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proposed bylaws changes


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At a recent meeting of an association, proposed bylaw changes were to be voted on. However, there was not a quorum and when the move to suspend the rules by the president was met with a Point of Order, the meeting was adjorned. The membership now received by email the proposed changes along with a ballot to print and return by mail. No forum is provided for discussion or questions and no rationale for the changes has been provided. The changes are presented as total revision, vote yes or not to accept the propsed language. Does RONR require that a motion/second be made for proposed bylaw changes? Does RONR require that debate occur on proposed bylaw changes? The current bylaws simply state that the "bylaws may be amended at a business meeting or by secret mail ballot". The leadership of this organization has made no effort to keep members informed, there is apathy among members who feel powerless to make any changes. The leadership states that the fact that so few attend a meeting that they must be happy. the current requirement for quorum is only 5%, which the current leadership has not been able to get at meetings so they've just been suspending the rules. The proposed bylaw changes would remove any requirement for quorum, stating that a "quorum wil be the number at the meeting".

Any thoughts on how to address this. Our organization, a union, is dead in part because the current leadership makes no effort to engage members and so hasn't been following RONR. a

Any RONR that would impact the validity of mail vote on bylaws changes?

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At a recent meeting of an association, proposed bylaw changes were to be voted on. However, there was not a quorum and when the move to suspend the rules by the president was met with a Point of Order, the meeting was adjorned. The membership now received by email the proposed changes along with a ballot to print and return by mail. No forum is provided for discussion or questions and no rationale for the changes has been provided. The changes are presented as total revision, vote yes or not to accept the propsed language. Does RONR require that a motion/second be made for proposed bylaw changes? Does RONR require that debate occur on proposed bylaw changes? The current bylaws simply state that the "bylaws may be amended at a business meeting or by secret mail ballot". The leadership of this organization has made no effort to keep members informed, there is apathy among members who feel powerless to make any changes. The leadership states that the fact that so few attend a meeting that they must be happy. the current requirement for quorum is only 5%, which the current leadership has not been able to get at meetings so they've just been suspending the rules. The proposed bylaw changes would remove any requirement for quorum, stating that a "quorum wil be the number at the meeting".

Any thoughts on how to address this. Our organization, a union, is dead in part because the current leadership makes no effort to engage members and so hasn't been following RONR. a

Any RONR that would impact the validity of mail vote on bylaws changes?

No, your union is dead (or not) because the members want it to be. The leadership is so sorry, because the members want it to be. And, the parliamentary procedures are so poor, because the members want them to be.

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At a recent meeting of an association, proposed bylaw changes were to be voted on. However, there was not a quorum and when the move to suspend the rules by the president was met with a Point of Order, the meeting was adjorned. The membership now received by email the proposed changes along with a ballot to print and return by mail. No forum is provided for discussion or questions and no rationale for the changes has been provided. The changes are presented as total revision, vote yes or not to accept the propsed language. Does RONR require that a motion/second be made for proposed bylaw changes? Does RONR require that debate occur on proposed bylaw changes? The current bylaws simply state that the "bylaws may be amended at a business meeting or by secret mail ballot". The leadership of this organization has made no effort to keep members informed, there is apathy among members who feel powerless to make any changes. The leadership states that the fact that so few attend a meeting that they must be happy. the current requirement for quorum is only 5%, which the current leadership has not been able to get at meetings so they've just been suspending the rules. The proposed bylaw changes would remove any requirement for quorum, stating that a "quorum wil be the number at the meeting".

Any thoughts on how to address this. Our organization, a union, is dead in part because the current leadership makes no effort to engage members and so hasn't been following RONR. a

Any RONR that would impact the validity of mail vote on bylaws changes?

If your bylaws say they can be amended by mail, they can. However, your rules should detail how this is to be handled.

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Well, now.

1. Setting aside Mr. Elsman's miraculous ability to psychoanalyze and treat the ailments of those a continent away .... A fractious, tyrannical mislead-ership (my little play on words) will get away with it as long as the membership lets them get away with it.

2. Under the circumstances, I can't quibble with the meeting's being adjourned upon the president's outrageous proposal to ignore ("suspend," my eye) the quorum requirement. But don't get in the habit of letting the president adjourn the meeting on his own any time that he isn't getting his own way.

3. I must point out that when bylaws and RONR disagree, the bylaws win.

4. It seems to me that the bylaws can be amended in either of two ways, but how one method is chosen over the other is beyond me. (Also probably beyond anyone, which is why the board feels it can get away with imposing one of the methods, the non-negotiable mail ballot, on the membership).

5. There are laws that govern the governance of unions, I am told. You might want to look into that.

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