editorializing by secretary

[Guest roo]

I am president of a small club.  The secretary often voices her opinion during the meeting and it is irritating some of the members.  I have gently and privately told her that she and I should not be voicing our opinions during the meeting.  Not working.  Would I be correct to say ALL officers should not be editorializing during the meeting?  I am hoping this would have some weight.

[Weldon Merritt]

4 minutes ago, Guest roo said:

I am president of a small club.  The secretary often voices her opinion during the meeting and it is irritating some of the members.  I have gently and privately told her that she and I should not be voicing our opinions during the meeting.  Not working.  Would I be correct to say ALL officers should not be editorializing during the meeting?  I am hoping this would have some weight.

What do you mean by "editorializing"? If you mean making comments when no motion is pending, no one (officer or not) should be doing that, except maybe a few introductory remarks leading to the making of a motion. If you are talking about debating a pending motion, the secretary, or any other officer, if a member of the assembly, has the same right to do that as any other member. The requirement to remain neutral applies to the chair, not all officers. 

[Joshua Katz]

12 hours ago, Guest roo said:

The secretary often voices her opinion during the meeting and it is irritating some of the members.

You might try serving beer at your meetings. Or valium. People have the right to express their opinions, even if irritating.

Within certain bounds. The man who was of the opinion that he would punch me out if I ever interrupted him again (for a point of order) should not have expressed that opinion. Particularly when I was seated near my campaign partner, the chief of police.

[Richard Brown]

13 hours ago, Guest roo said:

The secretary often voices her opinion during the meeting and it is irritating some of the members.

Without you elaborating upon what you mean by that statement, I don’t know that we can be of much help. Expressing an opinion during the debate within the rules of decorum is not only permissible it is what debate is all about. Now, if the Secretary is making outbursts at inappropriate times without having been recognized by the chair, that is a different matter.

edited to add: the fact that this person is the secretary is irrelevant. The secretary has the right to participate in debate the same as the other members and is held to the same rules of decorum as all of the other members.

Edited November 15, 2020 at 03:28 PM by Richard Brown
Added last paragraph

[Gary Novosielski]

On 11/14/2020 at 9:13 PM, Guest roo said:

I am president of a small club.  The secretary often voices her opinion during the meeting and it is irritating some of the members.  I have gently and privately told her that she and I should not be voicing our opinions during the meeting.  Not working.  Would I be correct to say ALL officers should not be editorializing during the meeting?  I am hoping this would have some weight.

Unless you are chairing the meeting (and sometimes not even then), there is no reason that she or you should not be expressing your opinion during debate on a motion.  As long as she properly seeks recognition, is recognized, observes proper decorum during debate, and does not exceed the time limit, or limit on the number of speeches on a given subject, it's all good.

If not, then since you've tried to address this privately, if she's just doing outbursts during a meeting, you can raise a point of order that she is speaking while not having the floor.

Edited November 17, 2020 at 03:29 AM by Gary Novosielski

[Gary Novosielski]

n/a
 

Edited November 17, 2020 at 03:28 AM by Gary Novosielski