Chairman powers

[Guest Craig Brown]

Does the chairman of the board need to be present at a board meeting for it to be called to order. Does chairman have more power than the rest of the board members. What if the chairman refuses to call a board meeting when requested by the rest of the board

[Trina]

1) No, the chair definitely does not need to be present in order for the meeting to be called to order.

2) Yes, in some ways. However, the main role of the chair is to facilitate the conduct of business. In many respects, the chair has no more authority than any other member of the assembly. If you have specific questions in mind, it will be easier to respond regarding the extent of the chair's authority in a particular situation.

3) I assume you are asking about calling a special meeting. The process for calling a special meeting should be spelled out in the bylaws. The exact wording of the bylaws would determine what (if anything) might be done if the chair fails to call a meeting when properly instructed to do so.