Misstated Motion

[Guest Steve Smith]

At a recent meeting of our local school board, a motion was made to adopt the budget for the fiscal year 2014-15. But the motion that was made (confirmed by watching the video archive), was to adopt the budget for "1914-15" (a hundred years ago).

 

The mistake was ignored and/or missed and the motion was seconded and passed.

 

Is this motion valid? And if it is invalid, does it negate the action to approve the budget?

[Weldon Merritt]

What was the exact wording the chair used when putting the question to a vote?

[Guest Guest]

The chair did not put the question to a vote. The board member who made the motion did so without prompting, after a minute or so of comments on the budget.

[Weldon Merritt]

The chair did not put the question to a vote.

 

Then how was it adopted? Unanimous consent? Regardless, it was the chair's duty to make sure that the motion was properly stated and understood by all members.

 

The board member who made the motion did so without prompting, after a minute or so of comments on the budget.

 

Nothing wrong with that, but the members should have been more careful in the wording. At this point, my recommendation would be to amend the previously-adopted motion by striking "1914-15" and inserting "2014-15." If previous notice of the motion to amend is given this will require only a majority vote. Otherwise, it will require wither a two-thirds vote or a majority of the entire membership., 

[Guest Guest]

Thank you very much.

 

Steve Smith