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Quick question: If there is a custom of handing out an award at each monthly meeting to a member of the club by nomination and vote, and if that is shown on the monthly agenda as a line item for the meeting, but the handing out of the award is not mentioned anywhere in the club bylaws - does the leadership have to provide a club vote to stop handing out the award every month? A club member says that since it has been handed out every month for the last few years, it is now a tradition, and has to be voted on my the club membership to not hand it out. Thanks for your response...

During our monthly Delegate Assembly I raised a Point of Order when a motion was made and the Chair explained to new Delegates that once a motion is made and seconded it requires two-thirds to be added to this month's agenda or a majority in order to be added to next month's agenda. My Point of Order was that handling motions in this manner is in conflict with RONR and it is not written in the Constitution/By-laws. My understanding of a handling of a new motion according to RONR is that the motion is made, seconded, the chair states the question and then debate begins. (I had given the Parliamentarian and the Secretary a "heads up" prior to the start of the meeting by informing them that I would be calling for a Point of Order as I believe that the requirement of 2/3s or majority in order to add it to the agenda severely limits members' voice.) Since this has been the way motions have been handled for the three years I've been a Delegate (and possibly for the 50+ years the organization (union) has been in existence), I also cited page 19, "Custom" which states that if a custom is in conflict with the parliamentary authority or written rule and a Point of Order is raised citing the conflict that the custom "falls to the ground" and the conflicting provision in the parliamentarian authority (RONR according to Constitution/By-laws) or written rule must thereafter be complied with. The Chair asked the Parliamentarian to come to the microphone. The Parliamentarian cited a clause in the by-laws which stated "A membership meeting shall discuss only those matters for which it was convened." Chair accepted Parliamentarian's explanation, adding, "But it was a good question." There wasn't time for me to respond so I let it go but afterwards I again reviewed the Constitution/By-laws and found that the section the Parliamentarian cited was for "Membership Meetings" which is a special meeting called for a distinct purpose -- that is NOT the same as the monthly Delegate Assembly. I sent an email to the Chair and Secretary when I returned home that evening, providing them with this additional information but have not received a response. What's my next step? Should I discuss it with the Parliamentarian prior to the start of next month's Delegate Assembly and ask that he bring it up with the Chair or should I call Point of Order again at the next DA? Would I call it at the beginning of the meeting when the Chair/President is giving his address or wait until it's time for new business? Thank you for any assistance/advice you may be able to provide.

I have a question with regards to a difference between the 10th and 11th Edtions of RONR. Pages 92-93 of the 10th Edtion, with regards to Executive Session, state: "In most organizations, except those operating under the lodge system, by practicse or sometimes, by rule, membership meetings are open to the public, but board or committee meetings are customarily held in executive session." The emphasis is mine, and my question is this: Does anyone know the rationale why the part about Boards customarily holding meetings in Executive Session was removed in the 11th Edition? Of course if the custom to do so was started unther the 10th Edition, Board meetings would still normally be held in Executve Session by custom as the 11th Edition allows for this (page 95 ll 26-27.)