Guest Guest_BJBerli Posted October 23, 2011 at 04:18 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 at 04:18 AM Greetings,I know the title topic sounds strange. However, after you read my comment you'll understand why.The by-laws for my organization defines a quorum for our annual membership meeting as "a majority of the members registered at the Annual National Meeting in attendance, irrespective of whether some may have departed. If less than a quorum shall be in attendance at the time for which the meeting shall have been called, no formal business or decisions can take place."All simple an good. We have 100 registrants, majority is half or 50 that's the quorum. Less than 50 on the day and time of meeting then no business.Then in the next paragraph it the section states "Provided, members in attendance may designate a proxy in order for the organization to conduct formal business or make decisions during the Annual National Meeting, proxy's shall be in the form as set forth below and provided to all registered members".Can a proxy establish a quorum? Based on what I've read in the FAQ's and forum topics I've researched I think this is not correct.Looking forward to your responses.Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmuel Gerber Posted October 23, 2011 at 05:12 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 at 05:12 AM ... proxy's shall be in the form as set forth below and provided to all registered members".Can a proxy establish a quorum? Based on what I've read in the FAQ's and forum topics I've researched I think this is not correct.Looking forward to your responses.ThanksThis is definitely not correct. However, presumably you are asking a procedural question, not a spelling question, in which case the answer is that the bylaws may provide for proxies, regardless of how good or bad an idea it may be to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted October 23, 2011 at 05:35 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 at 05:35 AM Just for the record, a majority "more than half" of the members. With 100 members the majority is 51, in whole numbers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted October 23, 2011 at 12:28 PM Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 at 12:28 PM RONR discourages the use of proxies (and all other forms of absentee participation). 'Proxy voting is not permitted in ordinary deliberative assemblies unless the laws of the state in which the society is incorporated require it, or the charter or bylaws of the organization provide for it.' (RONR 11th ed. p. 428)Given that premise, the book does not provide guidance on the details of using proxies -- those details should be spelled out elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted October 23, 2011 at 01:30 PM Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 at 01:30 PM Can a proxy establish a quorum?Not, as noted, in RONR-Land but it can if your rules say so. The phrase "present by proxy" is not unheard of, as a little Googling will reveal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted October 23, 2011 at 03:23 PM Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 at 03:23 PM Just for the record, a majority "more than half" of the members. With 100 members the majority is 51, in whole numbers,Consider it proof that Shmuel was just skimming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted October 23, 2011 at 07:23 PM Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 at 07:23 PM ...We have 100 registrants, majority is half or 50 that's the quorum. Less than 50 on the day and time of meeting then no business.Then in the next paragraph it the section states "Provided, members in attendance may designate a proxy in order for the organization to conduct formal business or make decisions during the Annual National Meeting, proxy's shall be in the form as set forth below and provided to all registered members".Can a proxy establish a quorum? Based on what I've read in the FAQ's and forum topics I've researched I think this is not correct.First, a majority is not "half", it is "more than half", so your quorum would be 51.But the question on proxies in your bylaws is made even muddier by the fact that, apparently, a member needs to be "in attendance" to designate one, which would seem to preclude the need for a proxy in the first place.It's up to the assembly to sort out what this provision actually means. I tend to agree with you, but I have no vote on the matter. I think I know what the drafters of they bylaws were trying to say here, but I'm pretty sure they didn't succeed in saying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest_BJBerli Posted October 23, 2011 at 08:22 PM Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 at 08:22 PM Thank you all for your responses. Incliding the slightly sarcastic one :-) That's what I get for trying to do high math and post at comment at 11pm.At any rate, your responses have provided the clarification I needed. Now I can work on drafting something that better states the intent of this bylaw and ensure it aligns with RONR.Again, much thanks to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GcT Posted October 24, 2011 at 08:00 AM Report Share Posted October 24, 2011 at 08:00 AM Which was the sarcastic one, and where was any high math? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted October 24, 2011 at 11:36 AM Report Share Posted October 24, 2011 at 11:36 AM Which was the sarcastic one, and where was any high math?The high math was > 1/2 x 100I think everyone was equally sarcastic or not sarcastic, depending on how well you know them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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