Quorum question

[Guest Jim Yates]

A proposal for a survey was drafted by one committee at the behest of another committee; however,  the proposal has a second but no quorum to vote it either way. Does the chair of the committee have to wait until there is a quorum, or is there another way to take this off the committee?

 

Jim Yates

[jstackpo]

I'm a tad confused:  you mention two committees, and, at least by implication, a parent body.  Which group lacks a quorum?  And how do you know?  Has the group in question actually met?  Where was the survey proposal initiated?

Edited December 19, 2018 at 08:34 PM by jstackpo
Corecting grammar.

[Guest Zev]

I get the impression that it is the committee that lacks the quorum. If the committee is to render a recommendation then yes a quorum is needed in order to vote on which recommendation is to be made. If no particular recommendation is needed then perhaps the chairman of the committee can request that the assembly adopt a motion to Discharge A Committee and during the debate on the motion the chairman can explain what the consensus of the committee was and the reason there was no formal recommendation.

[George Mervosh]

21 minutes ago, Guest Zev said:

I get the impression that it is the committee that lacks the quorum. If the committee is to render a recommendation then yes a quorum is needed in order to vote on which recommendation is to be made. If no particular recommendation is needed then perhaps the chairman of the committee can request that the assembly adopt a motion to Discharge A Committee and during the debate on the motion the chairman can explain what the consensus of the committee was and the reason there was no formal recommendation.

"No one can make allusion in the assembly to what has occurred during the deliberations of the committee, however, unless it is by report of the committee or by unanimous consent. "  RONR (11th ed.), p. 528  Does this get in the way of that strategy or at least make it more challenging to implement?  (not rhetorical)

Edited December 19, 2018 at 09:21 PM by George Mervosh

[Guest Zev]

Thank you for the reminder. Perhaps the chairman can incorporate what the other members said and his own opinion and deliver it as such without violating this restriction.

[George Mervosh]

I suppose another successful strategy, assuming this is a committee that lacks a quorum, is for the appointing body to appoint some new members to replace the ones who aren't showing up.  Unless of course they really want the committee discharged from considering the matter.

Edited December 19, 2018 at 10:02 PM by George Mervosh

[Josh Martin]

4 hours ago, Guest Jim Yates said:

A proposal for a survey was drafted by one committee at the behest of another committee; however,  the proposal has a second but no quorum to vote it either way. Does the chair of the committee have to wait until there is a quorum, or is there another way to take this off the committee?

I concur with my colleagues, and I can think of two other options:

• If all members of the committee are in agreement, the items in question may be added to the committee’s report without a meeting. (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 503)
• If the committee in question is not established by the bylaws, the parent assembly could adopt a rule establishing a lower quorum for the committee. (If it is established by the bylaws, such a rule would need to be in the bylaws.) (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 347)

Edited December 19, 2018 at 11:24 PM by Josh Martin