Agenda items

[Guest lkis]

A condo board set an executive board agenda with four items but discussed more than was listed on the agenda. Is that correct? Can that be done? Shouldn't all items be listed prior to the meeting?

[Joshua Katz]

So far as RONR is concerned, organizations which meet as often as quarterly should not use agendas. Nonetheless, they still might, and it appears this one (regardless of how often it meets) does. An agenda, though, is adopted at the meeting, not before (it cannot be adopted before, because its adoption is an item of business, and business is only conducted at meetings, unless your bylaws provide for other means). So, no, it is not the case that all items should be listed prior to the meeting. Rather, at the meeting, the body will take up the question of adopting the proposed agenda, at which time it may be amended prior to adoption. After adoption, it may be amended by the motion to amend something previously adopted, and items of business may be taken up via a motion to suspend the rules. 

However, as noted, all of that is so far as RONR is concerned. If you have relevant rules and/or applicable procedural statutes, they will take precedence.

[jstackpo]

And since the adoption of an agenda only sets items of business as general or special orders (p. 371), anything at all (within the scope of business of the association, of course) may come up under "New Business".    No need to "suspend rules" at that point.  Just make the motion.

Edited July 17, 2018 at 07:15 PM by jstackpo

[Gary Novosielski]

Although it's true that RONR has no rule against bringing up new business under New business, it is possible (I have no idea if it's true, particularly in your state) that statutes or admin code may require HoAs to publish an agenda, and to stick to those topics.

So it may be necessary to broaden your research beyond the pages of RONR.