Open Meeting Reschedule

[Maureen S]

Does anyone know the rule when there is inclement weather?  Can you hold the meeting a day later than originally scheduled.  Does the 48 hour rule apply?

 

Thanks!

[Richard Brown]

There is no "48 hour" rule in RONR and I have never heard of such a "rule".  Where did you hear that there is such a rule?  What does that "rule" supposedly say?

 

Also, there is no rule in RONR about canceling or re-scheduling meetings due to inclement weather or for any other reason.  Unless your bylaws or special rules give the president or a board or executive committee the power to cancel or re-schedule meetings, it cannot be done.   Your president can ask that members not show up for the regular meeting and that it be held the following day instead, but he has no authority to order it without authorization in your bylaws or special rules.  If a quorum shows up for the "canceled" meeting, they can still conduct business.  But, without a special rule or bylaw provision, nobody has the authority to simply "reschedule" the meeting for the next day.  It would probably be an illegal meeting and any action taken would be void.

 

The best thing to do in that situation is probably for two people to show up for the "canceled" meeting and then move and vote to adjourn the meeting until the following evening at the same time and place.  That's called "fix the time to which to adjourn", or to "set an adjourned meeting".  The adjourned meeting is actually a continuation of the original meeting.  By doing that, you have officially "held" the scheduled meeting by someone calling it to order and then adjourning until the next night due to the absence of a quorum. 

 

Unless you have a provision in your bylaws or special rules authorizing it, the president does not have the authority to cancel or re-schedule a meeting.... but the people who do show up for the "canceled" meeting have the power, even in the absence of a quorum, to adjourn it to a date and time in the future prior to your next regular meeting. 

 

Note:  If the originally scheduled meeting does not take place... nobody shows up or nobody calls it to order and then adjourns it until another day, the meeting simply doesn't take place.  If your bylaws authorize it, the president can call a special meeting it there is important business to take care of that can't wait until the next regular meeting.  Or, you can simply wait for the next regular meeting.