swagaman

Thank you!

Are there any guidelines in RONR regarding members clapping, cheering, etc. during debate? Specifically, are members allowed to cheer and clap when a speaker makes a point they agree with during a debate on a motion?

On 3/29/2022 at 4:47 PM, Atul Kapur said:

If the reporting member does not make the motion for whatever reason and no other member of the committee does so, "any member of the assembly can do so; but the motion must then be seconded.

This sounds like it answers my question.  We will have another delegate make the motion and then secure a second.  Thanks!

On 3/29/2022 at 4:39 PM, George Mervosh said:

Was this matter referred to the committee by the assembly?  Or is this just something that arose in the committee on its own?

It was something tat arose in the committee on its own.

A committee chairman was planning on making a motion on behalf of the committee at the upcoming annual meeting.  The committee chairman can no longer attend the meeting and no other members of the committee will be at the meeting.  May another delegate make the motion on behalf of the committee, or should the delegate just make a motion that would then require a second?

Thank  you!

It was a motion to amend the rules of the annual membership meeting, which I believe would be a secondary motion to the main motion to adopt the rules?

Should a motion that was not seconded be included in the minutes?

Thank you.  I thought our member was being a little picky.  Going forward we will use the term "adopt" as recommended by RONR.

Traditionally our organization has adopted a motion to "approve the audit report" at each annual meeting.  A member has suggested that the motion to "approve" is improper, that it should be a motion to "accept".  RONR uses both the terminology to "accept" and to "adopt" the audit report.  A search of this forum finds the term to "approve" the audit report used frequently.  Is there a difference?  Is the motion to approve the audit report improper?

Thank you.  I agree that the standing rules will most likely be adopted and we will most likely divide the one controversial rule and consider it separately.  However, I was asked this question and wanted to be sure of my answer.

RONR states: The official organization of the convention is brought about by the separate consideration and adoption of the reports of three committees mentioned above—the Credentials Committee, the Committee on Standing Rules, and the Program Committee, in that order....With the adoption of these three separate reports, the convention is officially organized for conducting business. 

What happens if there are no convention standing rules or if the proposed rules are not adopted?  Can the convention proceed following just the rules of RONR?

Thank you all for your guidance.  I think having the officer report and make a recommendation and then having a member make the motion and another second the motion will work for us.

46 minutes ago, Joshua Katz said:

You certainly can make a provision in your bylaws, and probably in your special rules of order (so long as no voting is involved), although whether you should do so is a question for your organization. I don't see this as being a big deal, unless people are inclined to worry more than they should about who makes the motion (a symptom that mindless formality is taking place, but a common one), in which case you can either solve that problem, or amend your rules, whichever is easier, I guess.

I don't think the members are particularly worried, only that it is a new structure for us and there is a curiosity about how it will all work.

14 minutes ago, Chris Harrison said:

What has been done in previous Annual Membership Meetings?

This is a new structure for us.  In the past the members of the board were also delegates so it wasn't an issue.

I belong to an organization whose members are organizations, each represented by a delegate.  The delegates elect a board of directors who have the authority, specified in the bylaws, to conduct most of the organization’s business.  Some authority is reserved for the delegates, such as approving member dues.  The members of the board of directors are not delegates but attend the annual membership meeting.  The chairman of the board of directors chairs the annual membership meeting.  The question that has arisen is who makes motions at the annual membership meeting?

For example, the board of directors has voted to recommend an increase in member dues.  This must now be approved by the delegates.  It would make sense for the treasurer on the board of directors to make the motion at the annual membership/delegate meeting, but the treasurer is not a member/delegate.  While the delegates may receive advance information about the business that will be conducted at the meeting, none of the delegates will expect to be introducing motions.  May the treasurer (non-member) make a motion?  Should there be provisions in the bylaws and/or rules of order for the meeting to allow this?

My organization will be adopting revised bylaws at our next membership meeting.  I see in the procedures that the bylaws committee chair is to read the new bylaws "unless the first reading is dispensed with" prior to moving to adopt the bylaws.  How do we dispense with the initial reading?  As we proceed through the bylaws seriatum, can we also dispense with reading each article/section and just announce the article instead?  The revised bylaws will be rolled out to the membership well in advance and several educational sessions will be conducted prior to the meeting.  The members should be very familiar with the new provisions so we don't think it will be necessary to read each article/section as it is considered.  Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Thank you all for the detailed and nuanced analysis.  I don't feel badly that I couldn't figure this out by myself.

Since I posted the question, I found out that past chairmen (who were also delegates) always voted during a roll call vote.  While I haven't checked past minutes to verify this information, it would seem that if the current chairman votes without first having the rule suspended, the chance of someone raising a point of order is low.

Thank you again for your responses.

I belong to an organization that is made up of 26 member organizations.  Each member organization sends a delegate to an annual meeting.  One delegate serves as the chairman of the annual meeting.  At the upcoming meeting there is going to be a vote that will most likely be a roll call vote based on the member organizations desire to document in the minutes how each organization’s delegate votes.  I understand from RONR that the chairman’s name/organization will be called last, and only if her vote will make a difference to the outcome.  At that point she may decide whether or not to vote.  Her organization would like to have their vote documented in the minutes, whether or not her vote makes a difference in the outcome.  May she vote even if her vote does not make a difference in the outcome?