Guest William Derbyshire Posted February 22, 2011 at 05:54 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 at 05:54 PM Our Board, including its President, has acknowledged the need to undertake a revision of its bylaws. One Board member made a request via e-mail to the President that a committee be formed to study a revision of the bylaws and that the request be placed on the agenda for our next meeting. The President ignored the request, and there is no mention whatsoever of studying a revision of the bylaws in the proposed agenda.I assume that the president cannot ignore any such request from a member of the Board of Directors. Am I correct? If so, what recourse do the Board members have? Please quote chapter and verse if possible. Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted February 22, 2011 at 05:57 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 at 05:57 PM Our Board, including its President, has acknowledged the need to undertake a revision of its bylaws. One Board member made a request via e-mail to the President that a committee be formed to study a revision of the bylaws and that the request be placed on the agenda for our next meeting. The President ignored the request, and there is no mention whatsoever of studying a revision of the bylaws in the proposed agenda.I assume that the president cannot ignore any such request from a member of the Board of Directors. Am I correct? If so, what recourse do the Board members have? Please quote chapter and verse if possible. Many thanks.See FAQ #14, which explains the misconceptions about agendas. Or simply make the motion under New Business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest William Derbyshire Posted February 22, 2011 at 07:28 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 at 07:28 PM See FAQ #14, which explains the misconceptions about agendas. Or simply make the motion under New Business.Thank you for your reply. I do understand how a motion can be made at a meeting for consideration under new business. What I am really interested in knowing is whether the President has the right to ignore a request via e-mail that a certain issue be placed on the agenda.If the President does not have that right, what is the Board's recourse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted February 22, 2011 at 07:33 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 at 07:33 PM Thank you for your reply. I do understand how a motion can be made at a meeting for consideration under new business. What I am really interested in knowing is whether the President has the right to ignore a request via e-mail that a certain issue be placed on the agenda.If the President does not have that right, what is the Board's recourse?The Board can add it when the agenda is pending approval, which is what FAQ#14 says, in part. "At the time that an agenda is presented for adoption, it is in order for any member to move to amend the proposed agenda by adding any item which the member desires to add, or by proposing any other change." FAQ#14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Goldsworthy Posted February 22, 2011 at 07:37 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 at 07:37 PM What I am really interested in knowing is whether the President has the right to ignore a request via e-mail that a certain issue be placed on the agenda.Yes.E-mail has no parliamentary significance.E-mail can be ignored.No rule in Robert's Rules would force a president to do anything with e-mail.If the President does not have that right, what is the Board's recourse?Tip: Have the sender send ('cc') his e-mail to 100% of the current sitting board members. -- Not to a any single individual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted February 22, 2011 at 07:46 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 at 07:46 PM Thank you for your reply. I do understand how a motion can be made at a meeting for consideration under new business. What I am really interested in knowing is whether the President has the right to ignore a request via e-mail that a certain issue be placed on the agenda.If the President does not have that right, what is the Board's recourse?I guess you didn't read the FAQ. The board can simply add it to the agenda when the agenda comes up for adoption. If it does not, then there is no agenda. There is just a piece of paper that someone thinks is pretty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest William Derbyshire Posted February 22, 2011 at 08:12 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 at 08:12 PM I guess you didn't read the FAQ. The board can simply add it to the agenda when the agenda comes up for adoption. If it does not, then there is no agenda. There is just a piece of paper that someone thinks is pretty.As I noted above, I indeed read FAQ 14, and I realize that a motion can be made to add an item to the agenda before it is adopted.My concern is the President ignoring a written request (via e-mail) to add an item. Other replies indicate that the President, ineffect, can ignore any such e-mail request. I think that it is a matter of courtesy for the President to respond to a request.But, we still have the option of FAQ 14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted February 22, 2011 at 08:24 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 at 08:24 PM As I noted above, I indeed read FAQ 14, and I realize that a motion can be made to add an item to the agenda before it is adopted.My concern is the President ignoring a written request (via e-mail) to add an item. Other replies indicate that the President, ineffect, can ignore any such e-mail request. I think that it is a matter of courtesy for the President to respond to a request.But, we still have the option of FAQ 14.If you are aware that a motion can be made to add the item to the agenda why even bother with the President? He will submit what he submits and you can move to amend it to add what you want to add. He is just one vote, and it is obvious that he doesn't believe in courtesy like you do. In other words don't give the President any more power than he actually has! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted February 22, 2011 at 08:28 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 at 08:28 PM The point of FAQ #14 is that the president does not set the agenda at all. It is common for the president to submit a proposed agenda, but anyone else can do the same. So the president is under no obligation to include items in his agenda except those that he thought of, and anyone is free to amend whatever proposed agenda is presented to the board for adoption, whether it is the president's or not. Any member can propose an amendment by completely substituting their proposed agenda for that of the president, or any other member.The mistake here is in thinking that the president has special powers not available to any board member. If he did, then perhaps he would also have an obligation to include other people's suggestions on "his/the" agenda. But that is not the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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