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formality required in committee meeting


Guest Marti K

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Our standing committee consists of 5 members. It's task is to plan two annual competitions for the organization. It meets on a set schedule. Most of the meeting is spent on details such as selecting judges, prizes, venue, and making any changes to the program content. We do use an agenda and follow RONR. We have a budget and submit an information report to the organization. Occasionally, we need approval for major changes and submit a recommendation for action. From my POV, the committee functions well and within RONR parameters.

 

My understanding of committee meetings, such as this, is that there is less formality, e.g.,

  • Discussion for information can take place without a motion on the floor.
  • Motions do not require a second.
  • Acceptance by acclamation is okay.
  • Minutes are more like memorandums.
  • Chairman debates and votes. 

Please correct or concur  B)

 

Thank you for your time and opinion

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To me ,too.

 

But... be sure that your report is clearly stated and agreed to (by a majority).

By report, are you referring to the information report submitted by the committee to the organization? IMO, it is clearly stated but I'm afraid we may have failed the "agreed to by a majority". If we are recommending an action, then yes, the wording is agreed to by the majority before it is sent to the regular monthly meeting of the organization. But for the general information report, the chair writes up a very brief report after the committee meeting from the minutes and submits it at the organization's meeting. 

 

Hmmm... please help me with the logistics of preparing a report, getting it approved by the majority and then submitted in a timely manner. 

 

Thank you for your insight.

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By report, are you referring to the information report submitted by the committee to the organization?

 

"Except as noted in this paragraph, a report of a board or committee can contain only what has been agreed to by a majority vote at a regular or properly called meeting of which every member has been notified (or at an adjournment of one of these meetings, pp. 93–94)—where a quorum of the board or committee was present." (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 503)

 

This includes reports for information only.

 

Hmmm... please help me with the logistics of preparing a report, getting it approved by the majority and then submitted in a timely manner. 

 

"In the case of a committee, however, if it is impractical to bring its members together for a meeting, the report of the committee can contain what has been agreed to by every one of its members." (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 503)

 

Presumably, the content of most of your informational reports is not controversial (since you've apparently gotten away with determining the content of the reports yourself for some time), so sending out a quick e-mail and asking if there are any objections to the report should generally do the trick.

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"Except as noted in this paragraph, a report of a board or committee can contain only what has been agreed to by a majority vote at a regular or properly called meeting of which every member has been notified (or at an adjournment of one of these meetings, pp. 93–94)—where a quorum of the board or committee was present." (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 503)

 

This includes reports for information only.

 

 

"In the case of a committee, however, if it is impractical to bring its members together for a meeting, the report of the committee can contain what has been agreed to by every one of its members." (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 503)

 

Presumably, the content of most of your informational reports is not controversial (since you've apparently gotten away with determining the content of the reports yourself for some time), so sending out a quick e-mail and asking if there are any objections to the report should generally do the trick.

Excellent! Will make note of this procedure to present at the next committee meeting and implement it right away. 

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Excellent! Will make note of this procedure to present at the next committee meeting and implement it right away. 

 

Well, what would be better is to actually agree on the language of the report at the meeting, and vote on it properly.  That way if there is disagreement, you need only a majority, and not a unanimous agreement.

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Well, what would be better is to actually agree on the language of the report at the meeting, and vote on it properly.  That way if there is disagreement, you need only a majority, and not a unanimous agreement.

 

If the chair is capable of writing the report as the committee is meeting, sure, that sounds like a great plan. :)

 

It might be more workable if the committee reduces the frequency with which it reports. It isn't required to have a report at every meeting unless so ordered by the parent assembly.

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