Voting on Agenda Item

[Guest CCA]

At a school board meeting, the Board President called for a motion on an agenda item. The motion was made and seconded. After a short discussion, the President called for a vote. (There are seven members on the board and all were present) She asked for all in favor to raise their hand. Two members plus the board president raised their hand. The Board president then, being surprised at the lack of response, said she had to recess the meeting and call the board attorney. She never asked for those opposed to the motion to raise their hands. She then left the room and called the attorney and further discussed the issue with the board member that made the motion. This discussion occured outside of the board room where no other board members could hear. The board president returned and said the attorney suggested tabling the item and the Board president than asked the board member to rescind the motion. Upon motion being recinded, then the board voted to table the item with tabling passing with a 5-2 vote. Was all of this done correctly and does the tabling stand?

[Rob Elsman]

At a school board meeting, the Board President called for a motion on an agenda item. The motion was made and seconded. After a short discussion, the President called for a vote. (There are seven members on the board and all were present) She asked for all in favor to raise their hand. Two members plus the board president raised their hand. The Board president then, being surprised at the lack of response, said she had to recess the meeting and call the board attorney. She never asked for those opposed to the motion to raise their hands. She then left the room and called the attorney and further discussed the issue with the board member that made the motion. This discussion occured outside of the board room where no other board members could hear. The board president returned and said the attorney suggested tabling the item and the Board president than asked the board member to rescind the motion. Upon motion being recinded, then the board voted to table the item with tabling passing with a 5-2 vote. Was all of this done correctly and does the tabling stand?

See the discussion on this same question: Incomplete Vote.

[Chris Harrison]

At a school board meeting, the Board President called for a motion on an agenda item. The motion was made and seconded. After a short discussion, the President called for a vote. (There are seven members on the board and all were present) She asked for all in favor to raise their hand. Two members plus the board president raised their hand. The Board president then, being surprised at the lack of response, said she had to recess the meeting and call the board attorney. She never asked for those opposed to the motion to raise their hands. She then left the room and called the attorney and further discussed the issue with the board member that made the motion. This discussion occured outside of the board room where no other board members could hear. The board president returned and said the attorney suggested tabling the item and the Board president than asked the board member to rescind the motion. Upon motion being recinded, then the board voted to table the item with tabling passing with a 5-2 vote. Was all of this done correctly and does the tabling stand?

I seem to recall almost the exact same question asked a month or so ago.

Anyway almost none of it was done correctly.

1) The Board president then, being surprised at the lack of response, said she had to recess the meeting and call the board attorney.

The vote should not have been interrupted (RONR p. 408).

2) She never asked for those opposed to the motion to raise their hands.

She should have (RONR p. 43).

3) She then left the room and called the attorney

Really, if she needs to call the attorney for advice on something like that she shouldn't be President. She should have asked for the negative votes and if 2 or fewer voted against the motion it would be adopted and if 3 or more voted against it the motion would have been defeated.

4) The board president returned and said the attorney suggested tabling the item and the Board president than asked the board member to rescind the motion.

Since the question had already been stated by the President the member would have needed permission from the Board to withdraw it (RONR p. 284).

5) Upon motion being recinded, then the board voted to table the item with tabling passing with a 5-2 vote.

The motion to Lay On The Table is used to put off consideration of a question while something more important is being considered (RONR pp. 201-211).

Was all of this done correctly

Not even close!

and does the tabling stand?

Since no timely Point of Order was raised as incredibly incorrectly it was done everything still stands (RONR pp. 243-244). I would highly recommend that you all hire a Parliamentarian to come in and educate the Board about proper parliamentary procedure.

[Gary Novosielski]

At a school board meeting, the Board President called for a motion on an agenda item. The motion was made and seconded. After a short discussion, the President called for a vote. (There are seven members on the board and all were present) She asked for all in favor to raise their hand. Two members plus the board president raised their hand. The Board president then, being surprised at the lack of response, said she had to recess the meeting and call the board attorney. She never asked for those opposed to the motion to raise their hands. She then left the room and called the attorney and further discussed the issue with the board member that made the motion. This discussion occured outside of the board room where no other board members could hear. The board president returned and said the attorney suggested tabling the item and the Board president than asked the board member to rescind the motion. Upon motion being recinded, then the board voted to table the item with tabling passing with a 5-2 vote. Was all of this done correctly and does the tabling stand?

I've got déjà vu all over again.

What makes you think the answers would have changed in a month?

[Guest CCA]

I wondered if the tabling of the item would make the motion officially tabled and communicated the concensus of the board. Chris H. added that it would. What would be opinion?

[Gary Novosielski]

I wondered if the tabling of the item would make the motion officially tabled and communicated the concensus of the board. Chris H. added that it would. What would be opinion?

The motion to Lay on the Table would not be in order. See FAQ #13.

[Josh Martin]

Was all of this done correctly and does the tabling stand?

Almost none of it was done correctly, but the result does stand. A Point of Order would have had to be timely.

I wondered if the tabling of the item would make the motion officially tabled and communicated the concensus of the board. Chris H. added that it would. What would be opinion?

I agree with Chris H. that the motion stands (and Mr. Fish, who gave the same response in the previous thread, but I can understand if it was hard to find in our tangential discussion about lawyers). I don't know that it "communicated the consensus of the board." It seems just as likely that the board members either weren't paying attention or didn't know what to do, but the result is the same in the end.

The motion to Lay on the Table would not be in order. See FAQ #13.

I agree, but that wasn't the question. The original poster asked whether the motion stands, and I see no reason it would not. The whole thing was a mess, but nothing happened which would cause a continuing breach.