Attendance at general meetings

[Guest Nora Robinson]

Can members be denied attendance at general meetings if they do not pay for a lunch, even if they are not eating due to health reasons?

[J. J.]

No rule in RONR would prohibit them from attending.

[Edgar Guest]

No rule in RONR would prohibit them from attending.

 

In fact, RONR says they have a right to attend.

[Richard Brown]

Can members be denied attendance at general meetings if they do not pay for a lunch, even if they are not eating due to health reasons?

 

I've seen this come up in local business and political organizations whose meetings normally take place as luncheon or dinner meetings, usually with a guest speaker and with very little or no other business being conducted.   It has sometimes taken a bit of persistence for a member or group of members to convince the club's officers or board that members have the right to attend meetings without having to pay for an expensive meal that they don't want.  I've even heard of it becoming an issue in an association of parliamentarians.  :-)

 

I've seen the organizations cave in and allow people to attend without paying for a meal and I've seen them make exceptions just for "business" meetings where elections or voting on bylaw amendments will take place.  Most members who don't like the system just complain a bit and then go along with it.  Others quit, saying it's not worth the cost of the meals.

 

However, if there is a provision in the bylaws which provides that members must pay the fee established by the board for luncheon or dinner meetings in order to attend them, you may be stuck with it.

 

I'm curious as to what experience with this other members of this forum have had.

[Edgar Guest]

However, if there is a provision in the bylaws which provides that members must pay the fee established by the board for luncheon or dinner meetings in order to attend them, you may be stuck with it.

 

Since this was, presumably, a meeting of the general membership, I'm not sure that any fees established by the board are relevant. In fact, there's no evidence that this particular organization even has a board.

[Richard Brown]

Since this was, presumably, a meeting of the general membership, I'm not sure that any fees established by the board are relevant. In fact, there's no evidence that this particular organization even has a board.

 

In the case of the original poster's organization, you may be right.  He didn't get into those details.  In the organizations I was discussing, the boards conduct almost all of the business of the organizations and have full and complete power between meetings of the membership and determine the dues, etc.  The regular monthly membership meetings consist mostly of luncheon or dinner meetings with networking and a speaker and maybe a few reports and announcements.

[Gary Novosielski]

Can members be denied attendance at general meetings if they do not pay for a lunch, even if they are not eating due to health reasons?

 

No.  In fact they can't even limit them if you don't have a reason.

[Richard Brown]

No.  In fact they can't even limit them if you don't have a reason.

 

Not even if the requirement is in the bylaws?  Some organizations that I am familiar with are able to get meeting rooms only if they agree to pay for a meal for each attendee.  It's a regular "bone" of contention, as some members have (or claim to have) special dietary concerns that the hotel or restaurant can't accommodate and others resist paying for a lunch or dinner on general principle.   I've personally cut way back on the number of such lunch and dinner meetings that I attend solely due to the cost. 

 

Most such groups try to accommodate their members and guests, but are caught in "pickle" between their members (and guests) and the hotel or restaurant that is letting them use a meeting room.  A restaurant, for example, doesn't want to have to provide its biggest private dining room that seats 100 instead of the smaller room that seats 25 because 75 people want to come to the event without paying.

 

I look at it as not being very different from attending a convention.  Members (and delegates) are expected to pay the appropriate registration fee in order to participate in the proceedings.

 

If you've got some authority that an organization cannot, under any circumstances, restrict attendance at a meeting to those who pay for a meal, I would very much appreciate having it.  It will be put to good use.  :-)

[Shmuel Gerber]

The only pickle (other than any served with lunch) is that the organization may have omitted a necessary provision of the bylaws. If they want to charge members for attending meetings, then they need to say so in the bylaws.

[Edgar Guest]

Not even if the requirement is in the bylaws?

 

Really?

[Gary Novosielski]

Not even if the requirement is in the bylaws?  Some organizations that I am familiar with are able to get meeting rooms only if they agree to pay for a meal for each attendee.  It's a regular "bone" of contention, as some members have (or claim to have) special dietary concerns that the hotel or restaurant can't accommodate and others resist paying for a lunch or dinner on general principle.   I've personally cut way back on the number of such lunch and dinner meetings that I attend solely due to the cost. 

 

Most such groups try to accommodate their members and guests, but are caught in "pickle" between their members (and guests) and the hotel or restaurant that is letting them use a meeting room.  A restaurant, for example, doesn't want to have to provide its biggest private dining room that seats 100 instead of the smaller room that seats 25 because 75 people want to come to the event without paying.

 

I look at it as not being very different from attending a convention.  Members (and delegates) are expected to pay the appropriate registration fee in order to participate in the proceedings.

 

If you've got some authority that an organization cannot, under any circumstances, restrict attendance at a meeting to those who pay for a meal, I would very much appreciate having it.  It will be put to good use.  :-)

 

As my signature clearly states: The rules in your bylaws supersede those in RONR.   So you're still out the money.  :-)

 

However, I think for conventions, it is not unreasonable to expect the sending organization to pay for the expenses of its delegates to the convention.  I would certainly restrict my availability as a delegate if it meant I'd have to foot the bill for the entire trip, plus meals.

 

I'm not saying I've never done it, but I think it's a better policy for an organization to arrange things so that they can freely choose the best delegate from among all members, not just from among those who are able and willing to pay.   That said, if an organization paid my travel and lodging expenses I don't think I'd gripe as much about the meals, since I would have to eat anyway, whether at home or away.  

 

I think this would fall under the rule that an organization may not impose fees or assessments above and beyond dues, unless authorized in the bylaws.  Think of it this way: Forget the hotel and kitchen involvement--could an organization simply vote to charge admission to a properly called meeting and exclude any member who would not pay?  I think not.

[J. J.]

Really?

 

 

Really.  They may require you to pay for lunch (or parking). 

[Timothy]

Really.  They may require you to pay for lunch (or parking).

I would hope they don't charge for parking if you walk.