Tabling an agenda item to a later meeting

[Janelle Kulak]

I have looked through the RR book and am still a bit confused regarding the proper procedure regarding tabling a topic/agenda item to a later meeting. Does tabling require a motion each time or is it sufficient to document in minutes, for example, that "council agreed to table agenda item number 15 to a later meeting"? Please note, we prefer to say "a later meeting" because revisiting the topic may not occur at a specific time, depending on the urgency or the time needed for review of additional information, etc. What is the proper term for tabling in this scenario? Lay on the table? 

Thank you

[Richard Brown]

7 minutes ago, Janelle Kulak said:

I have looked through the RR book and am still a bit confused regarding the proper procedure regarding tabling a topic/agenda item to a later meeting. Does tabling require a motion each time or is it sufficient to document in minutes, for example, that "council agreed to table agenda item number 15 to a later meeting"? Please note, we prefer to say "a later meeting" because revisiting the topic may not occur at a specific time, depending on the urgency or the time needed for review of additional information, etc. What is the proper term for tabling in this scenario? Lay on the table? 

Thank you

Several points here.  First, you are referring to postponing certain items, not to "tabling" them.  The motion to "lay on the table" is to set aside an item of business temporarily in order to take up something else more pressing during the meeting.  It is not the proper motion to postpone something.

The motion you want to use it the "motion to postpone to a certain time" (which is usually to a certain future date).  However, each item should be postponed to a CERTAIN meeting (or occasion), not just postponed to some unspecified date in the future.   Such a motion would not be in order.  The proper wording would be along these lines:  "I move to postpone this motion to the next meeting". It is also out of order to postpone something  past the next regular meeting. If it is desired to postpone it for a longer period of time, it can be postponed again from meeting to  meeting. 

Each item which you want to postpone should be postponed separately.

As an alternative to postponing until the next meeting, a matter may be referred to a committee.  The committee can be instructed (by motion adopted by the assembly) to report at a definite time or without a definite time being set.  That is the only method in RONR to postpone something for longer than one meeting (besides postponing from meeting to meeting).

[Rob Elsman]

In my opinion, a motion to Commit is not in order if its purpose is merely to postpone consideration of a main motion to a future meeting.  An incidental main motion or subsidiary motion, Postpone to a Certain Time, is used for this purpose.

If this body meets as often as quarterly, it is not customary to use an agenda.  In most cases, the standard order of business or adopted order of business is used, instead, as the established order of business.