Guest Larry Posted July 20, 2012 at 11:13 PM Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 at 11:13 PM For the last two months our local volunteer fire department has not been able to have a quorum present (per by-laws) to hold a monthly business meeting. This is hurting the operation of the fire department. I want to change the by-laws but can not because we don't have enough members to hold a meeting. My question is, is there any way to hold a meeting and conduct business without a quorum until we change the by-laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted July 20, 2012 at 11:22 PM Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 at 11:22 PM My question is, is there any way to hold a meeting and conduct business without a quorum until we change the by-laws.Nope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted July 20, 2012 at 11:22 PM Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 at 11:22 PM Unfortunately, no. At least according to RONR.But since you are, I presume, some sort of public body, there may be laws on the books that cover your problem. Ask a local lawyer. Any laws would supersede RONR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary c Tesser Posted July 21, 2012 at 12:17 AM Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 at 12:17 AM John! Tell him the secret plan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted July 21, 2012 at 12:19 AM Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 at 12:19 AM Dan will ban me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nancy N. Posted July 21, 2012 at 01:57 AM Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 at 01:57 AM Well, can we tell him to ask David Foulkes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted July 21, 2012 at 11:30 AM Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 at 11:30 AM Well, can we tell him to ask David Foulkes?Oh, sure, drag me into this!For the last two months our local volunteer fire department has not been able to have a quorum present (per by-laws) to hold a monthly business meeting. This is hurting the operation of the fire department. I want to change the by-laws but can not because we don't have enough members to hold a meeting. My question is, is there any way to hold a meeting and conduct business without a quorum until we change the by-laws.Larry, do your best to explain to the membership the downside (as it relates to the station house) of not having meetings. Beg, plead, and cajole enough members to show up at least once so you can amend the bylaws to lower the quorum so you can get back to the business at hand. Offer free pizza and beer, door prizes, dancing girls, a vacation getaway for two to Cabo -- whatever it takes. But -- you must coordinate all this to abide by your bylaw amendment article in the bylaws (you do have one, don't you) so that proper notice can be given, and an adequate number of members are present so that the amendment can be properly adopted. Then, after all is said and done, everyone can go back to their regular and customary practice of failing to attend meetings, but it won't matter since you'll finally have a quorum. Bon chance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Ed Posted July 21, 2012 at 05:00 PM Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 at 05:00 PM And if what David has suggested still does not work (it should though), there is always the "ultimate" threat - tell members if they don't start attending meetings now and in the future the the organization will be dissolved. You can't have a quorum of 0, so people will always have to attend even if quorum is reduced. And if you get a quorum to deal with the amendment to the By-law, use the meeting as a chance to do some brainstorming with members as to what members would like to see at the meeting in order to get them to attend. I think that might be a large part of the problem - people aren't attending and you need to deal with that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted July 21, 2012 at 11:39 PM Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 at 11:39 PM And if what David has suggested still does not work (it should though), there is always the "ultimate" threat - tell members if they don't start attending meetings now and in the future the the organization will be dissolved.Although, with no quorum . . . there would be no way to adopt a motion to do the dissolving. You can't have a quorum of 0, so people will always have to attend even if quorum is reduced.Certainly, you can have a quorum of 0. I just don't suspect that those 0 members will get much business transacted on their own. On a slightly more serious note, the quorum could certainly be reduced to the number that's expected to attend.And if you get a quorum to deal with the amendment to the By-law, use the meeting as a chance to do some brainstorming with members as to what members would like to see at the meeting in order to get them to attend. I think that might be a large part of the problem - people aren't attending and you need to deal with that too.In regards to not having a quorum, some might say that's the only problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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