Point of Order

[Guest Ksweet]

Can a staff non-voting member of a committee call point of order during public comment? A member of the public violated a section of procedure and the recording secretary called the point of order.

[Gary c Tesser]

Depends on the section and the kind of non-voting.

[Guest Edgar]

Can a staff non-voting member of a committee call point of order during public comment?

If this "non-voting member" (an oxymoron in RONR-Land) retains all other rights except the right to vote, one could assume that would include the right to make a point of order.

[Guest Guest]

The section prohibits the discussion of personalities and the secretary (I guess not really even a "member") just takes the minutes during the meetings. Not that I'm a fan of past practice means correct practice but public attendees have also called point of order. These are public government meetings. Not quite sure if that is enough information.

[KSweet]

(had log-in issues...) The section prohibits the discussion of personalities and the secretary (not really even a "member") just takes the minutes during the meetings. Not that I'm a fan of past practice means correct practice but public attendees have also called point of order. These are public government meetings. Not quite sure if that is enough information.

So, can the recording secretary of a public meeting of a government body call a point of order?

[Guest Edgar]

So, can the recording secretary of a public meeting of a government body call a point of order?

Only members (of the body that is meeting) have any parliamentary rights at the meeting (including the right to make a point of order). So once you determine whether the recording secretary (whom you've already described as "a non-voting member" and "not really even a member") is a member, your questions will be answered.

Of course your rules may vary and, since is a governmental body, it's quite likely that they do.

Bt3272