board not considering membership

[JaneH]

What are the procedures to take when general meetings are not called even though bylaws say them membership will hold a certain amount of general meetings each year?

If requesting a special meeting, should those requesting offer a time and place?

[Trina]

Do the bylaws say anything about how the meetings of the general membership are to be scheduled?

Do the bylaws say anything about special meetings? (if they do, follow the procedures outlined; if they don't, you can't call special meetings)

[David A Foulkes]

Do the bylaws say anthing about how many membership meetings are to be held each year? Or any specification of month(s) or day of week (e.g. "first Monday of every month")?

[JaneH]

It only states that regular meetings shall be held four times a year at times and placed designated by the president.

regarding requesting special meeting, yes it states at the request of ten members.

[David A Foulkes]

It only states that regular meetings shall be held four times a year at times and placed designated by the president.

regarding requesting special meeting, yes it states at the request of ten members.

A couple suggestions.

1) Next election, vote in some new officers (particularly president) who will abide by the rules and honor and respect the membership. Might be a tall order, but I'll bet there are a few members who would fit the bill.

2) When you can, amend the bylaws to be a little more specific about those membership meetings. It would be nice to think that four meetings a year would be held on a quarterly basis, thus abiding by RONR and avoiding problems. But it is conceivable to hold for meetings over four days (or even one day if they don't drag on too long) and satisfy the bylaw requirement. You might even consider having more, giving the membership a more active role in the organization (if they desire it). If the meeting date, time and place were more solidified, it would be possible (in fact almost certainly) for the members to show up and hold the meeting without the president (or any board member) present. There are mechanism found in RONR that give such empowerment to the membership, barring any uncited restrictions in your rules.

For now, you might take a look at FAQ #20, and also a thorough read of Chapter 20 in RONR (11th Edition, please). Also, check what the bylaws say for term of office for your officers and board members. You may not need to wait for the next election to fix your leadership problems and hold those meetings.

Of course, your first avenue might be to address your questions/concerns with the President (and whole board, maybe) to see about getting on track with meetings. Although, I suspect you may have already done so, or your pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

What is the general membership's attitude on all of this? Do you have a substantial number of members who want to see some positive change? Or are you the lone voice crying out in the wilderness?

[JaneH]

I really appreciate the feedback. Unfortunately I am one of a very small pack of wolves... The term is for two years and because we never meet when a question does arise most of the membership is unaware of the situation. Often we don't even get a response to our direct questions. Most members that would like to see positive change have been attacked and told they are wrong...It's not good.

[Trina]

It only states that regular meetings shall be held four times a year at times and placed designated by the president.

regarding requesting special meeting, yes it states at the request of ten members.

So, what exactly do the bylaws say should happen next when ten members make a request for a special meeting? If it's really vague, like 'a special meeting of the membership shall be called at the request of ten or more members' -- I think you could make a case that the ten members could go ahead themselves, pick a time and place, and send out the required notice to the entire membership. On the other hand, If the actual choice of date and place, and the calling of the meeting are specifically assigned to the president, or to the board, for example, then the bylaws should be followed. To be clear, the bylaws shouldn't be as vague as the example I gave above -- the bylaws should specify all necessary details for calling a special meeting, including who can call such a meeting and the number of days notice required (RONR 11th ed. p. 576 ll. 7-10).

[David A Foulkes]

Most members that would like to see positive change have been attacked and told they are wrong...It's not good.

No, it's not, but if you let "them" get away with this kind of behavior, you'll need to share the responsibility. There is strength in numbers if you stick together. You (the general membership) should expect to have lots more power and authority than I suspect you believe you have, and the bylaws may give that to as well as what Robert's Rules has to say. But you have to stick together, stick up for yourselves, AND come at them from a position of knowledge and strength. By this last I mean, you need to know the rules, both your bylaws' and Robert's.

One thing you'll want to get hands on (and perhaps in multiple copies, so pass the hat) is Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised - In Brief (2nd Edition). It's the Cliff Notes version, but covers the basics quite well and can be read in one evening. Then, you move on to The Book (11th Edition only). And finally, you return here with all the many questions you'll surely have and you'll get all (or most of) the help you need. And it seems to me there was a link around here for a Bylaw Discussion Forum too, since we don't interpret bylaws at this forum. Now, where did I see that....................................

[JaneH]

re. reply #7- I posted straight from our bylaws on calling a special meeting. That is all it says, very vague in nature. I was told today that the board would not hold or offer a special meeting to the membership. "The board feels it might be argumentative in nature"...Our plan is to wait 48 hours for a response regarding a time and place issued by the President and when we don't receive that notify membership as suggested above.

[Trina]

re. reply #7- I posted straight from our bylaws on calling a special meeting. That is all it says, very vague in nature. I was told today that the board would not hold or offer a special meeting to the membership. "The board feels it might be argumentative in nature"...Our plan is to wait 48 hours for a response regarding a time and place issued by the President and when we don't receive that notify membership as suggested above.

Make sure to read the bylaws in their entirety, to see if any other language plays into this (the calling of meetings).

If you do call a special meeting, be sure to observe the rules for doing so. 'Notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting, clearly and specifically describing the subject matter of the motions or items of business to be brought up, must be sent to all members a reasonable number of days in advance.' (RONR 11th ed. p. 91 ll. 31-35).

Regarding the board's response that they 'would not hold or offer a special meeting to the membership' because 'it might be argumentative in nature' -- -- it is the board's job to follow the bylaws which apparently give the membership the right to hold a special meeting; it is not in the board's purview to decide whether or not to offer a meeting to the membership. Also, the concern that a meeting might be 'argumentative' is amusing -- of course meetings can be argumentative (one main role of the rules of parliamentary procedure is to structure and control the argument in a useful way).

If and when your organization does hold a general membership meeting, keep in mind that the board is not present at such a meeting. If the board members are also general members, they may attend on an equal footing with everyone else -- they do not constitute the board, and have no authority as the board at a general membership meeting.