Reports

[Guest Ron]

After the President's report and the treasurer's report we generally open up the floor for questions.

Sometimes the questions never seem to end and someone rises to "move the agenda".

How do we end the questioning?

Do we need a motion to end questioning and then a 2/3 vote?   

[jstackpo]

I'd say (subject to possible correction) that the RONR-appropriate motion is to "Call for the Orders of the Day", p. 219. This is basically a formal way of asking the the chairman get to the next business in order in the "Order of Business" (p. 26). It requires a 2/3 vote to NOT do that but (in your case) continue the questions.

I have never been in a meeting where this was formally moved (or "Called for"); usually the chairman will just keep things moving along and (again, in your case) just stop the questions when he has had enough (or thinks the assembly has had enough) and go on to whatever should come next - such as Committee reports

[Richard Brown]

I'd say (subject to possible correction) that the RONR-appropriate motion is to "Call for the Orders of the Day", p. 219. This is basically a formal way of asking the the chairman get to the next business in order in the "Order of Business" (p. 26). It requires a 2/3 vote to NOT do that but (in your case) continue the questions.

 

You won't be getting a correction from me. 

[Josh Martin]

After the President's report and the treasurer's report we generally open up the floor for questions.

Sometimes the questions never seem to end and someone rises to "move the agenda".

How do we end the questioning?

Do we need a motion to end questioning and then a 2/3 vote?   

 

If these are legitimate Requests for Information which are relevant to the report, the only way I can think of to end the questioning is a motion to Suspend the Rules, which requires a 2/3 vote.

 

I'd say (subject to possible correction) that the RONR-appropriate motion is to "Call for the Orders of the Day", p. 219. This is basically a formal way of asking the the chairman get to the next business in order in the "Order of Business" (p. 26). It requires a 2/3 vote to NOT do that but (in your case) continue the questions.

I have never been in a meeting where this was formally moved (or "Called for"); usually the chairman will just keep things moving along and (again, in your case) just stop the questions when he has had enough (or thinks the assembly has had enough) and go on to whatever should come next - such as Committee reports

 

If the questions are legitimate Requests for Information which are relevant to the report, then the assembly is conforming to its order of business, so a Call for the Orders of the Day would not be appropriate. For the same reason, it is not appropriate for the chair to put an end to such questions simply because he has had enough (or thinks the assembly has had enough).

[jstackpo]

Wait a moment here....

I don't see any motions pending after the reports of the president and treasurer, per what the OP wrote, so there is no "business at hand" -- p. 294, line 22 -- for the questioner(s) to ask about. It sounds like the beginning of a regular b/s interval that the chair has no (formal) business condoning.

But perhaps Guest_Ron could add some more information.

[Josh Martin]

Wait a moment here....

I don't see any motions pending after the reports of the president and treasurer, per what the OP wrote, so there is no "business at hand" -- p. 294, line 22 -- for the questioner(s) to ask about. It sounds like the beginning of a regular b/s interval that the chair has no (formal) business condoning.

 

From what I can tell (mainly from my reading of the Order of Business section), "business" is a broader term than "motions," and it does include "reports," even those for information only.

[Guest Ron]

There are no motions pending after thepresident's or treasurer's reports, but these are legimate questions about what was said in the reports.  Question is how do we end the questioning as they seem to go on forever.

[Guest Zev]

Had there been a motion pending a 2/3rds vote on a motion for the Previous Question would have put an end to the debate.

 

With no motion pending the assembly must have a way of putting an end to questioning and Mr. Martin's suggestion to use Suspend The Rules by a 2/3rds votes seems eminently reasonable.

[DrEntropy]

I am glad Josh chimed in here, as I was uncertain about and not entirely comfortable with the "call for the orders of the day" approach.   I think Josh has it right, in that (non dilatory) requests for information cannot be stopped easily, nor should they be, any more then the members right to make motions.  The best way to handle such situation in my mind is for the chair to gently remind the members that there is much business to be attended to, and if their questions are not urgent (e.g. relevant to decisions being made at this meeting) then perhaps they can be addressed after the meeting.