Special Meeting Agenda

[swen0459]

Our non profit by laws allow for special meetings by petition with 25 member signatures. RONR states that calls for special meeting announcements must detail the items to be discussed. We have received a petition with the requsite no. of signatures but the purpose of the meeting is rather vague stating "discuss and or vote on any/all matters relating to the operation and management of our organization and its assets, or its affiliations."

Is it appropriate to require more specific items to be discussed? It would seem that this stated purpose is insufficient to inform the membership of what will potentially be discussed.

Thanks in advance.

-Swen0459

[George Mervosh]

Our non profit by laws allow for special meetings by petition with 25 member signatures. RONR states that calls for special meeting announcements must detail the items to be discussed. We have received a petition with the requsite no. of signatures but the purpose of the meeting is rather vague stating "discuss and or vote on any/all matters relating to the operation and management of our organization and its assets, or its affiliations."

Is it appropriate to require more specific items to be discussed? It would seem that this stated purpose is insufficient to inform the membership of what will potentially be discussed.

Thanks in advance.

-Swen0459

I agree with you that the call of the special meeting is completely improper with respect to the business to be transacted. RONR requires specificity.

[David A Foulkes]

If you look at the section starting on page 91, you'll see that (according to RONR) the call of the meeting should include the "purpose of the meeting, clearly and specifically describing the subject matter of the motions or items of business to be brought up." It also defines special meetings as those that are "to deal with matters that may arise between regular meetings and that require action by the society before the next regular meeting, or to dedicate an entire session to one or more particular matters."

What you have described sounds more like a general, regular meeting.

Now, since you also indicate that this "special meeting" is being called due to a petition with the requisite number of member signatures, it strikes me as odd that, along with that petition there was apparently not also included a reason to call a special meeting. Surely 25 members can't be wishing to "discuss and or vote on any/all matters relating to the operation and management of our organization and its assets, or its affiliations" so badly, they petition for a special meeting, can they? What is it that those 25+ want??