Agenda Question

[Guest Michelle H]

I am on a  daycare association board and we meet once a month for a 2 hour training and allow for a 15 minute business meeting.  In Roberts Rules of Order 11th Edition-does it state any where that the association or board may require all agenda items to be submitted 12 hours before the meeting and only the items on the agenda will be discussed due to the time allowed for the meeting? On our agenda the last item is always members questions and concerns-we have one member who will not contact the board on any questions or concerns and brings a list of them to each meeting which makes our meetings last 25-30 minutes instead of the 15 allowed.  The members are getting very aggravated with her due to 99% of her questions or concerns could have been answered by the board and saved everyone time.  The members and the board have asked her to contact the board ahead of the meetings about her questions and concerns but she will not do so.  Most of her questions and concerns are negative toward the board and the association.  Any suggestions?

[Josh Martin]

42 minutes ago, Guest Michelle H said:

In Roberts Rules of Order 11th Edition-does it state any where that the association or board may require all agenda items to be submitted 12 hours before the meeting and only the items on the agenda will be discussed due to the time allowed for the meeting?

My answers assume that these are meetings of the board. If this is incorrect, please let me know.

The association may adopt such a rule if it wishes. A rule of this nature is a special rule of order, which requires a 2/3 vote with previous notice or a vote of a majority of the entire membership. The board may not adopt this rule, as a subordinate board may not adopt rules which conflict with any rules of the society (including the parliamentary authority).

43 minutes ago, Guest Michelle H said:

On our agenda the last item is always members questions and concerns-we have one member who will not contact the board on any questions or concerns and brings a list of them to each meeting which makes our meetings last 25-30 minutes instead of the 15 allowed.  The members are getting very aggravated with her due to 99% of her questions or concerns could have been answered by the board and saved everyone time.  The members and the board have asked her to contact the board ahead of the meetings about her questions and concerns but she will not do so.  Most of her questions and concerns are negative toward the board and the association.  Any suggestions?

The association could adopt the rule you have suggested. While the board could not adopt such a broad rule, the board could require that all questions and concerns from members of the society be submitted in advance - this rule would not conflict with any rule in RONR. The board could also limit the amount of time for the member questions and concerns agenda item (either in total, or the amount of time that any one member may use). The board could also set a time for adjournment.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

8 hours ago, Guest Michelle H said:

In Roberts Rules of Order 11th Edition,

Q1.) does it state anywhere that the association or board may require all agenda items to be submitted 12 hours before the meeting

and

Q2.) only the items on the agenda will be discussed due to the time allowed for the meeting? 

A1.) No. There is no default rule already in place which says that. The board would have to create a new rule.

If the rule is intended to be a burden to the general membership, then the rule could be classified as a "standing rule" (i.e., the board is exempt.)

If the rule is intended to be a burden on the board, then the classification of the rule would be a special rule of order.

***

A2.) No. There is no default rule already in place which says that. The board would have to create a new rule ("special rule of order"). -- Adopting the agenda at the top of the meeting will also accomplish that end.

[Richard Brown]

2 hours ago, potzbie said:

A2.) No. There is no default rule already in place which says that. The board would have to create a new rule ("special rule of order"). -- Adopting the agenda at the top of the meeting will also accomplish that end.

However, adopting an agenda which has a heading for new business will not prevent members from introducing new business at that time regardless of whether they have given prior notice unless there is also a rule in place requiring said notice.  I believe it would still take a special rule of order to prevent the introduction of new business which has not been previously noticed.

[Josh Martin]

3 hours ago, Richard Brown said:

However, adopting an agenda which has a heading for new business will not prevent members from introducing new business at that time regardless of whether they have given prior notice unless there is also a rule in place requiring said notice.  I believe it would still take a special rule of order to prevent the introduction of new business which has not been previously noticed.

Sure, but the OP's primary issue seems not to be with members of the board introducing business, but with non-members of the board making questions or comments. The board can certainly prevent that.

[Richard Brown]

Josh, you are right.  I got sidetracked by all the talk about whether the board can require that agenda items (or new business) be submitted twelve hours in advance.  There is one thing we don't know, though:  the board may be hamstrung by a superior rule or state law which requires that association members be permitted to address the board.  If there is no such superior rule or law, it should be a fairly easy matter for the board to restrict or even eliminate what I will refer to as "the public comment period".