Agenda

[Jayadev]

Ours is a not for profit organization. Our  board contains 16 trustees.  There is nothing mentioned in our bylaws  about when do one can add an agenda item for the monthly  board meetings. I wonder what is the general rule or procedure for adding an agenda item and how many days in advance we can do that. Thanks in advance

[Josh Martin]

10 minutes ago, Jayadev said:

Ours is a not for profit organization. Our  board contains 16 trustees.  There is nothing mentioned in our bylaws  about when do one can add an agenda item for the monthly  board meetings. I wonder what is the general rule or procedure for adding an agenda item and how many days in advance we can do that. Thanks in advance

The rule so far as RONR is concerned is that if an agenda is to be used (which is probably unnecessary for a board which meets monthly as the standard order of business would likely be suitable), it is approved at the start of the meeting, and items can be added at that time by majority vote. Items could also be added after approval by a 2/3 vote or a vote of a majority of the entire membership (of the board). In other words, items can be added zero days in advance.

[Jayadev]

Thanks Josh, Also  is it wrong to ask the secretary to add an agenda item 7days  in advance? He is making an issue about it asking in advance

 

[Josh Martin]

1 hour ago, Jayadev said:

Thanks Josh, Also  is it wrong to ask the secretary to add an agenda item 7days  in advance? He is making an issue about it asking in advance

Well, the important thing to understand is that any agenda which is prepared in advance is not, in fact, the agenda unless and until it is adopted by the assembly. So unless your rules provide otherwise, nothing can really be added to the agenda in advance of the meeting, since only the assembly can adopt (and amend) the agenda.

With that said, it certainly is customary in many assemblies which use an agenda to have some officer (such as the President or Secretary) prepare a proposed agenda in advance. No rule in RONR requires the officer who prepares such an agenda to agree to requests made by members to add items to it, but no rule in RONR prohibits it either. In any event, the assembly will ultimately decide what is on the agenda, at the meeting.

Edited June 24, 2020 at 09:41 PM by Josh Martin

[Jayadev]

Thanks again Josh

[Shmuel Gerber]

Note: The rest of this topic has been split off here.