One time change in meeting location ...

[Guest Hollie Guillory]

Do we need a vote from any of our groups (Board, Officers, Membership) in order to change the location of the meeting due to a venue conflict? Our regular meeting place has been rented out on the night of our regularly scheduled board meeting.

[Chris Harrison]

Do the bylaws specify where the venue is to be or which officer/body is authorized to change the venue?

[Guest Edgar]

Do we need a vote from any of our groups (Board, Officers, Membership) in order to change the location of the meeting due to a venue conflict? Our regular meeting place has been rented out on the night of our regularly scheduled board meeting.

Send two board members to the original location. They will call the meeting to order and immediately adjourn it to the preferred location (which is, hopefully, close enough for them to get to it).

Or, if all the board members are in agreement, simply meet at the preferred location. Not quite kosher but who will complain?

[Guest Hollie Guillory]

The bylaws specify when the meetings will be held, but not the location.

[Josh Martin]

Do we need a vote from any of our groups (Board, Officers, Membership) in order to change the location of the meeting due to a venue conflict?

It depends on how the location was chosen to begin with, and (if a call was sent), whether the location was included in the call.

[Guest 6hqa8e]

We have been meeting at this same location for over a decade, so I'm unsure how if was voted on originally. In order to continue meeting there this term, we approved it in a board meeting with executive board and chairs of the committees. This location change is a one time emergency change since our regular meeting place has been double booked due to an error on the part of the venue's office staff.

[Trina]

How soon is this meeting coming up (in other words, does the board have another meeting scheduled prior to the different-location meeting)? If you don't have another meeting scheduled in between, how would you vote on the location change?

My main concern would be with clearly notifying all of the board members of the location change, rather than worrying too much about the parliamentarily 'perfect' way to change the location. You could follow Edgar's advice in post #3 (meet at the old location, and adjourn to the new location) if the group really has concerns about proper procedure.

[Guest Hollie Guillory]

We have one board meeting and regular meeting before the meeting that has to have an emergency change. Would it be acceptable to have the board members and the committee chairs that voted on the original meeting location for this term vote on the one time in our regular board meeting and then make the announcement in the regular membership meeting?

[Josh Martin]

Would it be acceptable to have the board members and the committee chairs that voted on the original meeting location for this term vote on the one time in our regular board meeting and then make the announcement in the regular membership meeting?

Based on the facts presented, it seems that the "meeting location for this term" was set by the board, and therefore, the board may change the location by means of the motion to Amend Something Previously Adopted to provide an exception for the upcoming meeting, which requires a 2/3 vote, a vote of a majority of the entire membership (of the board, in this case), or a majority vote with previous notice. It would be advisable to send notice to all board members of the change in location.

So far as RONR is concerned, there is no requirement that the general membership be informed, but if your rules or customs permit members of the society to attend board meetings, it does seem advisable. An announcement at the general membership meeting seems sufficient unless your rules provide otherwise.

In the future, when adopting a motion to set the meeting location for a term (or longer, for that matter), it may be best to include a provision to the effect of "unless otherwise ordered by the board." Such a provision would permit the board to change the location in a particular case by majority vote without notice.

[Guest Guest]

Thank you very much. This information clarifies our position clearly. I will definitely recommend that we vote to include the provision you suggested.