Change purpose of special meeting

[Guest Jennifer Holloway]

Good evening,

We have posted a special meeting notice at church. The notice states the purpose of the special meeting is to vote "Jane Smith" into the position of "clerk." The special meeting is to be held in one week, having been posted and mentioned from the pulpit one week ago. Our bylaws state special meetings need two weeks' notice.

Jane Smith agreed to take the position of clerk until such time as someone else came forward and wanted the position.

Since the posting of the special meeting, "Susan Jones" has come forward and would like the position.

My questions are: can we cancel the special meeting and make a new posting two weeks' hence to vote Susan into the clerk position?

OR: can we amend the purpose of the special meeting at the special meeting to change the clerk to be voted upon as Susan Smith?

Thank you,

Jennifer

[Gary Novosielski]

Well, you've created your own pickle here. The call of the meeting should have said that the purpose of the meeting was to elect a clerk. Specifying the name was improper, presumptuous and, as you can see, problematic.

I think it might be permissible to hold the meeting as planned, and then ask, at the time of the election, if there are any nominees from the floor. Someone could then nominate Susan, and the election could then be held.

But stay tuned. Someone else might construe the language more tightly, and could easily have a better argument for another course of action. One problem is that once called, there is no mechanism to cancel the special meeting.

[tctheatc]

If the assembly believes considering Susan Jones for the position is within the scope of notice, isn't the problem solved? Even if one were to raise a point of order that it wasn't withn scope, and the point was ruled well taken by the chair, an appeal would solve the matter if the assembly is so inclined.