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guest speaker


Guest Don L

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Well, the assembly has the authority to permit a non-member to attend a meeting, and the authority to allow a non-member to speak at a meeting. During a special meeting, or course, only business that was mentioned in the call to the meeting is appropriate, so I assume the guest speaker's input would need to be relevant to that business.

Who decided to invite the guest speaker? Depending on how that decision was made, it's quite likely that, even if the invitation has been sent, the assembly has not yet given its permission for the speaker to participate in the meeting -- that permission would be given (or not given) by the members assembled at the meeting.

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What do you mean by "guest speaker?" Is this "guest speaker" merely giving a presentation of sorts, from which no business will ensue? In that case, taking a recess for his presentation might be an acceptable work-around. As Trina noted, if it has to do with the business for which the special meeting was called, the assembly will need to allow him to speak, typically by unanimous consent or by a majority vote if it comes to that.

By special meeting, do you mean a meeting that is not regularly scheduled?

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During a special meeting, or course, only business that was mentioned in the call to the meeting is appropriate, so I assume the guest speaker's input would need to be relevant to that business.

I don't see why it would need to be relevant to that business, so long as no action was taken on his speech. I don't think an informational speech constitutes "business."

As Trina noted, if it has to do with the business for which the special meeting was called, the assembly will need to allow him to speak, typically by unanimous consent or by a majority vote if it comes to that.

The non-member needs the assembly's permission to speak (or even to be present) regardless of what he's talking about.

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I don't see why it would need to be relevant to that business, so long as no action was taken on his speech. I don't think an informational speech constitutes "business."

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Hmmm. So, at the special meeting called to deal with the fact that last week's hurricane removed half the shingles on the clubhouse roof, it would be fine to ask the assembly to listen to an entertaining presentation on the care and cultivation of cauliflowers (an interesting topic recently recommended by Mr. Honemann)?

How would the question of listening to the guest speaker properly be brought before the assembly (in light of p. 93 ll. 5-8)? It's not a privileged motion. And it's not a 'subsidiary, incidental, or other motion that may arise in connection with the transaction of such business' [as was specified in the call of the meeting], is it?

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Hmmm. So, at the special meeting called to deal with the fact that last week's hurricane removed half the shingles on the clubhouse roof, it would be fine to ask the assembly to listen to an entertaining presentation on the care and cultivation of cauliflowers (an interesting topic recently recommended by Mr. Honemann)?

I see no reason why not. Whether the society would agree to the request is another question entirely. :)

How would the question of listening to the guest speaker properly be brought before the assembly (in light of p. 93 ll. 5-8)? It's not a privileged motion. And it's not a 'subsidiary, incidental, or other motion that may arise in connection with the transaction of such business' [as was specified in the call of the meeting], is it?

Well, as Mr. Foulkes suggested, the assembly could Recess to hear the guest speaker, which is a privileged motion.

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Well, as Mr. Foulkes suggested, the assembly could Recess to hear the guest speaker, which is a privileged motion.

OK... I suppose listening to the cauliflower expert after the meeting is recessed (or adjourned, for that matter) is sort of similar to listening to the guest speaker at the meeting. Not very similar, but sort of similar. ;)

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