Meeting Agenda

[Guest RJ_Guest]

I have a question regarding voting on motions in regards to the agenda. Our board release the meeting agenda with items to be addressed during the meeting which some items are for discussion and other are put on for a vote. At the end of the agenda we have a line item called open discussing. My question is can a member present something to be voted on during this time? Does this new item of business have to be added to the next published meeting agenda so the public is aware of the prosed vote? Thanks for the help.

[Gary c Tesser]

Please look at FAQ #14, "How can I get an item on the agenda for a meeting?" at http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html#14 . Does that do the trick?

[Josh Martin]

I have a question regarding voting on motions in regards to the agenda. Our board release the meeting agenda with items to be addressed during the meeting which some items are for discussion and other are put on for a vote. At the end of the agenda we have a line item called open discussing. My question is can a member present something to be voted on during this time? Does this new item of business have to be added to the next published meeting agenda so the public is aware of the prosed vote? Thanks for the help.

Firstly, the RONR answer is that items of business are generally introduced during New Business rather than Open Discussion, but they may be addressed immediately. It's also possible to add them to the agenda, but that is not required. In either event, It is not necessary to wait until the next meeting.

Since you mention "the public," however, I take it that this is a public body. If that is the case, your state's "Sunshine Law" or "Open Meeting Law" may say something else on this subject, and that would supersede RONR. You should consult a lawyer or the office of your state's Secretary of State to determine the details of such a law and whether it is applicable to your assembly.