Transpower

A sheet entitled "Provisos Relating to Transition" can be attached to the end of the revised bylaws. RONR (11th ed.), p. 597, ll. 16-21.

OK, so you were not granted any resources by the appointing body. To get those resources, you will have to go back to the Town Officials and request a motion for such....

Were there any resources allocated to the GSC to accomplish its purpose?

Guest Gary, can you provide the precise text of the motion which created your Government Study Committee and your appointment to it?

Yes, the chair may assume a motion and may get it adopted by unanimous consent--if it's an obvious way to go. RONR (11th ed.), pp. 54-55.

"There is a motion to discuss an issue for a certain time, with a time keeper appointed, but is there a rule that says you can not just talk without a time limit and without a motion?" 1) RONR (11th ed.), p. 43, ll.4-7: "In the debate, each member has the right to speak twice on the same question on the same day, but cannot make a second speech on the same question so long as any member who has not spoken on that question desires the floor."--unless you have, or adopt, a rule to the contrary. Also, RONR (11th ed.), p. 43, ll. 11-14: "Without the permission of the assembly, no one can speak longer than permitted by the rules of the body--or,, in a non-legislative assembly that has no rule of its own relating to the length of speeches, longer than ten minutes." 2) RONR (11th ed.), p. 34, ll. 27-33: "Unless the assembly has specifically authorized that a particular subject be discussed while no motion is pending, however, such a discussion cab be entered into only at the sufferance of the chair or until a point of order is made; and in the latter case, the chair must immediately require that a motion be offered or the discussion cease."

I think the approval of the town council should be done simultaneously for all open seats.

See §36--"Discharge a Committee" in RONR (11th ed.), pp. 310-315. If the Bar Council created the special committee, then it can disharge it.

Answering the original question: the chair could assume a motion and then say "Without objection...." RONR (11th ed.), p. 54, ll. 13-33.

RONR (11th ed.), p. 467, ll.8-16: "A member of an assembly who acts as its parliamentarian has the same duty as the presiding officer to maintain a position of impartiality, and therefore does not make motions, participate in debate, or vote on any question except in the case of a ballot vote. He does not cast a deciding vote, even if his vote would affect the result, since that would interfere with the chair's prerogative of doing so. If a member feels that he cannot properly forgo these rights in order to serve as parliamentarian, he should not accept that position."

If the organization has building insurance, then the insurance company would pay the damages, not the organization per se.

It's legal within Robert's Robert's Rules; however, perhaps your bylaws have a rule against nepotism--so check them.

Agreed, but suppose that the member is suing the organization because he thinks that it is not fulfilling its mission....

RONR (11th ed.), p. 6n: "Members in good standing are those whose rights as members of the assembly are not under suspension as a consequence of disciplinary proceedings or by operation of some specific provision in the bylaws."

iI cannot find anything in RONR directly dealing with the question. It's an information report, so it could be given after the officer reports and committee reports. Or, it could be given under Unfinished Business and General Orders--in a sense, the request for a delegate report is a General Order, so I think it could be given at that point in the meeting.

After the motion to accept the proposed budget is seconded, debate should commence, at which point amendments can be made and debated. This is very normal parliamentary procedure!

I doubt that the Executive (Committee) has the authority to remove a member of the management team. This is probably the responsibility of the Executive Board, or possible the Society as a whole, depending on how your bylaws or rules are worded. If by "management" you mean "paid staff," this again is most likely the responsibility of the Executive Board, particularly if it is or was the appointing authority.

Abstentions don't count! The vote was unanimous among those who voted!

The assembly could, at a later meeting at which there is a quorum, ratify the action taken to hold the election.

OK, George, but as I understood the question, the meeting was only to hold the vote, not to conduct other business.

Assuming your bylaws provide for absentee voting, then yes you would have a quorum for the voting: 90 + 15 > 100. But RONR (11th ed.), p. 423, ll. 16-22. strongly advises against absentee voting.

I think the answer is clearly "No." If the individual has met the requirements at the time of his promotion to "life member" you cannot apply new requirements to him. The only way out I can see is if you can find fraud--e.g., the number of fire calls or trainings was actually less than that required.