Guest wrestlingflurry Posted October 7, 2011 at 09:49 PM Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 at 09:49 PM Hi there,We have monthly Executive Meetings for our non-profit association that is comprised of 3500 members. These meetings are supposed to be closed working meetings. However, if an individual would like to attend, then we usually allow members to put in a request to the President for approval. In our constitution, it does not mention anything about the meetings being closed working meetings.Today, we received a request from a member who would like to attend our next Executive Meeting. Do we have to allow this individual to attend because we're a public non-profit association? Can we say no? Usually, in the past we have allowed individuals, so is there a way that we can allow him to attend the meeting and present his points and then call a recess so that he can't stay for the rest of the meeting? What is the proper procedure to handle such a situation?Any help to this matter would be greatly appreciated!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted October 7, 2011 at 10:14 PM Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 at 10:14 PM Today, we received a request from a member who would like to attend our next Executive Meeting. Do we have to allow this individual to attend because we're a public non-profit association? Can we say no? Usually, in the past we have allowed individuals, so is there a way that we can allow him to attend the meeting and present his points and then call a recess so that he can't stay for the rest of the meeting? What is the proper procedure to handle such a situation?As far as RONR is concerned, your executive (board? committee?) is free to exclude or invite non-members (of the board) as it wishes. Whether your organization is subject to any other rules or laws is beyond the scope of this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted October 7, 2011 at 10:17 PM Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 at 10:17 PM People who are not members of the "Executive" have no right to even attend the meeting (RONR p. 644 ll 29-35). If this nonmember shows up at the meeting any member of the Executive can object to his attending and the President should take a vote on the subject (and you can direct him to the above citation if need be). Majority rules. Of course, if you want to allow the nonmember to present his points first you can do so and make the motion to have him leave at any point afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted October 8, 2011 at 12:34 PM Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 at 12:34 PM Hi there,We have monthly Executive Meetings for our non-profit association that is comprised of 3500 members. These meetings are supposed to be closed working meetings. However, if an individual would like to attend, then we usually allow members to put in a request to the President for approval. In our constitution, it does not mention anything about the meetings being closed working meetings.This is not something that would need to be in the constitution. According to RONR, only members of the body that is meeting have any rights at all during the meeting. Unless the would-be attendee is a member of your 'Executive', he has no right to attend (or do anything else at the meeting), even though he is a member of the larger association that the 'Executive' is presumably serving.Today, we received a request from a member who would like to attend our next Executive Meeting. Do we have to allow this individual to attend because we're a public non-profit association? Can we say no? Usually, in the past we have allowed individuals, so is there a way that we can allow him to attend the meeting and present his points and then call a recess so that he can't stay for the rest of the meeting? What is the proper procedure to handle such a situation?As to this part of the question, it would obviously be wise to check the laws governing non-profits in your state. RONR will not provide an answer.If you find no rules beyond what is stated in RONR, then the assembly (your Executive) is free to allow the association member to attend all (or part) of the meeting. The assembly can also choose to allow the visiting non-member (i.e. non-member of the assembly) to speak. If he is to be allowed to speak in debate, that would require a vote to suspend the rules (two-thirds vote needed). Calling a recess will not automatically eject non-members -- you should be more explicit. Note that the chair has the authority to tell a nonmember to leave, especially when it comes to protecting the assembly from 'annoyance' (RONR 11th ed. p. 648). Such an order by the chair can be appealed by a member (but not by the nonmember).Technically, the assembly can't make these decisions (whether the visitor may attend and speak, and for how long) ahead of the meeting, since the decisions should be handled by motion and vote (or unanimous consent) at the meeting. If the issue is non-controversial, it may be possible to plan this ahead of time, of course. And you could certainly inform the would-be attendee what the likely conditions of his attendance are.In your post you say that 'if an individual would like to attend, then we usually allow members to put in a request to the President for approval' -- is that just a custom that your Executive has adopted? Or is there a written rule somewhere describing this procedure, and the President's authority to grant approval? I'm also curious what, if anything, is different about this latest request -- why are you concerned about the procedure in this case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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