Special Committee's Assigned Task

[William Kennedy]

I have been asked to join a Special Committee scheduled to begin its work very shortly. My concern is that the task the committee is being asked to  is not specific enough, AND also may conflict with the assigned function of one or more existing standing committees. The latter question was addressed in an earlier post, but the Board has not accepted my suggested solution to narrow the scope of the committee's mandate in order to resolve the problem.

 

The Committee's stated task is: "to explore all options for future operations"

 

Should I be concerned on either of these points?

 

"

[Chris Harrison]

If you have concerns then you should bring them up in the Committee meeting.  Majority rules. 

 

So if the rest of the Committee share your concerns  they can bring them up in their report to the Board.  Maybe having the Committee itself bring up those concerns will sway the Board more than the concerns of just one member.  Or maybe not.  On the other hand, if the Committee doesn't have a problem with their instructions then as I said before, majority rules.

[Josh Martin]

I have been asked to join a Special Committee scheduled to begin its work very shortly. My concern is that the task the committee is being asked to  is not specific enough, AND also may conflict with the assigned function of one or more existing standing committees. The latter question was addressed in an earlier post, but the Board has not accepted my suggested solution to narrow the scope of the committee's mandate in order to resolve the problem.

 

The Committee's stated task is: "to explore all options for future operations"

 

Should I be concerned on either of these points?

 

I think you should be concerned on both of these points. It violates no parliamentary rule to make the task assigned to a special committee extremely broad, but there are certainly practical problems with it. I wouldn't have the slightest idea where to begin with such a broad task. Assuming it violated no other rule, however, a board could create a "committee on everything" if it wanted to.

 

As we have discussed previously, however, creating a special committee whose task falls under the assigned function of a standing committee is not proper. With a task like "explore all options for future operations," I can't imagine how that wouldn't fall under the assigned functions of one or more standing committees.

 

Of course, since it's you, make sure to check your strange bylaws and applicable provincial laws to see what they have to say on the subject as well.

 

If you have concerns then you should bring them up in the Committee meeting.  Majority rules. 

 

So if the rest of the Committee share your concerns  they can bring them up in their report to the Board.  Maybe having the Committee itself bring up those concerns will sway the Board more than the concerns of just one member.  Or maybe not.  On the other hand, if the Committee doesn't have a problem with their instructions then as I said before, majority rules.

 

I agree with this with respect to the "not specific enough" concern, but there's still the issue of the committee's assigned task likely falling within the assigned function of one or more existing standing committees, which is not proper (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 492, lines 6-9).

[William Kennedy]

I have since declined to serve on this special committee, because, in part, of the unresolved issue described. It has also commenced its work.

 

Before the committee was established, I asked, several times, the following of the chairman of the Board of Directors, which appointed it:

 

1. What is the committee's task?
2. Was it established as a special committee of the Board, or of the general membership? (bylaws permit BOD to appoint both)
3. What is the size of the committee?
4. How are committee appointments to be made?
5. Who is the chairman?
6. Who are the committee members?
7. What is the timeline for the committee to begin and complete its work

 

The chairman responded only with respect to the committee's task (as per the OP). Otherwise, he has not been forthcoming, and my other questions remain unanswered. What recourse, if any, do I have to get this information? 

[Josh Martin]

Before the committee was established, I asked, several times, the following of the chairman of the Board of Directors, which appointed it:

1. What is the committee's task?
2. Was it established as a special committee of the Board, or of the general membership? (bylaws permit BOD to appoint both)
3. What is the size of the committee?
4. How are committee appointments to be made?
5. Who is the chairman?
6. Who are the committee members?
7. What is the timeline for the committee to begin and complete its work

The chairman responded only with respect to the committee's task (as per the OP). Otherwise, he has not been forthcoming, and my other questions remain unanswered. What recourse, if any, do I have to get this information? 

 

You could have the general membership adopt a motion ordering the board to provide this information. Unless your rules provide otherwise, I don't believe an individual member would have a right to this information.