roll call and quorum in open meeting before executive session

[Guest N Lewis]

Does a roll call and establishment of a quorum need to take place and be recorded in open session in a board meeting that is assembled specifically for executive session?

[Richard Brown]

I'm not sure of your question.  Does the board normally meet in executive session or open session?

 

Regardless of which it is, prior to conducting business the chair should determine that a quorum is present.  It may or may not be necessary to actually call the roll.  That might depend on your bylaws, special rules of order, and custom.  Is it necessary (or customary)  for the minutes to reflect the names of the member who were present?  If so, then the roll should be called or a sign in sheet used.

 

If the Board is meeting in open session prior  to going into executive session, they should determine that a quorum is present prior to going into executive session.... or conducting any other business other than the four things they can do without a quorum. 

[Josh Martin]

Does a roll call and establishment of a quorum need to take place and be recorded in open session in a board meeting that is assembled specifically for executive session?

 

No rule in RONR would prevent the board from holding the entire meeting in executive session.

[Shmuel Gerber]

Now hold on a minute.

 

As Richard points out, the board can conduct the entire meeting in executive session only if it starts out already being in executive session.

 

The rule in RONR (11th ed.) is that "a meeting enters into executive session only when required by rule or established custom, or upon the adoption of a motion to do so" (p. 95). A quorum should be established before the meeting is called to order (p. 348, l. 34 to p. 349, l. 1); and if a roll-call is customary, it takes place shortly thereafter (p. 361, ll. 609). Therefore, if the board has no rule or established custom of conducting all meetings in executive session, any roll call and establishment of a quorum are indeed taking place in open session, before the board adopts a motion to enter into executive session.

 

However, if there is some reason (which is hard to imagine) that entering into executive session is related to a possible adjournment, recess, or obtainment of a quorum, or to the conduct of the meeting while it remains without a quorum (cf. p. 347, l. 30 to p. 348, l.2), then even the motion to enter into executive session could -- as a question of privilege -- be adopted before a quorum is obtained or established. (Still, it would not be true that the entire meeting was held in executive session.)