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Secretary won't put motion in minutes


Guest newbee1122

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1st: A motion was brought up that are secretary didn't like the vote out come and refuse to put the vote in the minutes.

2nd: The Secretary is being very disrespectful and won't let other members talk that have different opinions.

What can the President do to smooth this out?

Can the Secretary be asked (made to leave for being unruly?) and not doing the job they were voted on to do?

What are a few didn't option the board has?

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1) Ask him/her to resign.

If that doesn't work...

2) initiate, or threaten to initiate, disciplinary action -- Chapter XX. Maybe that will "encourage" a resignation.

3) Find a presiding officer with some parliamentary leadership skills. The Secretary is in no (proper) position to decide who can talk or not, and the president has no business letting her get away with it.

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Who elected this person to be the Secretary?

The Secretary should not, normally, be having anything to do with who says what, and so on. That is the job of the President/Chair to keep the meeting in order.

Recording motions in the minutes is a very basic duty of the Secretary. Perhaps give him/her a copy of RONR or RONRIN.

Next time, elect someone competent to be the Secretary.

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Thank you both for the help. On a side not i've been told this person was very good at secretary for many years. Just in the last year or so they've been pushing there agenda that most don't want.

Thanks again for the help.

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The BOOK allows this explicitly for the Presiding Officer, but I don't think that can be carried over to the other officers. Page 589, Principle #4.

The principle notwithstanding, I find it hard to believe that the rules could be suspended to substitute a president pro tem but the same can't be done for the secretary.

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The BOOK allows this explicitly for the Presiding Officer, but I don't think that can be carried over to the other officers. Page 589, Principle #4.

I think it would. The secretary taking minutes during a meeting is most definitely a rule relating to the orderly transaction of business in meetings or the duties of officers in that connection (p. 15, l. 9-11). It would be questionable in regard to some other officers, e.g., the historian, but not the secretary.

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John, I don't think the principles of bylaw interpretations are applicable to my RONR question, but I think RONR, p. 15, lines 9-11 does apply, especially noting the word "officers".

You are right of course -- that is what I get (happens too often) for not checking back with the exact text.

The rules can be most certainly be suspended when it is apparent that one or more of the "duties of officers" is not being properly carried out as part of the business of the association.

So, guest_newbee1122, start the next meeting with a motion to "suspend the rules and appoint Sally as secretary pro tem". This doesn't get rid of your secretary permanently (p. 574 might do that for you), but at least takes away his/her pen. But don't forget, he is still a member and has full membership rights to make, debate, and vote on motions. I trust the President will assure that right for all and not let the person run away with the meeting.

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You are right of course -- that is what I get (happens too often) for not checking back with the exact text.

The rules can be most certainly be suspended when it is apparent that one or more of the "duties of officers" is not being properly carried out as part of the business of the association.

So, guest_newbee1122, start the next meeting with a motion to "suspend the rules and appoint Sally as secretary pro tem". This doesn't get rid of your secretary permanently (p. 574 might do that for you), but at least takes away his/her pen. But don't forget, he is still a member and has full membership rights to make, debate, and vote on motions. I trust the President will assure that right for all and not let the person run away with the meeting.

Would that need a 2/3 vote? or could the President just second and pass because the officer isn't doing there job?

Thanks

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Requires 2/3 to "Suspend the rules..." and do something. See p. 260 ff.

No president could "pass" anything all by himself.

While you are at it get yourself a copy of "the right book", and a copies of RONRIB for ALL the members of your Board.

RONRIB:

"Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief", Updated Second Edition (Da Capo Press, Perseus Books Group, 2011). It is a splendid summary of all the rules you will really need in all but the most exceptional situations. And only $7.50! You can read it in an evening.

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