Guest M. Adams Posted August 12, 2020 at 02:54 PM Report Share Posted August 12, 2020 at 02:54 PM Question: Does an elected school board member need to recuse themselves from voting on a plan if they were a part of a school district committee that created the plan? The plan is to create new policy for disciplinary action. Note: When another school board member asked why they wanted to have a vote on this before workshops were held, the member on the committee responded with, "Because I worked on this plan for 22 months." Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted August 12, 2020 at 02:58 PM Report Share Posted August 12, 2020 at 02:58 PM 3 minutes ago, Guest M. Adams said: Question: Does an elected school board member need to recuse themselves from voting on a plan if they were a part of a school district committee that created the plan? Nothing in Robert's Rules suggests it or requires it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted August 12, 2020 at 04:30 PM Report Share Posted August 12, 2020 at 04:30 PM (edited) 1 hour ago, Guest M. Adams said: Does an elected school board member need to recuse themselves from voting on a plan if they were a part of a school district committee that created the plan? All that RONR provides on this subject is the following: "No member should vote on a question in which he has a direct personal or pecuniary interest not common to other members of the organization. For example, if a motion proposes that the organization enter into a contract with a commercial firm of which a member of the organization is an officer and from which contract he would derive personal pecuniary profit, the member should abstain from voting on the motion. However, no member can be compelled to refrain from voting in such circumstances." (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 408) In my view, this rule is not applicable here. The fact that the member served on "a school district committee that created the plan" is not a "direct personal or pecuniary interest not common to other members of the organization." It certainly does not seem comparable to the example provided. Even if the rule was applicable, the fact remains that the member retains the right to vote. It may be that the school board's rules or applicable law provide otherwise on this matter, however, that is beyond the scope of RONR and this forum. 1 hour ago, Guest M. Adams said: Note: When another school board member asked why they wanted to have a vote on this before workshops were held, the member on the committee responded with, "Because I worked on this plan for 22 months." If other school board members feel that it is beneficial to hold the workshops first, they are free to move to postpone the motion to adopt the plan. Such a motion is debatable and requires a majority vote for adoption. Nonetheless, all board members are free to vote on that motion and on the motion to adopt the plan. Edited August 12, 2020 at 04:30 PM by Josh Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted August 12, 2020 at 08:12 PM Report Share Posted August 12, 2020 at 08:12 PM Agreeing with the comments by Mr. Mervosh and Mr. Martin, having served on a committee which made a proposal is not normally considered a conflict or a disqualification from voting on the proposal when it comes before the assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Thank you! Posted August 13, 2020 at 12:31 AM Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 at 12:31 AM Thanks to each of you for sharing your knowledge on this subject! I appreciate your time to answer my question so thoroughly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts