Guest Rita Posted October 23, 2012 at 12:43 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 12:43 AM Topic has recently come up. If we hold a board meeting in a public place, i.e cafe area in a supermarket, is this a confidential meeting where everything must be kept "secret"? One member told someone about a vote/discussion that was held in that meeting. Nothing earth shattering, just whether something we buy would be sold to another rescue group. The vote was tabled. However, the other group was told that. Board member holds that no meeting held in a public place is "confidential" because anyone could sit there and overhear the whole meeting. Which is technically true. Board President want to expell this member because the action that was taken did not look favorably on the group, or the President in particular.Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted October 23, 2012 at 12:53 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 12:53 AM If it was supposed to be an executive session, no matter how stupidly conceived, the members are still forbidden to tell anyone about it and may be disciplined for doing so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rita Posted October 23, 2012 at 01:17 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 01:17 AM Not an executive session, just a board meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted October 23, 2012 at 01:22 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 01:22 AM "Executive session" just means a confidential meeting (or part of a meeting). Was it understood by the board members that this was to be a confidential meeting? If not, then the members are free to blab away about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted October 23, 2012 at 01:41 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 01:41 AM "Executive session" just means a confidential meeting (or part of a meeting).I was going to post that referring to "an executive session" (as opposed to "in executive session") might be confusing but then, just before clicking "Add Reply", I decided that I might be quibbling. I also checked the book and saw that the first words in the section on executive session (p.94) are "An executive session . . . ". Still, I think "in" is preferable to "an". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rita Posted October 23, 2012 at 01:43 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 01:43 AM Well considering the President also blabbed about it (she said she was "telling her side of the story" since she came out looking like a bitch) and we have non Board members that drop in the meetings and eat their suppers at the table while the meetings are going on (and always have had) would you consider that confidential? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted October 23, 2012 at 01:52 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 01:52 AM It's not executive session unless you agree to go into executive session, your written rules require it, or it is an established custom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rita Posted October 23, 2012 at 02:08 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 02:08 AM Ok. So if I am understanding this, we called a Board meeting. We had and have had a policy of having non Board members sit in if they want. Nothing is every said that it is executive session or in executive session when the whole board is there. It is held in a "public place". Therefore, it was not really a confidential session and anyone could talk about it and what was said? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted October 23, 2012 at 02:13 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 02:13 AM Therefore, it was not really a confidential session and anyone could talk about it and what was said?That sounds about right. Which is not to say that a member couldn't be disciplined for making comments considered injurious to the well-being of the organization. But that's another story. Or is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rita Posted October 23, 2012 at 03:06 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 03:06 AM The disagreement is over one board member asking the board if another rescue organization could buy microchips from the first organization at their costs. That board member even volunteered to do the whole thing (purchase, registration). 2 of the other board members thought that we were already helping the other group enough. The one board member got mad, and said so. She then went and talked to the other org and told them why and who said they did not want to sell. Is it injurious? No, the Board President then went and told the other group of what was said at the meeting and why they did not want to do it. The group is functioning as normal, no loss of donations, the other rescue group is still working with them. The President just will not let the Board member that blew up back into the meetings and we have a meeting next week to expell them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted October 23, 2012 at 03:58 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 03:58 AM Well, the president does not get to decide who is allowed into meetings, and is putting himself in the dangerous position of denying another member's fundamental rights to attend meetings, debate, and vote. Those rights can only be abridged as a RESULT of a properly conducted disciplinary process, not by presidential decree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted October 23, 2012 at 11:19 AM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 11:19 AM The President just will not let the Board member that blew up back into the meetingsOf all the issues you've discussed and all the words spoken and actions taken that might merit some degree of disciplinary attention, this is by far the most egregious. The President is way out of line here, and would be inviting censure or removal in many organizations I suspect. And if all this doesn't stop soon, you're all going to be staying after for detention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted October 23, 2012 at 03:55 PM Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 at 03:55 PM The President just will not let the Board member that blew up back into the meetings and we have a meeting next week to expell them.Outrageous. I hope your board does what it thinks is right, instead of just taking orders from the Queen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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