Setting up an item for voting

[willie]

Our by-laws don’t say anything about how a vote takes place. It has a Notice provision which I interpret as the process in which the board must give notice to the membership before a vote can take place.

Absent such wording, what does RONR state as the proper manner to bring up an item for voting? Our by-laws state RONR governs our organization.....

Example: a committee wants to spend $5,000 to buy snow shoes to sell to raise money. Let's say we live where it never snows so it’s a risky fundraising request. The committee thinks that they can just get that item voted on by "giving notice" to general membership per the by-laws within 10 days of a general meeting by requesting it go on the agenda for the next meeting.

However, this request was never heard before, it was never brought up at a general meeting to the membership with a proposal. This Board, for the past 5 years has had a precedent set that any new agenda item that falls in the category of needing a vote must be presented at one meeting for vote at the next general meeting.

System worked great until the committee wanting to sell snow shoes at a beach town got mad.

For your entertainment purpose only, here is the wording from the by-laws:

Article 5: NOTICE

Written notice of proposed non-budget items, disbursements above approved line item

limits, extraordinary funding requests, and by-law amendments will be given to the general

membership prior to a general meeting. A vote can't be taken unless written notice of the

items to be voted on has been provided to the general membership ten days prior to the

next general meeting.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

... Example: a committee wants to spend $5,000 to buy snow shoes to sell to raise money.

...

Absent such wording, what does RONR state as the proper manner to bring up an item for voting?

"... absent such wording ..."?

Now we're talkin'!

The Book says that the proper thing to do is to make a motion, inside a properly called, quorate, meeting.

No notice is necessary "for ordinary acts of the society," such as a purchase.

***

CHAIR: "Is there any new business?"

YOU: (after recognition) "I move that we purchase a pair of snowshoes, at a cost not to exceed $5K, for the purpose of raising money."

ANYONE: "Second."

CHAIR: "It is moved and seconded that we purchase a pair of snowshoes, at a cost not to exceed $5K, for the purpose of raising money. Are you ready for the question?"

(debate ensues)

(close debate)

(chair puts the question)

(vote)

(chair announces result of vote, "... is adopted" or "... is lost").

CHAIR: "Is there any further business?"

(loop until adjourned)

***

[tctheatc]

Is not "are you ready for the question?" normally phraseology for when debate appears to have ended? RONR p36 l 19 and p 42 l 26

[David A Foulkes]

Is not "are you ready for the question?" normally phraseology for when debate appears to have ended? RONR p36 l 19 and p 42 l 26

Yes, although I believe that was implied in Mr. Goldsworthy's "(chair puts the question)", although he seems to have mistakenly included it as part of the stating of the question section.

[Gary Novosielski]

Is not "are you ready for the question?" normally phraseology for when debate appears to have ended? RONR p36 l 19 and p 42 l 26

Well, I've seen quite a large number of sample scripts, in RONR and other works, that start out with that question. After all, on a non-controversial motion, it may well be that once the question is stated, the assembly really is ready for the question.

But it is also appropriate when discussion appears to have begun to fizzle out, or when members begin repeating essentially the same arguments on both sides.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Yes, although I believe that was implied in Mr. Goldsworthy's "(chair puts the question)", although he seems to have mistakenly included it as part of the stating of the question section.

[p. 46, "The Stating of the Question by the Chair"]

...

The basic form used by the chair in stating the question

on an ordinary motion is, “It is moved and seconded that

[or “to”] ... [repeating the motion].” The chair then

normally turns toward the maker of the motion to see if

he wishes to be assigned the floor. If the maker does not

claim the floor and, after a pause, no one else does, the

chair may ask, “Are you ready for the question?”

...

[David A Foulkes]

[p. 46, "The Stating of the Question by the Chair"]

...

The basic form used by the chair in stating the question

on an ordinary motion is, “It is moved and seconded that

[or “to”] ... [repeating the motion].” The chair then

normally turns toward the maker of the motion to see if

he wishes to be assigned the floor. If the maker does not

claim the floor and, after a pause, no one else does, the

chair may ask, “Are you ready for the question?”

...

After which debate ensues.

[willie]

Thank you for your reply!

Our by-laws state any expenditure over a line item or extraordinary must be put to a vote by the general membership...your reply stated "....No notice is necessary "for ordinary acts of the society," such as a purchase...."

If I am following the theme of by-law first - RONR second, then we need to vote for such a purchase as defined in my original post?

[Gary Novosielski]

Thank you for your reply!

Our by-laws state any expenditure over a line item or extraordinary must be put to a vote by the general membership...your reply stated "....No notice is necessary "for ordinary acts of the society," such as a purchase...."

If I am following the theme of by-law first - RONR second, then we need to vote for such a purchase as defined in my original post?

There is no conflict between the two things you quoted.

Don't confuse the requirement for putting something to a vote with the requirement for previous notice of that vote.

For ordinary acts such as purchases, a motion could be made at any meeting, seconded, debated, voted on, and adopted.

But for other acts such as bylaws amendments, it would be necessary to notify all members beforehand (previous notice) that this matter would be brought up at the next meeting. If this is not done, the motion is not in order.