Setting an Agenda

[Popacres]

Bylaws of our local county political party state "The rules contained in the most current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall guide the Executive Committee in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules promulgated by the Republican Party of Texas, or any state or federal statues."

 

The word "agenda" is absent from our bylaws.  The term "meeting notices" and "notice" are used.

 

Our bylaws state:  "All meeting notices must be in writing and include the date, time, and location of the meeting. A notice must include a statement of any business requiring a vote of the Executive committee to be conducted at the meeting.  Official action may be taken only on items listed on the notice unless unanimous consent is received from Executive Committee members present at the meeting to waive such requirement (emphasis added)."

 

Our Party (Executive Committee) Secretary emailed an "Agenda of RPNC EC Quarterly Meeting, 2015" to each voting member.  In another email, he said in part "The July 13 meeting was announced at least 10 days in advance, and the Agenda has been sent to members of the Executive Committee."

 

The agenda states:  "The Agenda for the RPNC Executive Committee meeting will be (emphasis added) as follows:..."

 

Now to more relevant parts -

Our Committee has never voted to adopt an agenda, much less to  seek to add or to amend the agenda at the outset of the meeting. Our committee members know very little about parliamentary rules (me included).

 

An agenda item to vote on vacant precinct chair positions is placed after two items:

1. Discussion and possible action on proposed resolutions (none listed) - to be supplied prior to meeting (?)

2. Including discussion on direction of RPNC and the role of chairman. [We have a new chairman]

 

Reading RONR FAQ page, there was reference to page 372, ll. 24-25.  regarding adding to or amending the agenda.

 

I would like to move the item for voting on new precinct chairs from its current position on the agenda to after the Treasurer's Report but before the discussion items since discussion items may/may not require a vote.   This might allow the new precinct chairs to vote on any discussion items if such come up.

 

Do our bylaws supercede Robert's Rules by requiring unanimous consent on any agenda?

If not, can we seek to add to or amend the agenda "at the outset of a session" ?

What does "at the outset of a session" mean? When does that occur?

 

 

 

 

 

RPNC_BY-LAWS amended July 2014.doc

RPNC_071315 Agenda.doc

[Edgar Guest]

Do our bylaws supercede Robert's Rules . . . 

 

Yes, your bylaws supersede Robert's Rules.

[Josh Martin]

I would like to move the item for voting on new precinct chairs from its current position on the agenda to after the Treasurer's Report but before the discussion items since discussion items may/may not require a vote. This might allow the new precinct chairs to vote on any discussion items if such come up.

Do our bylaws supercede Robert's Rules by requiring unanimous consent on any agenda?

If not, can we seek to add to or amend the agenda "at the outset of a session" ?

What does "at the outset of a session" mean? When does that occur?

Your bylaws supersede RONR, but I don't think the rules in question are applicable to your desired motion. You aren't adding anything which wasn't included in the notice, you're simply rearranging the items which were included.

In my experience, adopting an agenda generally happens immediately after the approval of the minutes. When the agenda is pending, a motion to amend the agenda would be in order and would require a majority vote for adoption, except that unanimous consent would be required if the motion proposed to add anything which was not included in the notice.

[Hieu H. Huynh]

In my experience, adopting an agenda generally happens immediately after the approval of the minutes. 

 

It could be done before approval of the minutes. See this thread.