Questions about board member removal

[BabbsJohnson]

This is probably going to be a hard question to get right.

Our current vice and sometimes acting president of our HOA board of directors is involed as president in a number of organizations. I have no doubt she is well respected in some circles, but she seems to be a very pushy person who uses bullying tactics in meetings.

She allows herself unlimted time to talk on a subject during discussion, but then cuts people off, tell them who gets a "last comment" and decides when the meeting is "moving on" even if others have something to say. She uses her opinion a lot in debate that is sometimes half baked and its obvious that her mind is already made up and that she will not accept input from others.

When she is not there the meetings go smooth, peaceful, and cooperative. When she is there, they are loud, chaotic, and she dominates the meetings every time.

We always have a very low voter turn out, and most homeowners never attend baord meetings. How does one rally people either to remove her or run themselves and then get those new people elected? It seems like such a huge job, and even though there are many what I see as negative things about her, I've been told its better to keep things positive, but how??

Very frustrated and already feeling tired for the battle to come...help?

[jstackpo]

"Removal" and related disciplinary matters are covered in Chapter 20.

 

"Rallying the Troops" isn't covered in RONR  --  you are on your own there.  Good luck.  You are not alone.

 

A personal approach:  As a Valentine gift  (or any other convenient excuse) give your VP a copy of RONRIB:

"Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief", Updated Second Edition (Da Capo Press, Perseus Books Group, 2011). It is a splendid summary of all the rules you will really need in all but the most exceptional situations. And only $7.50! You can read it in an evening. Get both RONRIB and RONR (scroll down) at this link:

 

http://www.robertsrules.com/inbrief.html

 

Or in your local bookstore.

[Thomas Ralph]

Don't forget that the assembly can by a two-thirds vote Suspend the Rules to elect a new chair for the current meeting.

[BabbsJohnson]

Don't forget that the assembly can by a two-thirds vote Suspend the Rules to elect a new chair for the current meeting.

When you say assembly do you mean the board members or the associatiob members attending the meeting?

Also as a very dominant and loud person in a roomful of very polite passive board members who do not know roberts rules even though our by laws state meetings will use roberts rules for our meetings, they all seem to allow her habits to go unchalleneged.

I asked the president, who was absent at the last meeting, if a motion that passed to dissolve a committee can be brought back to restart or recreate a similar committe in the future and she said no it cannot. She said the board voted it through and so it stands.

Is that right? Can a new motion to create a committee not be brought to the table?

[BabbsJohnson]

And also everyone on the board is supposed to get a copy of RONR by next month, but how does a non-board member insist that they actually read, learn, and implement it faithfully?

[Edgar Guest]

When you say assembly do you mean the board members or the association members attending the meeting?

 

The assembly consists of the members of the body that is meeting who are present. If it's a board meeting, the assembly consists of the board members who are present. If it's a meeting of the (general membership of the) association, the assembly consists of the general members who are present.

 

The assembly consists of the members that are assembled.

[Josh Martin]

When you say assembly do you mean the board members or the associatiob members attending the meeting?

The members of whichever assembly is meeting.

I asked the president, who was absent at the last meeting, if a motion that passed to dissolve a committee can be brought back to restart or recreate a similar committe in the future and she said no it cannot. She said the board voted it through and so it stands.

Is that right? Can a new motion to create a committee not be brought to the table?

I see no reason from the facts provided why a motion to recreate the same or a similar committee would be out of order.

And also everyone on the board is supposed to get a copy of RONR by next month, but how does a non-board member insist that they actually read, learn, and implement it faithfully?

A single person can't insist on much of anything. The membership itself could adopt a motion ordering the board to learn the rules of RONR and to implement them faithfully, and could remove board members who fail to comply (see FAQ #20, as noted above).

[Guest Tia]

I believe, any vote can be brought up for re-vote if the person requesting the challenge originally voted no.

[jstackpo]

I'm afraid your belief doesn't comport with RONR's rules.

If you have a specific question, please ask it as a "Start New Topic" on the "General Discussion" page, here.

[Richard Brown]

55 minutes ago, Guest Tia said:

I believe, any vote can be brought up for re-vote if the person requesting the challenge originally voted no.

No, guest Tia, that is not exactly correct. A motion to reconsider can be made only by a member who voted on the prevailing side. If the motion was adopted,  the motion to reconsider must be made by someone who voted yes. If the motion failed, the motion to reconsider must be made by someone who voted no. In most cases, it can also be made only on the same day that the original motion was voted on.

However, a motion may be renewed, that is made again, at any subsequent meeting. If the motion was adopted, it can also be amended or rescinded.

Those rules are rather complex.

Edited to add: I agree with jstackpo . It is best that you ask a new question by starting a new topic

Edited January 22, 2017 at 09:43 PM by Richard Brown
Added last paragraph

[Rev Ed]

The other obvious option is this one:

When the Vice President's term is finished, you can always nominate someone else to be Vice President.  As nominations are debatable*, you and the nominated person can explain why that person is better than the current Vice President.

*By the way, while you are out getting a copy of Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief for the Vice President as per jstackpo's suggestion, get a copy for yourself.