Richard Brown

Nothing in RONR prohibits it, but what do your bylaws say about who can be an officer? That's where you need to look for your answer. RONR does not require officers to be members.

I think it is just a bad idea. Possible? Yes, sure. Good idea? No, definitely not.

According to RONR, the minimum officers necessary for a deliberative society (an organization) to conduct business are a presiding officer and a secretary or clerk. Of course, you should have whatever officers your bylaws call for, but having one or more vacancies does not mean that you suddenly cannot conduct any business. You should simply fill the vacancies as soon as possible. Edited to add: If your organization is incorporated, state law might require that the organization have certain officers.

Only if it is determined after a point of order that the requirements for being nominated also apply to bring eligible to serve or to actually hold the office.

I agree with Godelfan. I see nothing wrong with the motion. You adopted a rule or policy restricting the items that can be sold. It is no different than the policy many businesses and organizations adopt prohibiting the sale of firearms or the possession of firearms on the premises.

Because words mean things. A nomination is not the same thing as an election. A qualification for being nominated is not the same thing as a requirement for holding the office or for serving. Perhaps the drafters of the bylaws intended for qualifications to be nominated to also be requirements for serving or for actually holding the office. But, in my opinion, the bylaws must clearly say so. Someone who is elected through a write in campaign has never been nominated.

Nancy, I agree with the response immediately above by Godelfan as well as the response by Mr Mervosh. Disciplinary procedures are rather technical and complicated. Trying to shortcut them can get your organization and its officers sued. I suggest that you and your president, and perhaps the entire board, read chapter XX in RONR, which is the chapter on discipline. It is 26 pages of detailed information and procedures.

I'm not sure what your situation is or what you are asking. RONR says nothing about "petitions" for special meetings or "acknowledging" petitions. I assume your bylaws provide for a certain number of members to request a special meeting by petition. Special meetings can be called only in the manner and by the persons designated in the by-laws. Since this appears to be a customized rule of your organization, your organization itself will have to determine what is a reasonable amount of time for the responsible officer to act after receiving a request or petition for a special meeting. If this did not address your question, please try restarting it.

I agree. I should have added that.

And that person, once selected, is called the Chair (or chairman). Well, technically he is chairman pro tem... for the purposes of that one meeting. That "branch" would have to elect a chairman pro tem at every meeting as long as it has not elected a permanent one. Question: Do these branches have bylaws? How do they function? Are they supposed to have a regular presiding officer, by whatever name he is called?

Guest acob54, I'm afraid that I, too, don't quite understand what you are asking.

I agree with the Attorney General's recommendation. Ending the executive session should be done by a motion to do so. It requires a second and a majority vote unless it is done by unanimous consent (which is often the case). The motion is debatable, just like the motion to go into executive session.

I agree with Mr. Mervosh. The minutes normally should not contain anything about the discussion or the reasons for the motion unless it was a lengthy and probably written motion in the form of a resolution with "whereas" clauses stating the reasons for the motion. If it was a simple motion to do something and the erroneous information was stated in debate, that does not go into the minutes. Only the text of the motion as adopted goes into the minutes, along with the name of the mover.

Then invite the two outgoing (or former) board members to board meetings only when the wisdom of their experience is desired. Take those issues up early in the meeting and let them be on their way.

Well, in that case, this is a matter if bylaws interpretation, something only Guest Joe's organization itself can do. I think we can safely say, however, that nothing in RONR, in and of itself, prohibits a body from selecting someone to assist various officers with their duties. Any prohibition would have to come from a provision in the bylaws.

The motion appears to have been validly adopted and is valid and in force. The motion can be rescinded (or amended) by using the motion to amend or rescind something previously adopted. If previous notice of the motion is given, it can be adopted by a majority vote. Without previous notice, it requires a two thirds vote or the vote of a majority of the entire membership.

As Edgar Guest was fond of saying. " You count heads, not hats". A member does not get an extra vote for wearing two hats. He still has just one head.

I agree. I think that's what I said ten or twelve posts ago.

I agree with Mr. Novosielski and Mr. Martin in the sense that the society can appoint people to assist various officers with their duties. These assistants would certainly not be officers unless authorized in the bylaws, but I believe the society can call them anything it wants to, whether it be Penultimate Pubah, Gopher or Assistant Secretary. The key, in my opinion, is that no matter what you call them, they are not officers. Edited to add: after reading the thread referred to by Mr. Martin, perhaps the best ttitle for this assistant to the secretary, if he is to have a title, is "Secretary's Assistant".

I hope not, unless gender neutral terms for he, she, his, hers, Mr., Mrs. and Miss first are accepted into common usage in the U.S. Not many things sound more awkward than trying to write something (especially 700 + pages) in gender neutral language.

Agreeing with both Godelfan and Mr. Goldsworthy, you would need to amend the bylaws to raise the dues only if they dues amount is specified in the bylaws. Even if not specified in the bylaws, the bylaws might well prescribe the method of setting the dues. We are all assuming that your bylaws do authorize having dues, If not, the organization does not have the authority to impose any dues.

I agree with the previous posters. Another alternative possibly worth pursuing is for the"new" board to invite these two outgoing members to attend and participate in board meetings as guests. They can be invited (or permitted) to attend by a majority vote and to participate in debate by a two thirds vote. I am not opining on whether this is advisable, but rather just that it is a possibility. Doing this might well create problems of its own. I have a hunch the "new" board will rise to the occasion with or without the participation of the outgoing officers.

Hollasa, is this a public school board or a private one? If it is considered a public body by your state, we can tell you what RONR says, to the best of our ability, but that advice will be meaningless to the extent that state open meetings (sunshine) laws or other laws applicable to school boards provide to the contrary. If this school board is considered a public body, there are almost certainly applicable state laws regarding the notice required to be given to the public prior to taking certain actions. It also seems to me that this school board has certain customized rules and procedures which only the school board itself can interpret. It is the ultimate judge of its own procedures. The only remedy for what you perceive as abuse might be to elect new members or perhaps legal action.

Perhaps Guest PresidentM has left us and is never to return unless another parliamentary question arises. However, I do not understand the situation and have the same questions as godelfan.

There is nothing in RONR that prohibits or restricts gifts. However, as Dr Stackpole hinted, gifts from individual members could conceivably create the appearance of a conflict if the board is asked to approve something which a particular member who gave a gift wants. If, on the other hand, the membership takes up a collection rather than giving individual gifts, that might be less problematic.