Adjourn

[Demack]

Can a meeting be gaveled to a close by the chair or does a motion have to be presented, seconded and voted on ?

If a motion needs to be put to a vote and wasn't does this mean the meeting is still in session until an vote to adjourn is taken ?

[Rev Ed]

The Chairman can assume a motion to adjourn.  During New Business, if no one wants the floor (no one wants to make a motion), the Chairman can ask "Is there any further business?"  After a brief pause, if no one wants the floor, the Chairman can state "The meeting is adjourned."

 

However, a motion for Adjournment is also in order.  If the motion fails, the meeting continues.  Those who wish to bring up ideas (i.e. through motions) may vote against adjournment.  However, any member can vote against adjournment for any reason.

 

See pages 233-242 of RONR for more information about adjourning a meeting and the ways to do so.

[jstackpo]

And if the chair just asserts (loudly): "This meeting is adjourned [bangs gavel HARD!]" in the face of a majority of the members wanting to continue (and perhaps bring up a motion that doesn't reflect well on the chair), the meeting is NOT adjourned.  If the chair walks out, too bad for him/her - the vice chair just continues the meeting as presider.  Or if no V-C there or willing, the members elect a chair pro tem and continue.

 

The lesson for the members:  just stay put.

[Guest Edgar]

Can a meeting be gaveled to a close

 

FWIW, the less you use the word "gavel" (especially as a verb) and the less the chair actually uses the gavel, the better.

[Josh Martin]

Can a meeting be gaveled to a close by the chair or does a motion have to be presented, seconded and voted on ?

 

It depends on the circumstances. The chair may declare the meeting adjourned on his own initiative if the meeting has completed its order of business and no member responds when the chair asks if there is any further business, if the assembly has previously scheduled a time for adjournment and that time has been reached, or if there is an emergency which endangers the safety of the members (like a fire). In other circumstances, the assembly must choose to adjourn the meeting, either by majority vote or unanimous consent.

 

If a motion needs to be put to a vote and wasn't does this mean the meeting is still in session until an vote to adjourn is taken ?

 

No. The meeting may have been adjourned improperly, but it was still adjourned. A Point of Order would have had to be raised at the time.

 

FWIW, the less you use the word "gavel" (especially as a verb) and the less the chair actually uses the gavel, the better.

 

But Edgar, when the chair declares the meeting adjourned is one of the situations where the chair is supposed to use the gavel.

[Gary Novosielski]

But Edgar, when the chair declares the meeting adjourned is one of the situations where the chair is supposed to use the gavel.

"...if desired."

[Timothy]

In one of the organizations I'm involved with, the passing of the gavel and the closing of the annual meeting "at the sound of the gavel" is one of the few ceremonial aspects of the meeting. There's something special about that event.