Reading Absentee Comments at Meetings

[Guest Barbara Zeller]

Can an absentee member send an email to someone else to read by proxy at a general meeting?  Our membership is approximately 100, and about 35 normally attend the quarterly general meetings.

It is the opinion of some board members that because the person would not be present at the meeting to "hold the floor" and respond to any comments or questions that may arise from their comment, proxy commenting should not be allowed.  Also, our organization's constitution does not allow proxy voting, so we tend to think it should not allow proxy comments, either.  Opinions?

Thank you.

 

[George Mervosh]

Can an absentee member send an email to someone else to read by proxy at a general meeting?  Our membership is approximately 100, and about 35 normally attend the quarterly general meetings.

It is the opinion of some board members that because the person would not be present at the meeting to "hold the floor" and respond to any comments or questions that may arise from their comment, proxy commenting should not be allowed.  Also, our organization's constitution does not allow proxy voting, so we tend to think it should not allow proxy comments, either.  Opinions?

Thank you.

 

"If any member objects, a member has no right to read from—or to have the secretary read from—any paper or book as a part of his speech without permission of the assembly."  RONR (11th ed.), p. 298

 

Even if permission is granted, members can't immediately comment on what's read or do a Q&A with the reader.

[Edgar Guest]

Can an absentee member send an email to someone else to read by proxy at a general meeting?

 

Let's assume the member who is present has memorized the content (or, at least, the import) of the the e-mail. That would solve the reading problem raised by Mr. Mervosh.

 

But at what point during the meeting would the present member express this opinion? During debate on a motion? And, since the present member presumably agrees with the absent member, why not just express the opinion without attributing it to the absent member?

[George Mervosh]

 And, since the present member presumably agrees with the absent member, why not just express the opinion without attributing it to the absent member?

 

There's no question that is the proper procedure and easiest way to get the point across.  I can see circumstances where name dropping might get a few members to pay closer attention to the point being made, but forget about reading emails from others.

[Guest Barbara Zeller]

Even if the proxy presenter memorizes and agrees with the content of the absentee member's email comment, they would still only be able to respond to any discussion/comments/questions arising from it with their own opinion, which might not truly represent the opinions/responses the original absentee commenter may have had/made.  Would this render the whole process invalid?

[Edgar Guest]

Would this render the whole process invalid?

 

Of course not.

 

What the absent member would have said, or should have said, or could have said is immaterial.

 

Members who want to participate in debate should show up.

[Guest Barbara Zeller]

"Members who want to participate in debate should show up."

Which is the whole point, and why I'm asking the question.  If they don't show up, want to send a proxy email comment to have read at the meeting, and won't be available to respond to any resulting discussion at the meeting, then should they be allowed to have their email comment read (or presented by someone else) at the meeting at all?

Thanks for your input, by the way - much appreciated.

[Edgar Guest]

It might be helpful to know that there is no such thing in RONR-Land as a "proxy email comment".

 

For more on proxies, see FAQ #10, paying particular attention to the last sentence.

[Guest Barbara Zeller]

Thank you.

[Richard Brown]

I haven't a clue what a "proxy email comment" is.  If a member who won't be present at a meeting wants a statement read on his or her behalf, just say it that way.  It is up to the assembly as to whether to allow it if there is an objection.  Often, statements are allowed to be read by unanimous consent, without objection.  The chair (or a member) says, "Mrs, Smith, who has worked hard on this project could not be here tonight but sent a short statement that she would like to have read to the assembly.  Is there any objection?"  If there is no objection, then someone can read the statement.  If someone objects, then the request must be voted on. 

[Gary Novosielski]

"Members who want to participate in debate should show up."

Which is the whole point, and why I'm asking the question.  If they don't show up, want to send a proxy email comment to have read at the meeting, and won't be available to respond to any resulting discussion at the meeting, then should they be allowed to have their email comment read (or presented by someone else) at the meeting at all?

Thanks for your input, by the way - much appreciated.

 

The answer (that was given above) is that the assembly decides.  

 

If they want to hear the statement read, they can allow it, and they are free to give it as much (or as little) weight in their decision making as they deem appropriate.