Member Attendance at a Board Meeting, question raised excluded from minutes

[Guest Charles]

Hi and HELP,

I am in an Association which had a Board Meeting, while I was NOT a member of the Board, I raised a question to the President about voting procedures - "Do votes by the nominating committee require a plurality or a majority vote, and I suggest the Board to have this issue reviewed by a Professional Registered Parlimentarian". Currently, they use plurality votes to determine winners.

My question was in the initial draft of the minutes, but later removed from the final minutes which were voted on while I was not in attendance.

Do questions by members in good standing, who are not members of the Board, properly excluded from the Minutes - am I missing something here?

This seems highly improper.

What issues should I raise to make sure that my issue is documented in the minutes?

Thank you in advance,

Charles

[Guest Nancy N.]

Some points.

1. The minutes of a meeting are a record of what was done, not said. This boils down pretty much to the actions that the assembly -- in this instance, the board -- considered. If your association, and presumably its board, follow the rules in RONR, then questions do not belong in the minutes. (Not to single you out, Charles -- anybody's questions.) If your association has its own custom rules (it almost certainly has to have some, at least), and they would all supersede Robert's Rules, then one of them might be that questions asked at board meetings do belong in the board meeting's minutes, including yours.

2. Note also that non-members of the body that is meeting -- in this instance the board, with you, Charles, being a non-member here -- have zero rights at that meeting. Your even asking the question in the first place was by the sufferance of the board. (That is, of course, unless your association's customized rules say different.)

3. Oh, and you don't need any PRP to know that a plurality never determines any question unless the organization has adopted a special rule saying so (placing the rule in the bylaws, in the case of elections) -- RONR, 11th Ed, top of p. 405.

4. Charles, if you are interested at all in proper procedure at your association's meetings (and any others you might be interested in), please, please pick up your copy of RONR - In Brief, at read it at once. I usually say read it the first time standing right there at the register -- you will have digested it before your feet start to hurt. You will be miles and years ahead of 99% of your fellow members.

5. And by the way, I don't understand your question. What is the nominating committee voting on, the candidates it will present to the electorate as its recommendations, or whether to recess for lunch, or what?

2.

[Guest Charles]

Thanks for the reply.

What the nominating committee is voting on and using plurality for determining the nominees is - of all those nominated, who to place on the slate for each individual board member position up for election by the attendees at the annual meeting.

Thanks for your response.

[JohnR]

Do questions by members in good standing, who are not members of the Board, properly excluded from the Minutes - am I missing something here?

A Parliamentary Inquiry (or Request for Information) is not recorded in the minutes, nor are "suggestions" unless they are main motions placed before the meeting. Had you raised a Point of Order, it would be recorded. As Nancy noted, however, the board was not required to let you speak or participate in any way.

What the nominating committee is voting on and using plurality for determining the nominees is - of all those nominated, who to place on the slate for each individual board member position up for election by the attendees at the annual meeting.

Plurality voting is improper unless a special rule authorizes it. The committee should determine its nominations by majority vote.