Speaking on non agenda items

[Ken Smalley]

At our Board of Directors meeting a member must sign up to speak on Agenda items, as the meeting continues they bring up other business not on the agenda, the chair will not let us address that issue said we didnt sign up. How can you sign up on item if you don't what is going to be brought up. I think he is wrong. is there a procedure to address this problem. This meeting is a Homeowner meeting in Florida.

Thank you Ken Smalley

[Joshua Katz]

As an HOA in Florida, it is probably subject to an open meeting law. The substance of that law is beyond the scope of this forum, but it seems unlikely that the purpose of the law is to allow new topics to be introduced but no one to speak about them. You will need to consult an attorney to learn exactly what the law requires, though.

[Richard Brown]

1 hour ago, Ken Smalley said:

At our Board of Directors meeting a member must sign up to speak on Agenda items, as the meeting continues they bring up other business not on the agenda, the chair will not let us address that issue said we didnt sign up. How can you sign up on item if you don't what is going to be brought up. I think he is wrong. is there a procedure to address this problem. This meeting is a Homeowner meeting in Florida.

Thank you Ken Smalley

Ken, more information might be beneficial. For example, what does the chair do with these motions that are brought up but are not on the agenda? How does he handle them?

Also, in order for a board member to debate a motion that is on the agenda, must he sign up in advance to speak?

Finally, are you referring to board members having to sign up to speak or to non-board members who are sitting in on the meeting?

Edited to add: like Joshua Katz, I know that Florida has some state statutes dealing with meetings of homeowner associations. I suggest you or an attorney review those statutes.

Edited August 11, 2018 at 06:17 PM by Richard Brown
Added last paragraph

[Transpower]

This is a Board of Directors meeting, not a general meeting.  I suppose that if there's a recess, you could talk to a director and ask him to bring up your point when the meeting resumes.