mvd

Thanks again, all. I think I have a handle on things now. It seems easiest to simply let everyone know that motions precede discussion. Presentations of communications or reports can be brought before the assembly, but a motion must be made before any discussion or debate occurs--eg. to adopt the report or adopt the recommendations. My understanding is that if no motion grows out of a communication or report, the matter is simply dropped. Even though our custom has been different, custom falls to the ground if a point of order is made due to a conflict with the parliamentary authority (being RONR and the bylaws) Cheers.

Ah, my apologies. It turns out I am learning about committee vs assembly too! I chair a council which functions as its own deliberative body or assembly in most matters as dictated by legislation, and it has a number of standing committees. The council has its own set of bylaws of which one states that we are to use RONR. It sometimes gives advice to or receives direction from a Senate. The Senate reports to a Board.

Thank you for all the help! It sounds like my organization thinks that it follows Robert's Rules, but over time has developed its own blended governance practices. I am unlikely to be able to change the way of doing business for the multiple layers of governance where I work, but maybe I can change the committee I chair at least. The main issue, I think, is that our agenda consists of discussion items rather than motions. To use a strata group as an example, an agenda like mine may include a "discussion item" of roof replacement with a resulting "action item" to gather three quotations. Instead, there should have been one of the following a motion to replace the roof + discussion arising and perhaps an amendment to obtain 3 quotes A communication or report on the state of the roof out of which arises a motion to gather 3 quotes and report back to the assembly As I learn RONR, I suspect that the presenting of reports and communications (from which motions and thus discussions arise) has slowly evolved into "discussion items" whereby reports and communications are discussed and debated as "information" without motions. This works great when we have no issues, but when we need to rely on proper procedure, there is nothing to fall back on. I think my solution will be to ask if the proposal is a motion or for information only. Motions can be ruled on, and an informational report can also give rise to motions that the proposal contained in the report is out of order for not following the bylaws and thus will need to be revised and brought back to the assembly before any motion to implememt can be undertaken.

Hello, I am a new chair and hoping for some advice. I am using the 11th ed of RONR. In my organization, we set meeting agendas in advance, but they can be altered up to the moment at which they are approved at the start of the meeting by motion. Our meetings are structured as follows Call to order Approval of agenda Approval of minutes from prev mtg Business arising from the prev minutes Chair and Board reports New business Committee reports Adjournment One item of confusion for me is around motions. My organization doesn't view Chair, Board, and committee reports as motions but as information. Is this correct? Likewise, our New Business is almost always a series of items for discussion, and no motions are made unless we want to take a particular action which depending on the severity we may simply assign as an "action item" to be assigned to a person rather than a motion. We typically reserve motions for important actions, decisions which may be controversial, or for issues of great significance. The reason I ask is that a proposal is being brought forward to our meeting that is in violation of the bylaws of the organization. It will likely come in the form of a report or a discussion item as has been our custom practice. Since a proposal in the form if report or a discusion item isn't a motion per se, can it still be subject to a point of order and ruled out of order since it violates bylaws? Alternately, can a motion be made to avoid discussing a proposal until such time as it is brought into alignment with the bylaws? In short, as chair, how do I deal with "out of order" issues when they are not brought forward as motions but as reports (information), proposals, or discussion items? Any advice would be appreciated. mvd