull it off. See Official Interpretation 2006-2.

Proxy voting is only permitted if authorized in your Bylaws and is governed by the rules in your organization's Bylaws. Assuming your rules permit it, it would indeed be difficult to oust a President with numerous proxy votes. It could even be impossible if he has enough proxy votes.

[robert conway]

I have been notified that ballots are being opened and counted now.

And those ballots that do not have a signature are being sent back to the voter to sign and return.

Point of order? This vote is out of order and in valid.

Do we redo this referendum?

[Josh Martin]

I have been notified that ballots are being opened and counted now.

And those ballots that do not have a signature are being sent back to the voter to sign and return.

Point of order? This vote is out of order and in valid.

Do we redo this referendum?

The vote is null and void as the secrecy of the ballots is being compromised and must be redone (assuming, of course, that your Bylaws permit mail ballots at all). You should raise a Point of Order at the next meeting and Appeal from the decision of the chair if necessary.

[Rob Elsman]

I am being told that at our annual meetings that Voting Members cannot make motions on the floor.

This meeting is to elect Directors only and members can ONLY ask questions of BOD.

Nothing in bylaws suggest this.

Also, it is truly stupid for me to travel to the meeting only to vote when I can use a Proxy!!

Why can't I make a motion for a nominating committee? a Teller committee?

Or a motion to have the New Board provide members with a quarterly bulletin on what is happening with our property.

This should be a Meeting of the Members and it is our Meeting not the Board!!

The elected president is elected by the BOD members and is presiding officer at all meetings.

Can this person be replaced by the Members at Our annual meeting by a vote of those present?

This could be very tricky if this person has a pocket of Proxy votes?

If the board members are seating themselves at the front of the meeting room at the beginning of the meeting, obtain the floor and move that the board members other than the president and secretary take their seats among the other members, instead. This is a main motion; it requires a second; and, it can be adopted by majority vote. I think you will find that this one easy action will profoundly affect the manner in which the meeting continues.

[Guest Diane]

If the board members are seating themselves at the front of the meeting room at the beginning of the meeting, obtain the floor and move that the board members other than the president and secretary take their seats among the other members, instead. This is a main motion; it requires a second; and, it can be adopted by majority vote. I think you will find that this one easy action will profoundly affect the manner in which the meeting continues.

[Guest Diane]

sorry about the above post....

Rob, I have a question about your reply to OP. What would be the benefit of making the motion to have only the president and secretary remain at the table? I am extremely curious to know how the meeting would go better with regards to the original posters question. I was wondering about the same issue. I've been told, and it's not in our bylaws either, that no motions are to made from the floor.

[Gary Novosielski]

sorry about the above post....

Rob, I have a question about your reply to OP. What would be the benefit of making the motion to have only the president and secretary remain at the table? I am extremely curious to know how the meeting would go better with regards to the original posters question. I was wondering about the same issue. I've been told, and it's not in our bylaws either, that no motions are to made from the floor.

Of course motions can be made from the floor. If anyone claims they can't, have them show you the written rule in the bylaws. (And check yourself, first, to make sure it's not there.) Making motions is one of the basic rights of membership, and unless it has been removed in the bylaws, or by discipline imposed, there is nothing the board can do to remove it. If they try, they are subject to discipline themselves.

This is a symptom of a board that has forgotten that the board reports to the membership, not the other way around. The reason the board does not belong at the front is that during a meeting of the membership, board members have no power other than that of any ordinary member, presuming they even are members (board members don't have to be, under RONR's rules). Having them take their seats where they belong helps to remind them of that fact.

And if the motion is made after the membership is seated, those board members won't even get the best seats.

[Rob Elsman]

sorry about the above post....

Rob, I have a question about your reply to OP. What would be the benefit of making the motion to have only the president and secretary remain at the table? I am extremely curious to know how the meeting would go better with regards to the original posters question. I was wondering about the same issue. I've been told, and it's not in our bylaws either, that no motions are to made from the floor.

We get a lot of posts on this forum where the board is dominating a general membership meeting by sitting in the front and running (pontificating over!) the meeting as if it were a meeting of the board. A solution to this is to disperse the members of the board who are members of the general assembly in among the rest of the general members of the society. You will find that doing this changes the "balance of power" in the meeting. The mere change in seating arrangements will restore the general membership assembly back to what it is meant to be--a meeting of the general membership of the organization.

I know this sounds a little dumb at first. But, I think if the votes can be got to try it, the meeting will go a lot better.

[hmtcastle]

What would be the benefit of making the motion to have only the president and secretary remain at the table?

Not to put to fine a point on it, the board can only function as a board at board meetings. At meetings of the general membership, as noted, board members enjoy no special status and the board, as a board, isn't there.

Think of the board members as having two hats. They wear their board member hats at board meetings but they leave those hats home when they attend meetings of the general membership.

[tctheatc]

We get a lot of posts on this forum where the board is dominating a general membership meeting by sitting in the front and running (pontificating over!) the meeting as if it were a meeting of the board. A solution to this is to disperse the members of the board who are members of the general assembly in among the rest of the general members of the society. You will find that doing this changes the "balance of power" in the meeting.

As long as there at least SOME general members who have some idea about proper procedure. otherwise the people in the back can still intimidate and run roughshod over them. It is SO important as "just a member" to EDUCATE YOURSELF! Know your bylaws, read RONR, and try to be the best informed member you can be. Don't wait until a question arises and come here only to find out what SHOULD'VE been done at the meeting last week. learn NOW what you should be doing going forward.

[robert conway]

I want to thank all of you for clear/concise responses I plan on sending a letter to Association members to help them better understand how RONR governs are yearly assemlies.

And, at next general meeting hopefully the intimidating front row group will be disperesed.

marly