Order of business at AGM

[Guest Gregg]

The board of our club has decided to ask the members for a dues increase at our upcoming AGM. Normally we approve the upcoming budget immedieately after the election of the new board. Then after a few housekeeping issues (motions to appoint auditor, change signing officers, set date for next years AGM etc.) we have new business, where the dues increase would come up.

Our proposed budget includes the dues increase so the members would be voting on that before they voted on the increase. Should we keep our order the same and just have the dues increase debate when the budget is introduced and go through the formality of having that vote later?. Or should we have the special resolution on the dues increase before the budget vote?

The members will be given copies of the budget and special resolution in the newsleetter before the AGM.

Thank you,

Gregg

[Guest Nancy N.]

I'm not seeing a problem, so I suspect I'm missing something. If you're going to take up consideration of the budget, and if you're going to consider the dues increase, and maybe, even hopefully, at the same time, why not? -- as suggested by "Our proposed budget includes the dues increase so the members would be voting on that before they voted on the increase."

2.

[Trina]

The board of our club has decided to ask the members for a dues increase at our upcoming AGM. Normally we approve the upcoming budget immedieately after the election of the new board. Then after a few housekeeping issues (motions to appoint auditor, change signing officers, set date for next years AGM etc.) we have new business, where the dues increase would come up.

Our proposed budget includes the dues increase so the members would be voting on that before they voted on the increase. Should we keep our order the same and just have the dues increase debate when the budget is introduced and go through the formality of having that vote later?. Or should we have the special resolution on the dues increase before the budget vote?

...

Well, I think you should take up the business in the order that makes most sense. If the proposed budget incorporates a dues increase that hasn't been approved yet, then take care of the dues increase vote first. Looking at your sentence (bolded) above, what sense does that make? Suppose the budget is approved, and the dues increase is voted down later in the meeting? It's all very well to call the vote a 'formality', but the outcome of the vote is not known until the vote is taken.

Sticking to an order of business that makes no sense, because that's the way it has always been done, is not a requirement under RONR.

[David A Foulkes]

Adopting a budget that factors in an increase in dues is not the same thing as adopting a motion to increase dues. I think it was a bit premature to put together a budget that includes income that has not been approved. Why not include the rental income from the property you haven't bought yet? (okay, that was out of line, sorry)

I'd think the budget should be reworked based on current dues (which seems more fiscally responsible), and if the dues increase is adopted, the budget can be amended (ASPA) accordingly.