Impeachment of Entire Board Menbers

[Guest AA FRIEND]

I belong to a non-profit business that holds Alcoholic Anonymous. A General membership meeting was called by our menbers to Impeach the entire Board of Trustees because the Board wanted to kick out Narcotics Anonymous. It was never posted about the agenda of this meeting, & was held & the board was Impeached. The Board refuses to step down, & the members voted in a temporary board, now we have a old board who refuses to step down, & a new board that is trying to run things.... My question is, was it legal for the membership to impeach the board ??? I could use a reply ASAP!!!!!!

[Guest Nancy N.]

Let's start here. In the usual case, the board is subordinate to the membership.

Please read FAQ #20 (at www.robertsrules.com/faq.html#20 ).

Now, let me ask. It sounds as if this meeting in question was not a regular meeting, but rather what Robert's Rules calls a "special meeting". If this is so, and if RONR is your organization's parliamentary authority, then the call -- the "notice" -- of the meeting must include "the tme, place, and purpose of the meeting, clearly and specifically describing the subject matter of the motions or items of business to be brought up" (RONR, 11th Ed, p. 91, at the bottom). If this was not done -- and it sounds as if it was not -- then the old board might have a good argument that its members were not removed.

I'll also ask if, by "impeached," you mean they were removed from office -- because that's not what "impeached" means.

capchca try 1.

[Guest Edgar]

I belong to a non-profit business that holds Alcoholic Anonymous.

. . . the Board wanted to kick out Narcotics Anonymous.

Looks like you're not on the same page.

[Tim Wynn]

I belong to a non-profit business that holds Alcoholic Anonymous. A General membership meeting was called by our menbers to Impeach the entire Board of Trustees because the Board wanted to kick out Narcotics Anonymous. It was never posted about the agenda of this meeting, & was held & the board was Impeached. The Board refuses to step down, & the members voted in a temporary board, now we have a old board who refuses to step down, & a new board that is trying to run things.... My question is, was it legal for the membership to impeach the board ??? I could use a reply ASAP!!!!!!

It's better not to think of the board as a whole in this case. The board remains, though the board members can be removed or replaced.

If a board member had been removed from office, he doesn't have a say in whether or not he will "step down." There's no process for "refusing" to step down.

It's perfectly proper for the assembly to remove its officers, as long as it is done in accordance with the rules of the organization. You will need to check your bylaws to determine how officers can be removed.

There's also no such thing as a temporary board, unless some unusual rule of your organization so provides. It's the same board with new members, who would generally serve to the end of the regular term.

[sMargaret]

One mention - to call a special meeting, you need to state the "purpose of the meeting, clearly and specifically describing the subject matter..."

You don't need to attach an agenda, you just need to ensure that any items on the agenda relate to the advertised purpose of the meeting.

Also, a "non-profit business"? I would be more familiar with a non-profit society, which, if incorporated, would also have specific requirements for things like removal of officers. If this is what you have, do double-check those rules as well.