Proper language to add motion to an adopted agenda

[Guest JSZ]

Our school baord votes to adopt the agenda as written at the beginning of each meeting.  In researching how to change the agenda once adopted I have foundthe ... "Once the agenda is adopted, it cannot be changed without proper approval. RONR (11th Ed.), p. 373, ll. 3-5 (“After an agenda has been adopted by the assembly, no change can be made in it except by a two-thirds vote, a vote of a majority of the entire membership, or unanimous consent.”).

 

My questions is this...what is the proper way to change...do you have a vote to modify the agenda, then vote to add the specific agenda item, then vote on the motion?
 

[Gary Novosielski]

Well, in the first place, you don't have to vote to adopt the agenda as written.  You can offer amendments to the agenda which, at that point, would require only a majority vote to amend.  That's a motion to Amend.

 

in order to change it after it has been adopted, a different motion has to be used which is called (not surprisingly) a motion to Amend Something Previously Adopted.  And that motion, as you've discovered, requires a higher vote threshold.

 

But in either case, it's just one motion to change the agenda.  What's different is how many votes you need to do it.

[Guest Guest]

so one motion that would read.."motion to amend previoulsy adopted agenda to add such as such item"?  Then their is just a normal motion to approve or not.

[Edgar Guest]

No additional motion to approve the agenda is needed, just the motion to amend the previously (i.e. already) adopted agenda.

[Richard Brown]

so one motion that would read.."motion to amend previoulsy adopted agenda to add such as such item"?  Then their is just a normal motion to approve or not.

Well, I would say simply, "Mr. Chairman, I move to amend the agenda to add a motion to paint the clubhouse in new business".  There is no need for all the other verbiage.

[Dan Honemann]

Well, I would say simply, "Mr. Chairman, I move to amend the agenda to add a motion to paint the clubhouse in new business".  There is no need for all the other verbiage.

 

And no need for any of this verbiage either. Just make the motion when it comes time to consider new business.

[Josh Martin]

Our school baord votes to adopt the agenda as written at the beginning of each meeting.  In researching how to change the agenda once adopted I have foundthe ... "Once the agenda is adopted, it cannot be changed without proper approval. RONR (11th Ed.), p. 373, ll. 3-5 (“After an agenda has been adopted by the assembly, no change can be made in it except by a two-thirds vote, a vote of a majority of the entire membership, or unanimous consent.”).

 

My questions is this...what is the proper way to change...do you have a vote to modify the agenda, then vote to add the specific agenda item, then vote on the motion?

I concur with my colleagues regarding the rules in RONR, but since this is a school board, I would advise checking the board's policies and applicable law to see if they provide otherwise on these points. Public bodies often have their own rules on this subject.