Is Standard Order of Business required for a Special Meeting

[Guest Sailorman]

Is Standard Order of Business required for a Special Meeting if no alternative has been adopted by the assembly?

[Dan Honemann]

15 minutes ago, Guest Sailorman said:

Is Standard Order of Business required for a Special Meeting if no alternative has been adopted by the assembly?

"The only business that can be transacted at a special meeting is that which has been specified in the call of the meeting."  (RONR, 11th ed., p. 93) 

[Guest Sailorman]

2 minutes ago, Daniel H. Honemann said:

"The only business that can be transacted at a special meeting is that which has been specified in the call of the meeting."  (RONR, 11th ed., p. 93) 

So if the adopted agenda does not include for example "reading of the minutes" or "New Business" that is OK?

[jstackpo]

Right.   ALL of the list of business to be considered is the single (or multiple) items of business in the call.

Actually, there is no need to "adopt an agenda" for the meeting -- the item(s) in the call to the meeting is the whole works.

Edited March 3, 2019 at 11:18 PM by jstackpo

[SAILORMAN]

Just now, jstackpo said:

Right.   ALL the list of business to be considered is the single (or multiple) items of business in the call.

Actually, there is no need to "adopt an agenda" for the meeting -- the item(s) in the call to the meeting is the whole works.

So what if we haven't adopted or accepted the items in the Call?

[Guest Zev]

2 minutes ago, SAILORMAN said:

So what if we haven't adopted or accepted the items in the Call?

You do not adopt anything. The items in the call of a special meeting are it. There is no such thing as adopting an agenda or adding to the items in the call in case of a special meeting. If the assembly does not like the item(s) in the call then vote each one of them down.

[SAILORMAN]

So if the Chair,  who has the ability per our rules, calls a special meeting, the board is forced to discuss the issues he alone put forth?

BTW thank you for your input!

[Guest Zev]

1 minute ago, SAILORMAN said:

So if the Chair,  who has the ability per our rules, calls a special meeting, the board is forced to discuss the issues he alone put forth?

If the bylaws state that only the chairman may call special meetings then that is what takes place. However, some bylaws stipulate that a certain number of members may request a special meeting, and if that is the case in your organization then that is a second method of calling special meetings. The inference in this case is that the requesting members indicate what subject they wish to consider and that is what is mentioned in the notice of the meeting. The chairman may include his own item if he wishes. Whether a petition must be signed by members or any other detail is most probably mentioned in the bylaws. Check it and then come back if you need more help.

[Bruce Lages]

If the chair on his own called this special meeting, listing the item or items of business to be considered, then yes, the board is 'forced' to consider only those items of business. In general, whatever party calls for a special meeting must indicate the business to be considered at that meeting, and that is the only business that can be taken up.

It would be very highly unlikely that the standard order of business would ever apply at a special meeting. If an organization needed to do so, I think it would be an indication that they might need to schedule their regular meetings more frequently. See RONR, p.91-93 for detailed information on the whys and hows of a special meeting.

[SAILORMAN]

Nothing about a petition. The By-Laws do allow any other 2 director to call a special meeting.

[Guest Who's Coming to Dinner]

12 minutes ago, SAILORMAN said:

So if the Chair,  who has the ability per our rules, calls a special meeting, the board is forced to discuss the issues he alone put forth?

Not really. First of all, there is no requirement to show up under RONR; nothing substantive can be done if a quorum is not present. Secondly, you could immediately object to the consideration of the chair's motion; if objection is adopted, the motion dies without debate. Thirdly, you could move the previous question after the chair argues for his motion and, if adopted, proceed to a vote without further debate. Fourthly, you could all just remain silent and proceed to a vote without further debate. In none of these cases is the board forced to discuss anything.

[Guest Zev]

Fifthly, once the motion is stated you could move to Postpone Indefinitely. And a majority vote would cause that main motion to go away.

[SAILORMAN]

Thank you, I will post back my results on this after the meeting.