executive board abandons duly convened assembly

[Guest John turner]

At a duly convened assembly, the floor always adopts the agenda, the assembly wished to add an agenda item, the executive board claimed the assembly was called to deal specifically with one item and that no other topics may be added to the agenda. The board walked away from their places at the front of the assembly while the members amended and adopted the agenda. The executive stayed for the intended presentation, some even continued participating at the assembly, until the added item on the agenda hit the floor,  at which point the executive left the hall altogether. Not surprisingly, a confidence vote was called, and the members almost unanimously voted non-confidential and set up another assembly and new elections for the following month, before the assembly was duly closed. The executive claims that an assembly may not continue if the executive leaves the hall, does the executive have any ground to stand on here Coventionally? Our house rules do not address such a situation directly.

[Hieu H. Huynh]

25 minutes ago, Guest John turner said:

...The executive claims that an assembly may not continue if the executive leaves the hall...

RONR does not have such a requirement.

[Joshua Katz]

So many issues, so little time.  Let's try them one at a time.

1.  Whether or not the assembly (which I assume is a membership meeting) was restricted in what it can do will depend on whether this was a special meeting and, if so, what the notice said.

2.  Regardless, the correct response to an out of order motion is a point of order, not leaving.

3.  The board, as such, has no role at membership meetings, and it might be helpful to make this clear by not giving them places at the front of the assembly.  Anyway, board members, if also members of the organization, may raise points of order, but the board can do nothing as such.

4.  Board members are perfectly permitted to leave the hall during an item of business.

5.  RONR contains no "confidence vote."  Such a thing would have to be governed by your own rules.

6.  There is no reason in RONR to think that a membership meeting must stop if board members leave the room.  It's not the board's meeting, it's the members' meeting.  (Unless, of course, they are numerous enough to deny quorum by leaving.)  

[Guest John turner]

Thanks Joshua, the notice did make it clear it was a special meeting, it also note a presentation on a specific topic, and mentioned that "voting may occur". In this sense,  members did not view the meeting as an "information session" but rather a regular meeting, albeit labeled "special". It is our convention that members adopt and can amend the meeting agenda, including at special meetings, no differently than at regular meetings. Is this convention in error perhaps? 

[jstackpo]

49 minutes ago, Guest John turner said:

Thanks Joshua, the notice did make it clear it was a special meeting, it also note a presentation on a specific topic, and mentioned that "voting may occur". In this sense,  members did not view the meeting as an "information session" but rather a regular meeting, albeit labeled "special". It is our convention that members adopt and can amend the meeting agenda, including at special meetings, no differently than at regular meetings. Is this convention in error perhaps? 

Yes, in error.  Per RONR a "Special Meeting" can deal only with the issue(s) that are announced in the call to the meeting - page 91.  The Executive Board members had it right, but, as noted by Joshua, they should have stayed around and raised a point of order rather than walking out.

[Joshua Katz]

4 hours ago, Guest John turner said:

Thanks Joshua, the notice did make it clear it was a special meeting, it also note a presentation on a specific topic, and mentioned that "voting may occur". In this sense,  members did not view the meeting as an "information session" but rather a regular meeting, albeit labeled "special". It is our convention that members adopt and can amend the meeting agenda, including at special meetings, no differently than at regular meetings. Is this convention in error perhaps? 

Notice need not indicate that "voting may occur," since that's the point of a meeting.  A special meeting is not a presentation; it's a meeting called to consider a specific set of topics, in accordance with your rules for calling such meetings.  A special meeting is also not an "information session."  Your convention that members adopt and amend the meeting agenda at special meetings no differently than at regular meetings is in error.  At special meetings, only items in the call to meeting may be acted upon.  It sounds to me like this was a special meeting, and the court was correct that you may not add to the agenda (you may, though, subtract from it).  They did not, it seems, raise their objection correctly, though.