Board member passed away, how do we do the next board meeting roll call

[Guest Miss Lane]

This is a question I have been looking to get answered. We recently had a board member pass away. We will be having our regular board meeting soon. How do we go about Roll call, is there a procedure? Is that person still listed, who answers for them, I don't know what to do. Any advice be helpful. Thanks

[David A Foulkes]

This is a question I have been looking to get answered. We recently had a board member pass away. We will be having our regular board meeting soon. How do we go about Roll call, is there a procedure? Is that person still listed, who answers for them, I don't know what to do. Any advice be helpful. Thanks

Not sure RONR addresses this directly, but I think it's safe to say this member is no longer a member of the board and his/her should not be called.

[Guest Edgar]

. . . I think it's safe to say this member is no longer a member of the board and his/her [name] should not be called.

On the other hand, why not call his name anyway? It would certainly be interesting if someone answered.

[Guest Miss Lane]

Thanks, I didn't want to seem crass and just leave their name off like they never existed or they quit, but if we had the secretary call their name could the president say so and so is no longer with us? I don't know, I just don't want to see rude. It should be an item in the book though, I am sure I am not the only one to wonder.

[David A Foulkes]

Thanks, I didn't want to seem crass and just leave their name off like they never existed or they quit, but if we had the secretary call their name could the president say so and so is no longer with us? I don't know, I just don't want to see rude. It should be an item in the book though, I am sure I am not the only one to wonder.

I'm assuming everyone on the board is aware of his or her (I'm sure you know which) untimely demise. Perhaps the president could call the meeting to order and ask for a moment of silence in honor of the departed, and then proceed with business. Then, at the roll call, you can skip over this member's name.

[sMargaret]

Having been in a situation where I've been reading through historic minutes of a board and trying to figure out what happened, it would be helpful if the death is noted in the minutes.

[Guest Edgar]

Having been in a situation where I've been reading through historic minutes of a board and trying to figure out what happened, it would be helpful if the death is noted in the minutes.

Well, it might be noted if he died during a meeting. Though it would be more a case of recording a lack of motion than recording a motion.

Hey, I'm tryin' to behave myself but it ain't easy.

[Gary Novosielski]

On the other hand, why not call his name anyway? It would certainly be interesting if someone answered.

I know of a society where the tradition is to call the name of a deceased member. When this is done, everyone answers "Present".

[Guest Edgar]

I know of a society where the tradition is to call the name of a deceased member. When this is done, everyone answers "Present".

"

"

[David A Foulkes]

Hey, I'm tryin' to behave myself but it ain't easy.

Obviously (in reference to the second part of this comment only).

[Trina]

Thanks, I didn't want to seem crass and just leave their name off like they never existed or they quit, but if we had the secretary call their name could the president say so and so is no longer with us? I don't know, I just don't want to see rude. It should be an item in the book though, I am sure I am not the only one to wonder.

RONR is low on sentiment and high on practicality. As far as I know, there isn't anything in the book about this situation (the book is already quite long, without adding rules about matters that do not affect the fair and efficient conduct of business at meetings).

However, that doesn't mean you are forbidden to be courteous or respectful in how you handle the matter at the next meeting; just that RONR won't prescribe the proper steps for you. The process you suggests sounds as good as any -- just be sure the participants (secretary and president) plan ahead and know their parts, if you decide to go that way.

[Shmuel Gerber]

... if we had the secretary call their name could the president say so and so is no longer with us? ...

The process you suggests sounds as good as any -- just be sure the participants (secretary and president) plan ahead and know their parts, if you decide to go that way.

Maybe it does sound good, and maybe it is courteous and respectful, but it is clearly not the proper procedure for the secretary, during an official roll-call at a meeting, to call the names of any former members.

[Trina]

Perhaps the members in Miss Lane's organization will not raise a point of order about such a failure to abide by the rules.

I find it hard to imagine someone raising a point of order in this circumstance, but maybe that's just a failure of imagination.

