Special Meeting Notice Requirements?

[Guest jimm]

Does the newly revised 11th addition change the requirement that the subject/topic of the meeting be part of the notice for a special meeting?

Our president is trying to call a special meeting of the EB and has not stated why he wants it. Our Constitution/By-laws state that

The President of this Union shall act as Chairperson at

all meetings of the Membership and Executive Board. Except as

otherwise provided in this Constitution and Bylaws, the latest

edition of Robert’s Rules of Order currently entitled Robert's

Rules of Order Newly Revised shall apply at all meetings of this

Union.

Some on our EB are trying to say that the newly revised 11th additon does not apply to special meetings of the EB, only for Membership meetings. One politial foe argues specifically:

Mr. xxxx is wrong. His cite from "Roberts Rules for Dummies" applies to special membership meetings.

The only current authorized edition on parliamentary procedure Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised 11th Edition,

does not make a requirement to state a reason for a special executive board meeting.

Did the 11th edition change the requirement that the reason for the meeting be part of the call for any special meeting, membership, committee, or board of directors?

Thanks,

Jimm

[Dan Honemann]

Does the newly revised 11th addition change the requirement that the subject/topic of the meeting be part of the notice for a special meeting?

No.

[David A Foulkes]

See pages 91-93 of RONR (11th Editions) for details on Special Meetings.

Your president, the members of the EB, the political foe, and Mr. xxxx all need a lesson in RONR. So far, yours seems to be the voice of reason (and parliamentary correctness) in all this mess.

[Guest Edgar]

Some on our EB are trying to say that the newly revised 11th editon does not apply to special meetings of the EB, only for Membership meetings.

All meetings are membership meetings.

[Gary c Tesser]

jimm, on 10 May 2012 - 05:37 PM, said:

Some on our EB are trying to say that the newly revised 11th editon does not apply to special meetings of the EB, only for Membership meetings.

All meetings are membership meetings.

But Guest Edgar, is the quoted matter not a reasonable characterization of the distinction between meetings of the "regular" or "general" membership, and meetings of the board? How else would the former be definitively named? (I have seen meetings of the general membership called meetings of the "assembly," to distinguish them from meetings of the board; but I'm leaning to the position that that's a mistake, per RONR page, um 2.)

[Guest Edgar]

But Guest Edgar, is the quoted matter not a reasonable characterization of the distinction between meetings of the "regular" or "general" membership, and meetings of the board?

My point was, when it comes to special meetings (and many, if not all, other aspects of meetings), there is no distinction between meetings of the general membership of an organization, meetings of the membership of its board, or meetings of the membership of its executive committee. A meeting is a meeting is a meeting. All members have a right to attend, speak in debate, and vote. All members have a right to be notified of the meeting (either by virtue of it being a regular meeting or by notice of a special meeting). That means, of course, all members of the body that is meeting. But the distinction lies in the composition of the membership, not in the meeting itself.

[Gary c Tesser]

My point was, [... snip]

G. Edgar, I think that's understood, but I don't see how that responds to O.P. jimm's statement, quoted in your post 4 (not your 4th post, everybody's). I doubt you thought that jimm didn't realize that meetings of the board are meetings of the membership of the board ... But what, then?

[Guest Edgar]

Some on our EB are trying to say that the newly revised 11th additon does not apply to special meetings of the EB, only for Membership meetings.

G. Edgar, I think that's understood . . .

It's apparently not understood by all.

[Gary Novosielski]

The newly revised 11th edition applies to every matter in which it does not conflict with the bylaws. Unless the bylaws say that board meetings have no rules, or specify some other source for the rules under which they operate, then you can bet RONR 11th Ed. applies.