cheerily999 Posted May 26, 2012 at 05:02 PM Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 at 05:02 PM I am brand-new to Robert's Rules although I've been a member and officer of my club's Board for many years. My question is about who can call for a vote / call for a motion? Per the club's bylaws, the president of the club is also the chair of the Board. Also per the bylaws, we follow Robert's Rules unless otherwise specified in the bylaws. It's been assumed that only the president/chair can call for a vote, such as to approve minutes or to approve a financial matter that is outside of what the treasurer is already authorized to do w/out specific Board approval. Is this true or can any member of the Board call for a vote? (Please excuse my incorrect use of terminology. Again, I'm new to Robert's Rules.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted May 26, 2012 at 05:13 PM Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 at 05:13 PM I am brand-new to Robert's Rules although I've been a member and officer of my club's Board for many years. My question is about who can call for a vote / call for a motion? Per the club's bylaws, the president of the club is also the chair of the Board. Also per the bylaws, we follow Robert's Rules unless otherwise specified in the bylaws. It's been assumed that only the president/chair can call for a vote, such as to approve minutes or to approve a financial matter that is outside of what the treasurer is already authorized to do w/out specific Board approval. Is this true or can any member of the Board call for a vote? (Please excuse my incorrect use of terminology. Again, I'm new to Robert's Rules.)Alling for vote is much different than making a motion. Any member of the assembly meeting may make a motion.A member, if the chair refuses under certain circumstances, may put a question to a vote from the floor. As a rule, if the chair is acting appropriately, that is not necessarily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheerily999 Posted May 26, 2012 at 05:35 PM Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 at 05:35 PM Thank you. The situation is that we do allow email voting by the Board. A Board officer, such as the membership secretary (handles applications for membership) or the recording secretary (minutes), posts a message to the Board email group asking for the Board to vote on an applicant who has met the criteria for to be considered for club membership or on the draft minutes. Does it have to have to be the president/chair who asks the Board to vote on the matter?It occurs to me that we may need to tighten up the procedures around email voting. In an in-person Board meeting, the president/chair would ask if there is motion for a particular item and then there'd be a first and second and then there'd be the vote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted May 26, 2012 at 07:36 PM Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 at 07:36 PM Thank you. The situation is that we do allow email voting by the Board. A Board officer, such as the membership secretary (handles applications for membership) or the recording secretary (minutes), posts a message to the Board email group asking for the Board to vote on an applicant who has met the criteria for to be considered for club membership or on the draft minutes. Does it have to have to be the president/chair who asks the Board to vote on the matter?It occurs to me that we may need to tighten up the procedures around email voting. In an in-person Board meeting, the president/chair would ask if there is motion for a particular item and then there'd be a first and second and then there'd be the vote.Well, since this is e-mail voting, you will have to write your own rules for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted May 26, 2012 at 09:06 PM Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 at 09:06 PM Well, since this is e-mail voting, you will have to write your own rules for this....Though it is unclear if the bylaws actually authorize the Board voting by e-mail (if they don't then it can't be done) or if the Membership is allowing it without bylaw authorization. Cheerily999? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tctheatc Posted May 27, 2012 at 10:18 AM Report Share Posted May 27, 2012 at 10:18 AM I am brand-new to Robert's Rules although I've been a member and officer of my club's Board for many years. My question is about who can call for a vote / call for a motion? Per the club's bylaws, the president of the club is also the chair of the Board. Also per the bylaws, we follow Robert's Rules unless otherwise specified in the bylaws. It's been assumed that only the president/chair can call for a vote, such as to approve minutes or to approve a financial matter that is outside of what the treasurer is already authorized to do w/out specific Board approval. Is this true or can any member of the Board call for a vote? (Please excuse my incorrect use of terminology. Again, I'm new to Robert's Rules.)And this would be one of those "unless" cases. You have to understand that a basic underlying principle of RONR is that the assembly is gathered together, and discussing/debating together, hearing one another, considering the points made, and making decisions together. IF your bylaws do authorize you to conduct meetings via e-mail, you need to augment what RONR has given you and specify rules for how these meetings will be conducted, as you are not having the meeting(s) together with your fellow members; y'all are sitting each in his own place at his own computer. That's not a situation RONR addresses, at least not to the extent you're looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted May 27, 2012 at 10:39 AM Report Share Posted May 27, 2012 at 10:39 AM Ch...9999:Since you are a self-identified newbie to RONR, may I HIGHLY recommend getting and reading a copy ofRONRIB:"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.Call on us here if you encounter one of those "exceptional situations".Link to more details here or better here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheerily999 Posted June 22, 2012 at 07:16 PM Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 at 07:16 PM Thanks for the advice. I did get a copy of RONR recently and I'm getting familiar with it. Our bylaws do allow meeting by email or phone conference but since RONR doesn't provide for email meeting rules, we'll need to write them. We adopted new bylaws in February and I really wish I had read RONR when the new bylaws were being drafted. I would have asked better questions and requested some changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary c Tesser Posted June 22, 2012 at 08:38 PM Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 at 08:38 PM ... It's been assumed that only the president/chair can call for a vote, such as to approve minutes ..Don't vote on approving the minutes. See p. 14 and/or p. 150-151 in your new yellow RONR - In Brief, or p. 354 - 355 in RONR, 11th Ed.In an in-person Board meeting, the president/chair would ask if there is motion for a particular item and then there'd be a first and second and then there'd be the vote.On most motions, one trusts the chair would allow for debate....I would have asked better questions and requested some changes.Or made the motions for the changes yourself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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