Committee and board questions

[Guest Roger]

Our "Legislative, Resolutions and By-laws" committee (7 members) was working on a resolution to recommend to our 8-member association board. One (maybe two) of the committee members was very opposed to this resolution and went to the associations President and threatened to quit the committee and the association if the committee did not drop the issue. The committee had just sent a second draft out when the President contacted me (Committee chair). She informed me about the committee member(s) who were upset and that the board was telling the committee to drop the issue (I am also a board member and there was no vote or discussion about it). Here are my questions:

1) Can the President speak for the board when a vote has not taken place?

2) Can the President (or Board) tell a committee to drop an issue? Our committee does not have autonomy and is their to make recommendations to the board.

3)The other committee members are upset that they were not allowed to vote on the resolution. Our by-laws say that the President appoints committee members and chairs, but does not mention the ability to remove anyone from a committee or as chairperson. If I call for a vote without "permission" from the President or the board, what actions can they take against me?

4) Does RONR list a disciplinary action for committee members who put themselves above the rest of the committee?

[Josh Martin]

1) Can the President speak for the board when a vote has not taken place?

No.

2) Can the President (or Board) tell a committee to drop an issue? Our committee does not have autonomy and is their to make recommendations to the board.

If, as you suggest, this is a committee of the board, the President can't make the committee drop an issue, but the board certainly can. The committee is obliged to obey the instructions of its parent assembly.

3)The other committee members are upset that they were not allowed to vote on the resolution. Our by-laws say that the President appoints committee members and chairs, but does not mention the ability to remove anyone from a committee or as chairperson. If I call for a vote without "permission" from the President or the board, what actions can they take against me?

The power to appoint includes the power to remove. So if you anger the President, he could remove you from your position of chair or remove you from the committee entirely.

4) Does RONR list a disciplinary action for committee members who put themselves above the rest of the committee?

Well, a committee can't discipline its own members, if that's what you were hoping for.