Guests at Meetings / Motions

[Guest Kelly]

I'm with a small non-profit social organization and have a few questions.

When a guest attends a board meeting, should he/she be given copies of draft or work documents that the board is discussing if they do not relate to their attendance at the meeting? (For example, a committee chair is attending to present a report to the board but the board discussion does not relate to that committee.)

Is the club president permitted to make or to second a motion?

Is the club secretary permitted to make or to second a motion?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Dan Honemann]

59 minutes ago, Guest Kelly said:

I'm with a small non-profit social organization and have a few questions.

When a guest attends a board meeting, should he/she be given copies of draft or work documents that the board is discussing if they do not relate to their attendance at the meeting? (For example, a committee chair is attending to present a report to the board but the board discussion does not relate to that committee.)

This is a question which your board will have to decide for itself; there is no rule in RONR concerning the matter, and I gather that your organization has not adopted one.

 

1 hour ago, Guest Kelly said:

Is the club president permitted to make or to second a motion?

Is the club secretary permitted to make or to second a motion?

Assuming that both officers are members of the board:

If this is a small board (not more than about a dozen members present at its meetings) operating under "small board" rules (RONR, 11th ed., pp. 487-88), the presiding officer is permitted to make motions (although he usually does so in an informal fashion; see the second footnote on p. 488), and motions need not be seconded.

There are no restrictions imposed upon a secretary's right to make or second motions.