laser158689

Thanks so much!

Update:  The ad hoc committee Chair distributed a "memorandum" with a status update, indicating that they were still working.

Our Moderator (assembly chair) does not have this on the Call, and when asked if we would have a report from the ad hoc committee at the meeting or an opportunity to vote on allowing the ad hoc committee to continue its work, said "no".

How does one handle the lack of an item on the Call/Agenda?  Especially given a FOIA requirements that the agenda be published at least 24 hours in advance?

Situation... Our municipal assembly committed a proposed ordinance change to an ad hoc (special) committee with the following clause "...and that the item be brought back to the December 2020 Meeting."

The ad hoc committee issued a memo stating their work will not be completed by the December 2020 meeting.

Our Call for our December 2020 meeting does not include this item.  Our Calls often do not include committee reports explicitly, and we do not traditionally make motions during committee reports.  Whether there will be a report is an open question.

How would this situation look in another organization, ie what is best/common practice for this scenario?

Given the actual situation, what is the appropriate way to allow the ad hoc committee to continue their work with another due date?

Thanks!

Thanks!

Original item = resolution/main motion

I'm a bit unclear on exactly what should come back from a committee after an item has been referred to it.  Sounds like there should at least be some sort of "final report".

It sounds like the committees can introduce a variety of items along with that final report.

What about the original item?  Does it come back before the assembly? 

(What if the assembly doesn't like what the committee wants, and wants the original item back?)

Our state has relaxed the freedom of information requirements to allow for remote meetings.  My municipality is going to attempt to make this work for our over-sized legislature (150+).

Our Rules (bylaws) never contemplated a virtual meeting.  Things like Meeting Location and Seating obviously are inapplicable.  Others have obvious analogues in a virtual meeting or are essentially unimpacted.

One aspect that seems problematic is voting procedure.  We specify a voting method that is detailed about who handles a district's voting card (vote for public record) and that the individual records their own votes.

Can we use an alternative voting procedure?  What would we need to do to accomplish that?

It's been suggested that the voting procedure is just inapplicable and we will vote how we vote.

It's also been suggested that we need to Suspend the Rules to not use the voting procedure in the Rules (bylaws).  Possibly, we should also specify the replacement voting procedure.

RONR p263 also suggests that we cannot do either.  Thoughts?

Does a condition such as...

"...shall hold office for a term of two years and until a successor shall be elected and have qualified."

in any way impact the nature of Adjourning as described in RONR p237 ll6-15?

Our Rules (municipal town meeting) have an interesting provision for a "second reading" on certain types of items (ordinances, rules changes).  This Rule says...

Spitballing about how to avoid an annoying item which is unfinished business from a previous session, our Moderator said that we could not use Object to Consideration as the item was already under consideration at the previous session.

Is that a common interpretation/understanding?