I guess the bottom line, from what Mr. Gerber says, is don't call the name during roll call -- if obedience to the rules in RONR is the deciding factor -- since the deceased person is no longer a member.

[Guest Guest]

Perhaps the members in Miss Lane's organization will not raise a point of order about such a failure to abide by the rules.

I find it hard to imagine someone raising a point of order in this circumstance, but maybe that's just a failure of imagination.

I guess the bottom line, from what Mr. Gerber says, is don't call the name during roll call -- if obedience to the rules in RONR is the deciding factor -- since the deceased person is no longer a member.

One assumes she visited this site solely to determine what the rule is in RONR, or isn't. Your points regarding courtesy are not lost on anyone though.

[SaintCad]

One thing you could do if you want the person memorialized (post #4) is immediately after the roll call make a motion that the assembly have a moment of silence for the death of X. Talk to the Chair before the meeting so he can throw in a quick "Without objection."

Question for those more educated than I. If it is not on the agenda, should Miss Lane start her motion, "I move to suspend the rules to honor ..." If she does, then does she need a second motion to actually do the honoring so it would sound like

Miss Lane: I move to suspend the rules to honor Mr. X.

Chair: Without objection.

Miss Lane: I move that we have a moment of silence recognizing the service of Mr. X. to the assembly and that a note of his death be placed in the minutes.

Chair: Without objection.

[David A Foulkes]

One thing you could do if you want the person memorialized (post #4) is immediately after the roll call make a motion that the assembly have a moment of silence for the death of X. Talk to the Chair before the meeting so he can throw in a quick "Without objection."

Now that is a good idea. Oh, wait.......

I'm assuming everyone on the board is aware of his or her (I'm sure you know which) untimely demise. Perhaps the president could call the meeting to order and ask for a moment of silence in honor of the departed, and then proceed with business. Then, at the roll call, you can skip over this member's name.

[Shmuel Gerber]

Perhaps the members in Miss Lane's organization will not raise a point of order about such a failure to abide by the rules.

That's really beside the point (no pun intended), isn't it?

[Trina]

That's really beside the point (no pun intended), isn't it?

I think the first question asked by the original poster was answered by Mr. Foulkes in the first response. The larger question, which the original poster introduced in post #4, seems to be asking for a positive action of recognition for the deceased member, and RONR does not specify such an action. I'm pretty sure the members of the organization can come up with something appropriate on their own.

However, I have been chewing over your earlier comment:

Maybe it does sound good, and maybe it is courteous and respectful, but it is clearly not the proper procedure for the secretary, during an official roll-call at a meeting, to call the names of any former members.

and I wonder what exactly the rule is that is being broken by the secretary. Suppose (different situation) that the secretary simply was unaware that a member had died, and called the name of the deceased when calling the roll. In that situation, presumably someone would speak up and inform the assembly that the member in question had died. No one would suggest that the secretary had done something improper by uttering the name of the deceased.

In the little ceremony suggested by Miss Lane, the secretary would call the name of the deceased, and someone (the president in her version) would speak up and inform the assembly that the member in question had died. No outward difference whatsoever. Does the fact that the secretary was aware of the death in the second scenario make a difference? If so, why (in terms of rules in RONR, not in terms of 'everyone should tell the truth' or similar sentiments)?

[Shmuel Gerber]

Trina,

I say this with the greatest respect for your analytical abilities, but I think right now you're just being silly.

It is the secretary's duty to keep the organization's official membership roll. When the secretary starts to knowingly keep dead people on the rolls, things are obviously not the way they should be.

[Guest Edgar]

When the secretary starts to knowingly keep dead people on the rolls, things are obviously not the way they should be.

It's threads like this one that make this enterprise worthwhile.

[Trina]

Trina,

I say this with the greatest respect for your analytical abilities, but I think right now you're just being silly.

It is the secretary's duty to keep the organization's official membership roll. When the secretary starts to knowingly keep dead people on the rolls, things are obviously not the way they should be.

Well, you have a point .

And I certainly concede that I've wandered off on an analytical detour, and that none of this later discussion is of use to the original poster.