Amend resolution

[Guest Verticaly hallenged]

Town Meeting, a resolution to make an appropriation funds posted in legal notices.

Town meeting called to order motion was made to adopt resolution, seconded and discussion followed.

Before ending discussion a member made a Motion to Ammend the resolution.

Can this be done?

[Josh Martin]

Town Meeting, a resolution to make an appropriation funds posted in legal notices.

Town meeting called to order motion was made to adopt resolution, seconded and discussion followed.

Before ending discussion a member made a Motion to Ammend the resolution.

Can this be done?

 

No rule in RONR would prohibit it. It's possible that the assembly's rules or applicable law provide otherwise.

[Guest Edgar]

Can this be done?

 

Amending a pending motion (and a resolution is just a particular form of motion) is sometimes referred to as "perfecting" the motion. That is, modifying the motion so that it is likely to receive the greatest support. For example, half the assembly might be willing to adopt a motion to paint the clubhouse blue but, by amending the motion by changing "blue" to "red", you might get the support of two-thirds of the assembly.

[Guest Howard]

Well... but whether it is a "perfecting" amendment or a substantive change, such as increasing or decreasing the amount of funds appropriated, or changing the program (or whatever) for which they are being appropriated, Josh Martin gives the right answer:  This is perfectly fine under Robert's Rules.  It may not be fine under, for example, state law that requires the giving of notice before an appropriation is approved by the town meeting.  A revised notice might have to be published.  But that is a legal issue, not a parliamentary procedure issue.

[Guest Vertically Challenged]

 Thanks for the replies.

 

The only ammendment to the motion was a change in which fund the monies were to be appropriated from and to strike the following text:

"as recommended by the Board of Finance".

 

Nothing else changed.

 Some members questioned if the ammendment was allowed under Robert's Rules while others questioned the legality of it since it was a posted legal notice .

 

Below is what was posted in the legal notices, irrelevant info redacted:

 

To appropriate $$,$$$.$$ from Fund Balance as recommended by the Board of Finance to institute a **Personel Position** to line **account number**, **Department**.

 

Below is the ammended version:

 

To appropriate $$,$$$.$$ from Contingancy Fund as recommended by the Board of Finance to institute a *Personel Position* to line **account number**, **Department**.

 

[Thomas Ralph]

Nothing in RONR prohibits this amendment.

[The motion should also be amended to correct the misspelling of "personnel", but that's a side point.]

[Gary Novosielski]

No rule in RONR would prohibit it.

 

In fact, a plethora of rules in RONR would facilitate it.

[Josh Martin]

The only ammendment to the motion was a change in which fund the monies were to be appropriated from and to strike the following text:

"as recommended by the Board of Finance".

 

Nothing else changed.

 Some members questioned if the ammendment was allowed under Robert's Rules while others questioned the legality of it since it was a posted legal notice .

 

Based on the facts provided, it's allowed under Robert's Rules (and I don't really understand why anyone would think it wasn't), but whether the amendment would violate applicable law is beyond the scope of this forum.