Guest Rachel Posted February 4, 2020 at 08:20 PM Report Share Posted February 4, 2020 at 08:20 PM Hi i recently purchased the robert’s rules of order newly revised 11th edition. I am having trouble finding the answer To my question. Maybe u can tell me what page to find it on? If as a member i attend the association meeting who follows the Robert’s rules of law, Should they be including the open session/general welfare part of the meeting in the minutes? For example: if i as part of the public ask a question. Also, Should they be adjourning the meeting prior to open session/general welfare? please help me with the answers to this and where in my edition i can find the answer thanks so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted February 4, 2020 at 08:31 PM Report Share Posted February 4, 2020 at 08:31 PM (edited) 11 minutes ago, Guest Rachel said: If as a member i attend the association meeting who follows the Robert’s rules of law, Should they be including the open session/general welfare part of the meeting in the minutes? For example: if i as part of the public ask a question. No. "The official record of the proceedings of a deliberative assembly is usually called the minutes, or sometimes—particularly in legislative bodies—the journal. In an ordinary society, the minutes should contain mainly a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by the members." RONR (11th ed.), p. 468, emphasis added by me. That would include you asking a question, and the answer to that question. 11 minutes ago, Guest Rachel said: Also, Should they be adjourning the meeting prior to open session/general welfare? Even if it is the association's custom to have such a heading in its order of business, the members may adopt a motion to adjourn the meeting prior to reaching that item. See the second paragraph of §21. ADJOURN , beginning on p. 233. Edited February 4, 2020 at 08:32 PM by George Mervosh Updated the page number since apparently I was using the deluxe edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Follow up Posted February 4, 2020 at 09:05 PM Report Share Posted February 4, 2020 at 09:05 PM Thanks for the response. i have more questions. the by-laws of the association read: “the order of business at all meetings of the club and the board of trustees shall be as follows: roll call communications financial reports committee reports miscellaneous reports old business new business general welfare adjournment“ doesn't that mean they have to take all general welfare questions prior to adjourning and include in the minutes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted February 4, 2020 at 09:10 PM Report Share Posted February 4, 2020 at 09:10 PM 4 minutes ago, Guest Follow up said: doesn't that mean they have to take all general welfare questions prior to adjourning and include in the minutes? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted February 4, 2020 at 10:13 PM Report Share Posted February 4, 2020 at 10:13 PM I agree with Mr. Mervosh. The meeting MAY adjourn before reaching "general welfare" in the order of business, but the chair should not arbitrarily declare the meeting adjourned at that point. Two options come to mind for doing so, though: First, if a member makes a motion to adjourn at that point and the body votes to adjourn or there is no objection to the motion to adjourn. Second, if the chair asks "Is there any further business?" If no one responds, he may say, "Hearing none, we are adjourned". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Reply to mr mervosh Posted February 4, 2020 at 11:16 PM Report Share Posted February 4, 2020 at 11:16 PM well they adjourned without asking the members who were not on the board if they had anything to say. They were trying to keep general welfare out of the minutes so they adjourned. Seems fishy to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted February 5, 2020 at 12:09 AM Report Share Posted February 5, 2020 at 12:09 AM 46 minutes ago, Guest Reply to mr mervosh said: well they adjourned without asking the members who were not on the board if they had anything to say. They were trying to keep general welfare out of the minutes so they adjourned. Seems fishy to me If this was a board meeting, the board has no obligation to hear from non-board members unless the bylaws or some other rule specifically give non-board members the right to attend and participate. Without such a provision, either in the bylaws or in some higher governing document, such as a statute, people who are not board members have no right to speak or even to attend board meetings. The board chair has no obligation in RONR to ask other attendees if they have want to speak. You might have a rule of your own which requires it, but no rule in RONR does. The order of business and agenda are for the benefit of the board, not guests who happen to attend the meeting. Note: Some organizations, such as homeowner associations and public bodies (like school boards and city councils) are subject to state or local laws or rules which require that there be a period for public comment at their meetings. RONR contains no such provision, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts