Video taping of regular Board Meeting - Elections

[Guest Ron]

There is a rumor that our President of our organization is planning to video tape our next regular board meeting, which is this coming Tuesday. The last item on the agenda is our elections and there is a good chance that he will be voted out. We have never videotaped or electrically recorded any meeting over our 50 years of history; the Secretary has always recorded it on paper.

There is nothing in our by-laws saying we can or not? Or that he would have the power to make this decision on his own. Is there anything in Robert’s Rule of Order outlining the steps needed to do this? Who can make this decision? Would the Executive Board need to vote on this in advance? Or can the regular board vote on this. Should the announcement of this meeting include a warning that the meeting is being videotaped?

Thanks in advance for your help,

[Chris Harrison]

The President only has the authority that the bylaws give him (RONR pp. 456-457) so if the bylaws don't give him that authority he doesn't have it. If he wants to video tape the meeting he can make a request of the body which is meeting and it is up to them to decide whether to grant the request and majority rules. If the body decides to refuse the request be firm in your denial pointing out that he doesn't have the authority under the bylaws to record the meeting (which you say they don't address the issue) and the body has the right to control their hall when the meeting is going on (RONR p. 644 ll. 21-24). If he insists anyway see Official Interpretation 2006-2 and RONR pp. 645-648 for details on how to deal with him.

[Rev Ed]

And if he feels that he has to record the meeting then I would suggest that there may be a reason why Ron stated that he might get elected out. However, unless he specifically has the right to record the meeting then he needs the assembly's permission to do so, which may or may not occur.

If he tries to record the permission without permission, then make a Point of Order and be ready to make an Appeal if he refuses to seek the assembly's permission.

[Josh Martin]

Is there anything in Robert’s Rule of Order outlining the steps needed to do this?

Yes. A rule pertaining to recording devices is in the nature of a standing rule. The assembly may adopt a rule on the subject by majority vote. (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 265, lines 26-31)

Who can make this decision?

The Board of Directors.

Would the Executive Board need to vote on this in advance?

Need not and cannot. The Executive Board has no more authority to establish rules for the Board of Directors than the President does (unless the Bylaws provide otherwise).

Or can the regular board vote on this.

Yes.

Should the announcement of this meeting include a warning that the meeting is being videotaped?

It is not required, and it does not seem possible in this case. Since only the board itself may authorize this, it will not be possible to know in advance whether the meeting will be videotaped.

[Guest Ron]

Guys,

Thank you for your guidance through this. I have been involved in this youth sports league for almost 20 years and never had seen someone so out of control as a leader. I have also served as President of this league for 5 years, so I know what comes with the position. For the past couple of month our current President has continuously overstepped his authority, broke by-laws left and right and with the elections results that happened tonight he made it clear he will continue to ignore them when he needs to. Sorry if I sound a little pissed, I am just venting a little here.

Now with the possibility of cameras being in the room, we went all the way to an Appeal level and the board barely approved it. But he did try to start the meeting and not tell anyone that someone was standing the corner with a camera.

Josh you sited RONR, 11th ed., pg. 265, lines 26-31. I have the 10^th edition. Can you send me a copy of the text for the 11^th edition? And maybe where we can find that in the 10^th edition?

Thanks again,

Ron

[Josh Martin]

Can you send me a copy of the text for the 11^th edition?

"An ordinary* standing rule, as the term is used in this book, is a rule that does not relate to parliamentary procedure as such and refers, for example, to such matters as the use of recording devices at meetings (see p. 18). Standing rules are adopted, as any ordinary motion, by a majority vote" (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 265, lines 26-31)

The asterisk corresponds to a footnote which is not relevant to this question.

And maybe where we can find that in the 10^th edition?

The equivalent rule can be found in RONR, 10th ed., pg. 256, line 27 - pg. 257, line 2. It uses a different example, but the text is otherwise the same.

If I was going by the 10th, though, I might just refer you to the main text on standing rules on pg. 18 (same page in the 11th edition). The main reason I used the pg. 265 citation in the 11th is since it uses "the use of recording devices at meetings" as the example.