Member Request for Bios of Board-Elected Officers

[POCO]

Our President and secretary resigned mid-term. By-Laws call for the Vice President to automatically assume the President's reponsibilies and other Officer vacancies to be filled by the Board and the new Officers to serve until the next annual meeting. The Board acted accordingly. Two new Officers were appointed by the Board and the Vice President assumed the President's role.

At the following regular (non-annual) Membership meeting, the three officers were introduced by name to the Members. The three officers had been members of the group for three to seven years.

A member from the audience stood and asked that each newly appointed officer present their bios to the members. The new President addressed the member saying that the idea was good, but the agenda was tight. The new President promised that bios would be made available to the membership at the next meeting. The thinking about postponing the request was the meeting time was tight and none of the three were prepared, the meeting was in session, the members had been sent a draft agenda in advance and invited to add to it before the meeting. No agenda items were offered in advance. The Board appointing them had been provided with bios prior to their vote and found each of the members to be more than qualified to assume office. The By-Laws are very clear that the membership is not involved in the appointment of "replacement officers".

Following the meeting, the member who requested the bios was highly inflammed that the President had not complied with her request immediately. The member said that the President MUST comply with any requests made by members during a regular meeting. The member was very vocal and loud in front of the departing members.

What was the right way for the President to handle this member's request during the meeting? Or, similar non-agenda items in the future? BTW... both new Officers thanked the President for not putting them on the spot and allowing them time to prepare a short, to-the-point bio for the group.

[J. J.]

Following the meeting, the member who requested the bios was highly inflammed that the President had not complied with her request immediately. The member said that the President MUST comply with any requests made by members during a regular meeting. The member was very vocal and loud in front of the departing members.

What was the right way for the President to handle this member's request during the meeting? Or, similar non-agenda items in the future? BTW... both new Officers thanked the President for not putting them on the spot and allowing them time to prepare a short, to-the-point bio for the group.

A Request for Information might be granted by unanimous consent or by a majority vote. It technically was not related to the business at hand, just announcing a appointments.

The member could have moved to instruct the chair to provide the bios, and a majority could have ordered it.

[Chris Harrison]

Given that RONR doesn't even require that bios be provided to the members (and I am assuming that the bylaws don't either) I think the President handled the request just fine (and since the Membership doesn't even have anything to do with filling vacancies there would be no pressing reason to have them available at the meeting anyway). As for items that aren't on the agenda there is nothing in RONR that says that the Membership couldn't add other items when it is up for adoption at the start of the meeting (or using Amend Something Previously Adopted to add something after it was adopted) or introducing the item during New Business (unless the bylaws place limits on when items can be placed on the agenda).

[Tim Wynn]

Our President and secretary resigned mid-term. By-Laws call for the Vice President to automatically assume the President's reponsibilies and other Officer vacancies to be filled by the Board and the new Officers to serve until the next annual meeting. The Board acted accordingly. Two new Officers were appointed by the Board and the Vice President assumed the President's role.

At the following regular (non-annual) Membership meeting, the three officers were introduced by name to the Members. The three officers had been members of the group for three to seven years.

A member from the audience stood and asked that each newly appointed officer present their bios to the members. The new President addressed the member saying that the idea was good, but the agenda was tight. The new President promised that bios would be made available to the membership at the next meeting. The thinking about postponing the request was the meeting time was tight and none of the three were prepared, the meeting was in session, the members had been sent a draft agenda in advance and invited to add to it before the meeting. No agenda items were offered in advance. The Board appointing them had been provided with bios prior to their vote and found each of the members to be more than qualified to assume office. The By-Laws are very clear that the membership is not involved in the appointment of "replacement officers".

Following the meeting, the member who requested the bios was highly inflammed that the President had not complied with her request immediately. The member said that the President MUST comply with any requests made by members during a regular meeting. The member was very vocal and loud in front of the departing members.

What was the right way for the President to handle this member's request during the meeting? Or, similar non-agenda items in the future? BTW... both new Officers thanked the President for not putting them on the spot and allowing them time to prepare a short, to-the-point bio for the group.

First, while presiding, the president should not give his opinion as to whether or not he thinks a member's idea is "good."

Second, the request appears to have nothing to do with any business, so it carries the same parliamentary significance as a request that the officers write essays on steam-powered locomotives. While the member is free to make such a motion, the chair has no right or duty to order it upon the demand of a single member.

[Guest Edgar]

Following the meeting, the member who requested the bios was highly inflammed that the President had not complied with her request immediately. The member said that the President MUST comply with any requests made by members during a regular meeting. The member was very vocal and loud in front of the departing members.

This member is sorely mistaken and has a grossly inflated sense of her own importance. Your new president appears to have passed his first test with flying colors.

[Tim Wynn]

This member is sorely mistaken and has a grossly inflated sense of her own importance. Your new president appears to have passed his first test with flying colors.

Well, I wouldn't say "flying colors," since he stumbled with maintaining impartiality and promised that other officers would do something.

[Rev Ed]

As the officers have yet to stand for election before the general members, there is no requirement for the officers to provide their bios.

The member could have added the item to the Agenda, otherwise the member was correct to ask if need be, but wrong to assume that the Presdent had to agree.

I disagree with the "Agenda was tight" rationale - it would have only taken a few minutes. But like I said above, there is no requirement to accept this and there were ways of making the membership decide if it wanted to take the time to here the bios (although if no one else defended the member, I doubt it would go anywhere.)

[Guest Edgar]

Well, I wouldn't say "flying colors," since he stumbled with maintaining impartiality and promised that other officers would do something.

Yes, after reading your earlier post I thought I might hear from you. Perhaps I should have left it with Chris H.'s "just fine". But I do think the new president diffused what could have been a disruptive event (witness the member's behavior after the meeting) without resorting to being "hyper-technical". But you're right, promising the bios was unwise.