At the beginning of a meeting, may I suggest the absence of a quorum? When I do, must the proceedings be haltered while the quorum is established?

[Guest macv6970@aol.com]

May I suggest the absence of a quorum at the beginning of a meeting, and must the proceedings stop until the quorum is established?

[Josh Martin]

22 minutes ago, Guest macv6970@aol.com said:

May I suggest the absence of a quorum at the beginning of a meeting, and must the proceedings stop until the quorum is established?

Assuming it is in fact correct that a quorum is not present, the answer is "yes" to the first question and "mostly yes" to the second. There are a handful of procedural actions which may be taken in the absence of a quorum.

"When the chair has called a meeting to order after finding that a quorum is present, the continued presence of a quorum is presumed unless the chair or a member notices that a quorum is no longer present. If the chair notices the absence of a quorum, it is his duty to declare the fact, at least before taking any vote or stating the question on any new motion—which he can no longer do except in connection with the permissible proceedings related to the absence of a quorum, as explained above. Any member noticing the apparent absence of a quorum can make a point of order to that effect at any time so long as he does not interrupt a person who is speaking. Debate on a question already pending can be allowed to continue at length after a quorum is no longer present, however, until a member raises the point." RONR (12th ed.) 40:12

"Even in the absence of a quorum, the assembly may fix the time to which to adjourn (22), adjourn (21), recess (20), or take measures to obtain a quorum. Subsidiary and incidental motions, questions of privilege, motions to Raise a Question of Privilege or Call for the Orders of the Day, and other motions may also be considered if they are related to these motions or to the conduct of the meeting while it remains without a quorum." RONR (12th ed.) 40:7

[Shmuel Gerber]

That's a barnstormer of a question.