invitees to executive session

[Guest N. Lewis]

Do invitees to executive session need to have a motion by a board member in order to attend.  Does it need to be recorded somewhere that there were invitees?

[Richard Brown]

This sort of thing is usually handled rather informally, especially if the non-member has been invited by the chairman or even by a non-member.  It would usually be done by unanimous consent if the non-member is really welcome.  The chairman would say something to the effect that "Mr. Smith is a paving contractor who is here at my request (or at the request of member Jones) to provide information on our motion to pave the clubhouse driveway that we are to consider at tonight's meeting.  Is there any objection to him sitting in on tonight's meeting and participating in the discussion on the driveway?  Hearing no objection, we welcome Mr. Smith to our meeting".

 

It could be a group of schoolkids who want to sit in on a meeting for a civics class.  Anything, really.  The same procedure could be followed.

 

Only if someone objects is it really necessary to get into the formalities of someone making a motion, etc.  However, there is nothing wrong with doing it that way, either.  The minutes probably should reflect that Mr. Smith attended the meeting (or provided information) at the request of the Chairman (or Member Jones). If there is a formal motion to admit someone, that should be recorded in the minutes just as any other motion should be.

[Josh Martin]

Do invitees to executive session need to have a motion by a board member in order to attend?

 

No motion is necessary if the individuals in question are generally invited to attend executive sessions by rule or custom. Otherwise, yes a motion is necessary. (As noted, it could also be handled by unanimous consent.)

 

Does it need to be recorded somewhere that there were invitees?

 

If a motion is made on this subject, that would be recorded in the minutes. If the individuals in question are generally invited to attend executive sessions by rule or custom, no, it is not necessary to record this information.

 

This sort of thing is usually handled rather informally, especially if the non-member has been invited by the chairman or even by a non-member.  It would usually be done by unanimous consent if the non-member is really welcome.  The chairman would say something to the effect that "Mr. Smith is a paving contractor who is here at my request (or at the request of member Jones) to provide information on our motion to pave the clubhouse driveway that we are to consider at tonight's meeting.  Is there any objection to him sitting in on tonight's meeting and participating in the discussion on the driveway?  Hearing no objection, we welcome Mr. Smith to our meeting".

 

It could be a group of schoolkids who want to sit in on a meeting for a civics class.  Anything, really.  The same procedure could be followed.

 

Only if someone objects is it really necessary to get into the formalities of someone making a motion, etc.  However, there is nothing wrong with doing it that way, either.  The minutes probably should reflect that Mr. Smith attended the meeting (or provided information) at the request of the Chairman (or Member Jones). If there is a formal motion to admit someone, that should be recorded in the minutes just as any other motion should be.

 

It doesn't really change the rules too much, but based on your examples, did you perhaps miss that the question was about an executive session?

[Richard Brown]

It doesn't really change the rules too much, but based on your examples, did you perhaps miss that the question was about an executive session?

 

No, but I agree that the example I used of the paving contractor being present to provide information relative to the motion to pave the driveway is the type matter that would normally be held in an open, rather than an executive session..... unless it is a board which customarily meets in executive session.  In that case, all of its business is conducted in executive session.