Guest Susie Posted February 21, 2019 at 01:09 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 at 01:09 PM If a Board holds an In-Camera meeting prior to the election of new members, can they discuss the results of that meeting In-Camera with the new members? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted February 21, 2019 at 01:33 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 at 01:33 PM 17 minutes ago, Guest Susie said: If a Board holds an In-Camera meeting prior to the election of new members, can they discuss the results of that meeting In-Camera with the new members? By "in-camera meeting" I assume you mean what RONR (and those of us who post regularly on this forum) refer to as an "executive session". Your board is free to disclose whatever information it chooses to disclose about what transpires in an executive session, but the decision to do so should be documented in the minutes in order to avoid someone later being accused of violating the secrecy of the executive session. Your discussion with the new members may be in executive session or not, as the board deems appropriate. Note that all persons who attend an executive session are bound by the secrecy of the executive session unless that secrecy is lifted by the board itself. In the case of approving new members, the new members will almost certainly be made known to the general membership at some point, right? Or is their membership in the organization going to forever remain secret? 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted February 21, 2019 at 01:40 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 at 01:40 PM (edited) 36 minutes ago, Guest Susie said: If a Board holds an In-Camera meeting prior to the election of new members, can they discuss the results of that meeting In-Camera with the new members? The system is not letting me edit my response above, so I am posting my "edit" as a new post here: Edited to add: by "new members", are you referring to new board members or new members of the organization? Once a person becomes a member of the board, that person is entitled to all information which is available to other board members, including prior executive sessions. Such new members are not limited to information about executive sessions occurring only after they become members. They are entitled to see and be informed of prior executive session actions, as well. As long as they are on the board, they can see all of the board records, secret or otherwise, that they want to see. Once they are no longer board members, they no longer have this right of access... not even to minutes of meetings that took place while they were members. Edited February 21, 2019 at 01:48 PM by Richard Brown Added last paragraph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Susie Posted February 21, 2019 at 01:59 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 at 01:59 PM Thank you for your response. The ‘executive session’ has not released to the public the results of the vote or the reason for the special meeting yet. The new members of the Board has not been given any information in executive session as of yet. Does that mean that they cannot be privy to any executive session decision information by the Chair prior to another executive session being or can the Chair of the Board give them information in private to being them up to speed on the matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Susie Posted February 21, 2019 at 02:01 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 at 02:01 PM Thanks I think your second post explains your position Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genesis Posted February 26, 2019 at 08:53 PM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 08:53 PM On 2/21/2019 at 3:40 AM, Richard Brown said: The system is not letting me edit my response above, so I am posting my "edit" as a new post here: Edited to add: by "new members", are you referring to new board members or new members of the organization? Once a person becomes a member of the board, that person is entitled to all information which is available to other board members, including prior executive sessions. Such new members are not limited to information about executive sessions occurring only after they become members. They are entitled to see and be informed of prior executive session actions, as well. As long as they are on the board, they can see all of the board records, secret or otherwise, that they want to see. Once they are no longer board members, they no longer have this right of access... not even to minutes of meetings that took place while they were members. Can you please direct me to where this is said in RONR? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted February 26, 2019 at 09:07 PM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 09:07 PM 9 minutes ago, Genesis said: Can you please direct me to where this is said in RONR? "A record of the board's proceedings should be kept by the secretary, just as in any other assembly; these minutes are accessible only to the members of the board unless the board grants permission to a member of the society to inspect them, or unless the society by a two-thirds vote (or the vote of a majority of the total membership, or a majority vote if previous notice is given) orders the board's minutes to be produced and read to the society's assembly." RONR (11th ed.), p. 487 No distinction is made between a meeting or a portion of it being held in executive session and RONR makes no distinction about new and old board members, just those who are members at the time they wish to have access to the minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genesis Posted February 26, 2019 at 09:08 PM Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 at 09:08 PM Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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