Henry Posted May 6, 2011 at 08:11 PM Report Share Posted May 6, 2011 at 08:11 PM Our association forms a committee for constitutional amendments each year. Members prepared motions to be presented at that meeting. The meeting of the committee was canceled but not rescheduled. Members presented our motions to the monthly meeting one month prior to the AGM. When members presented our amendments the chair refused to allow many of the motions to be heard. The members were not permitted to read the motions to find a board member who would second the motion.The chair did allow a couple of motions to be seconded but refused many more. The chair stated that since the motions did not come to the meeting prior to the AGM in writing and with a second to the motion, the motions would not be allowed to be tabled at the AGM. The chair selected which motions would be heard. The chair tabled motions that the chair had prepared - some of which "competed" with the motions that chair refused to allow to be read by the members.Can a chair refuse some motions and allow others to be read to the board for their consideration if all the motions were presented at the same time?Does a chair have power to decide which motions will be heard and which ones will not?If it is found that the chair did not follow Roberts Rules by not permitting the motions to be read at the meeting prior to the AGM, can those motions that are motions for constitutional amendments be motioned for adoption at the AGM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted May 6, 2011 at 08:32 PM Report Share Posted May 6, 2011 at 08:32 PM RONR doesn't support the President's actions but check the bylaws (and any other governing documents) to see if they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmtcastle Posted May 6, 2011 at 09:40 PM Report Share Posted May 6, 2011 at 09:40 PM Members presented our motions to the monthly meeting one month prior to the AGM.Do you mean "members of the committee presented our motions to the monthly board meeting one month prior to the AGM of the association"? That's three distinct bodies we're talking about: committee, board, and general membership. And if the committee never met, the committee can take no action.Can a chair refuse some motions and allow others to be read to the board for their consideration if all the motions were presented at the same time? Does a chair have power to decide which motions will be heard and which ones will not?The chair can, and should, rule motions out of order if, in fact they're out of order (and he must briefly state his reasons for doing so). He can't simply reject a motion because he doesn't like it.But your board won't be a factor at the AGM (because it won't be there!) so you're free to make whatever motions you like, assuming they're in order of course. And you're free to select a new chair if you don't like the one you've got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted May 7, 2011 at 11:33 AM Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 at 11:33 AM Do you mean "members of the committee presented our motions to the monthly board meeting one month prior to the AGM of the association"? That's three distinct bodies we're talking about: committee, board, and general membership. And if the committee never met, the committee can take no action.The chair can, and should, rule motions out of order if, in fact they're out of order (and he must briefly state his reasons for doing so). He can't simply reject a motion because he doesn't like it.But your board won't be a factor at the AGM (because it won't be there!) so you're free to make whatever motions you like, assuming they're in order of course. And you're free to select a new chair if you don't like the one you've got.Sorry. Members of the board of the association were/are seeking to have motions heard at the AGM. These members presented the motions at a monthly board meeting prior to the AGM as specified in the constitution but the chair refused some of the motions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmtcastle Posted May 7, 2011 at 12:41 PM Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 at 12:41 PM Members of the board of the association were/are seeking to have motions heard at the AGM. These members presented the motions at a monthly board meeting prior to the AGM as specified in the constitution but the chair refused some of the motions.Well, a member of the association who happens to be a member of the board has as much right as any other member (but no more) to make a motion at the AGM. But if your rules (unwisely?) require that the motion first be considered by the board, and it wasn't, you may have a problem as the time to have addressed that issue was at the board meeting. In other words, you shouldn't have permitted the chair to deny the board its right (and, presumably, duty) to consider the motion before it came before the AGM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted May 8, 2011 at 01:50 AM Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 at 01:50 AM In other words, you shouldn't have permitted the chair to deny the board its right (and, presumably, duty) to consider the motion before it came before the AGM.Well, the board shouldn't have permitted it. Non-members of the board couldn't really do anything about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmtcastle Posted May 8, 2011 at 09:11 AM Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 at 09:11 AM Well, the board shouldn't have permitted it. Non-members of the board couldn't really do anything about it.Yes, my use of the word "you" was sloppy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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