Robert

[Guest Guest]

We have a member on our school board that likes to create conflict. He discusses several items at each board meeting that should be discussed at committee meetings before they are brought to the board. Once we communicate to the board member that the appropriate forum for that type of discussion is at a committee meeting how do I end his discussion? I am interested in moving the meeting along and not debating or arguing over the same thing for 30 minutes.

[jstackpo]

Well... if the items he is discussing are pending motions (and he doesn't talk beyond the bounds of whatever debate rules you may have in place), then there isn't anything you can do about it.

Per RONR anyway, debate is a right of any member. It may be unfortunate that he doesn't (or repeats) debate in committees and brings argument to the general Board meeting that you may have all heard before in those committee meetings, but that is an administrative matter.

There are methods to stop him -- previous question, adopted limits on debate -- but they generally require 2/3 votes, or a majority of all the board members, to put in place. Can you muster that many Board members?

If he is just sounding off with NO motion pending, you can rule him out of order to stop his mouth. p. 34.

[Rev Ed]

If there is a pending motion, and he is debating the motion, then it is his right. If he wants to bring up a new issue, which normally goes through a Committee, then a member could always move to refer the issue to the appropriate Committee.

[Guest Robert]

There is no motion before the board. He is just talking about issues he does not like and I feel like the board meeting is not the place for such discussion.

Do I just explain that the appropriate place to discuss the issue is in a committee meeting and make the motion to end the discussion since there is no motion?

[George Mervosh]

I don't want to dwell on this but deciding what is appropriate (content-wise) or not isn't your call unless it violates a rule......your job as presider is to enforce the rules of the assembly, which we know you want to do. Dr. Stackpole gave you a citation at the end of his first post to help you do that, without a motion to end discussion being necessary. Giving the guy the heads up ahead of the meeting isn't a bad idea....he might not want a public wrist slap....but then again he might, who knows, but it's worth at least discussing this outside of a meeting.

We're assuming you're not following the rules for small boards in RONR since you probably need to be more formal in your school board meetings.

[Rev Ed]

Go by "the book" and rule him out of order because there is no motion being discussed. I just worn you that this member could appeal your decision and the group could overturn your discussion.

Also, when does this member bring up these issues? Is there a time on the Agenda that is used for "informal discussion" of issues. That is, when the group discusses issues without a motion being before the group. Some groups I know of will do this, as these general discussion periods can create ideas for which motions come out of.

How large is the group? If there are no more than around 13 members, or generally there are not more than 13 members, the group could use the relaxed rules of RONR where no seconds are required, but the Chairman can be more active in participation. If this member makes a motion first (and a motion to discuss informally is allowed) then you could make the motion to refer the motion to the appropriate Committee.