Board Member

[Guest Blong]

Was there such motion as to "I motion to cancel the meeting?"  Problem is.. when the meeting just started.  Someone motion to cancel the meeting and it was seconded.  So, Mr. Chairman declared the meeting was cancel and adjourn the meeting.  What is the proper term for this motion or can someone make this motion?

Thanks

[Benjamin Geiger]

It sounds to me like it was interpreted as a motion to Adjourn. That said, there should have been a vote on the motion (it requires a majority).

As I understand it (and I'm certain the more qualified members here will correct me if I'm mistaken), any General Orders, Special Orders, or Unfinished Business for the "cancelled" meeting should be taken up at the next meeting.

[Rob Elsman]

I agree, I suppose, with the interpretation that this was a misadventure into a motion to Adjourn. That having been said, even a motion to Adjourn made at the beginning of the meeting does not have the effect of "cancelling" the meeting. The meeting legally occurred, and the minutes of the meeting should reflect that.

[jstackpo]

Presumably rather brief minutes...

[Rob Elsman]

Well, hopefully, the minutes don't say the meeting was "cancelled"!

[Joshua Katz]

1 minute ago, reelsman said:

Well, hopefully, the minutes don't say the meeting was "cancelled"!

Hmm, I'm not so sure, I guess. The member moved to cancel the meeting, which is contradictory since the meeting was underway, but if the chair put the question that way, and it was adopted, what should the minutes say? They should say what was done, not what should have been done, right? And motions should be recorded as the chair put them to the assembly.

[Rob Elsman]

I really can't imagine that the minutes should state the impossible.

[Josh Martin]

3 hours ago, Guest Blong said:

Was there such motion as to "I motion to cancel the meeting?"  Problem is.. when the meeting just started.  Someone motion to cancel the meeting and it was seconded.  So, Mr. Chairman declared the meeting was cancel and adjourn the meeting.  What is the proper term for this motion or can someone make this motion?

No, a motion to “cancel” a meeting which is already in progress is impossible, since the portions of the meeting which have already occurred (however brief) cannot be canceled. A motion to adjourn the meeting would be in order. This motion requires a majority vote for adoption. If adopted, the meeting would immediately end.

3 hours ago, Benjamin Geiger said:

As I understand it (and I'm certain the more qualified members here will correct me if I'm mistaken), any General Orders, Special Orders, or Unfinished Business for the "cancelled" meeting should be taken up at the next meeting.

Assuming the next regular meeting is within a quarterly interval, yes.

2 hours ago, Joshua Katz said:

Hmm, I'm not so sure, I guess. The member moved to cancel the meeting, which is contradictory since the meeting was underway, but if the chair put the question that way, and it was adopted, what should the minutes say? They should say what was done, not what should have been done, right? And motions should be recorded as the chair put them to the assembly.

The minutes should indeed reflect what actually occurred. So in the situation you describe, I think the minutes should reflect the fact that “The assembly adopted a motion to cancel the meeting.” If I were the Secretary, however, I would still write the final paragraph regarding the time of adjournment in the ordinary way, and would not say that the meeting was “canceled.”

I would note, however, that it is not clear to me from the original post whether this motion was adopted or if the chair simply declared the meeting to be canceled and adjourned. 

I would also suggest that the chair make a statement (or perhaps a ruling) at the start of the next meeting clarifying this matter, particularly if there are any rules in the organization’s bylaws which would be impacted by the meeting being held or not.

Edited May 8, 2019 at 10:16 PM by Josh Martin

[Rob Elsman]

Before we go too far into how the minutes should record this motion, it should be understood from the outset that the motion, as recited to us, was not in order on account of improper form. When something like this arises, the chair should assist the maker in framing the proper motion according to the maker's intent. It is obvious from the fact that the motion to "cancel the meeting" was placed before the assembly that the chairman was either really inexperienced or unprepared to preside. This situation started out on a bad note, and it was all downhill from there.

[Josh Martin]

14 hours ago, reelsman said:

Before we go too far into how the minutes should record this motion, it should be understood from the outset that the motion, as recited to us, was not in order on account of improper form. When something like this arises, the chair should assist the maker in framing the proper motion according to the maker's intent. It is obvious from the fact that the motion to "cancel the meeting" was placed before the assembly that the chairman was either really inexperienced or unprepared to preside. This situation started out on a bad note, and it was all downhill from there.

I agree with all of this, and certainly these are good things to keep in mind for the future, but the assembly is still stuck dealing with the situation it finds itself in now, and it therefore is required to address the questions of how to record this in the minutes, and also how to clarify the status of the meeting.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 5/8/2019 at 2:43 PM, Guest Blong said:

Was there such motion as to "I motion to cancel the meeting?"  Problem is.. when the meeting just started.  Someone motion to cancel the meeting and it was seconded.  So, Mr. Chairman declared the meeting was cancel and adjourn the meeting.  What is the proper term for this motion or can someone make this motion?

Thanks

Where to begin?

"I motion" is improper.  People move, they do not motion.  Apparently, the member meant to say "I move to Adjourn" which would be in order even though the meeting had just begun.  And yes the motion would require a second.

But the so-called chairman seems to have overlooked a minor point:  THE VOTE!  A motion to adjourn, just as with almost all other motions, requires not merely a second, but a vote, normally a majority vote, of the assembly.  DId the chairman actually declare the meeting adjourned because two random members wanted it, without finding out how many were in favor, and how many opposed to the motion?