standing committees

[Guest yvonne]

Can a decision made by a standing committee be challenged by the member even if the member is not on the committee?  If so, what are the rights of the member?

[Edgar Guest]

It depends.

 

If the committee is authorized to make the decision then the decision stands. For example, when a nominating committee presents its list of nominees, that's it. Anyone who doesn't like those selections is free to nominate someone else.

 

But, often, all a committee is authorized to do is make a recommendation. In that case, a member of the body that the committee reports to is free to argue that the recommendation be rejected . . . or changed (i.e. amended).

 

So a few more details on your specific situation would be helpful. What authority does this particular standing committee have and what decision did it make?

[Guest yvonne]

This standing committee is responsible for coordinating and running our annual women's golf invitational.  The committee decided this year to only allow the members to pick a team mate from other golf clubs and we are not allowed to pick anyone from our existing club.  Now, keep in mind invitations go to other golf clubs in the metropolitan and 4 state area.  Other clubs may choose members of their own clubs to be on their team for this invitational.   So the rule only applies to the club organizing the invitational.  

 

I would like to protest this decision.

[Richard Brown]

I would like to protest this decision.

Well, you can ask some members on the committee to reconsider and to change their minds, but they are free to ignore you.  Edited to add:  And you can encourage other general members to do the same.

 

You can also make a motion that the general membership (or  the board, whichever is appropriate) to reverse the decision of the committee, provided there is a meeting coming up soon or you can someone with the authority to do so to call a special meeting.

 

Or, you can just suck it in and  go with the flow.