Suspending the Bylaws for a practical purpose

[Guest JC#1]

Thank you in advance for any assistance you are able to provide:  Our organization's Bylaws state that all committee members must be approved by the Board.  We do not have a Bylaw that states that voting via electronic means (email or otherwise) is OK--it's just not a part of our  Bylaws.  Due to the timing of our next Board meeting (Sept. 11th) we cannot approve committee members who are desperately needed right not to perform their proscribed duties.  The need is eminent and we are stuck wondering what course of action we can take while our membership is left waiting to have their needs met.  Is there anything at all we can do?  

[Hieu H. Huynh]

Why couldn't the committee meet anyway?

[Guest JC#1]

Unfortunately, without Board-approved members to the committee, these people who have been nominated to it can do nothing since they are not yet approved.  No members=no committee.  We are in a real jam here caused by ourselves, to be sure.  

[Joshua Katz]

This is the sort of thing that makes me believe RONR's committee structure should not be used for things more akin to working groups.

In any case, what is it you need the committee to do? Also, do your bylaws say anything about special meetings of the board?

[Guest JC#1]

Hard to explain but the one committee that is most in need of approval has a portion of the membership  which it advises and directs its work.  Each committee member has a different portion of the membership to coordinate.  Our Bylaws do permit calling special meetings of the board but those have to be in-person meetings and our board members live all over a very large metroplex.  I suppose this is our only legitimate recourse without suspending the Bylaw that requires board approval of all committee members.  What a mess!  Thank you all again for your responses.

[Richard Brown]

Have you considered having the president (or the appointing officer) make the committee appointments, letting the committees meet and do their thing, and then, at the next meeting, ratifying the appointment of the committee members and also any action the committees might have taken in the interim?

This might not follow the letter of RONR, but it is what I would suggest.

Edited to add:  Keep in mind that doing that is a bit of a risky procedure as there is no guarantee that the assembly will ratify the appointments.

Edited August 16, 2018 at 05:49 PM by Richard Brown
Added last paragraph

[Guest Zev]

Why the Board cannot call a special meeting in order to take up the appointments?

[Guest Who's Coming to Dinner]

I gather because it is inconvenient.

[Atul Kapur]

6 hours ago, Richard Brown said:

Have you considered having the president (or the appointing officer) make the committee appointments, letting the committees meet and do their thing, and then, at the next meeting, ratifying the appointment of the committee members and also any action the committees might have taken in the interim?

This might not follow the letter of RONR, but it is what I would suggest.

Edited to add:  Keep in mind that doing that is a bit of a risky procedure as there is no guarantee that the assembly will ratify the appointments.

I suggest you call a special meeting. If you have a quorum, appoint the committee. If not, then those who are there have an informal disussion and then you follow Mr. Brown's advice.

And start the process of amending your bylaws.