Resolution vs Special Meeting

[Guest Chester]

Members of my association have recently called a Special Meeting to review decisions made by one of our Executive members. The Executive feels this is a Special Resolution and requires 75% of membership in attendance in order for the motion to pass. However accordingly to our Bylaws for members to have called the Special Meeting the voting only requires 50% of membership in attendance to vote.

Is there a difference between Resolution and Special Meeting?

[Robert B Fish]

The quorum requirements for a meeting of your organization are those in your bylaws. RONR does not use the term "special resolution" so you must decide for yourselves what's meant by your bylaws.

Hold the meeting, if someone makes a point of order that the special resolution requires a quorum of 75%, the chairman will rule on the point of order. If you disagree, you can appeal the ruling and the assembly will decide. A majority vote is required to overturn the chairman's ruling.

After that, you should amend your bylaws to remove the problematical clauses.

-Bob

[Gary Novosielski]

Have you seen this "rule" with your own eyes?

There are no "Special Resolutions" requiring either a 3/4 vote or a 3/4 quorum (it's not clear which you mean) in RONR. If it's in your bylaws, read it yourself and see if it applies. Then follow Mr. Fish's advice.

[hmtcastle]

However accordingly to our Bylaws for members to have called the Special Meeting the voting only requires 50% of membership in attendance to vote.

So you called a special meeting (to consider something that couldn't wait until the next regular meeting) while you were in a regular meeting? If it was so urgent, you should have considered it then and there.

[Gary Novosielski]

So you called a special meeting (to consider something that couldn't wait until the next regular meeting) while you were in a regular meeting? If it was so urgent, you should have considered it then and there.

I didn't take that to mean that they called a special meeting during a regular meeting, but rather that a quorum for the Special Meeting would be half of the memership.

[Gary Novosielski]

So you called a special meeting (to consider something that couldn't wait until the next regular meeting) while you were in a regular meeting? If it was so urgent, you should have considered it then and there.

I didn't take that to mean that they called a special meeting during a regular meeting, but rather that a quorum for the Special Meeting would be half of the memership.