Moving a Meeting Date

[AFS1970]

In my volunteer fire department our monthly meetings are set in the bylaws. They are held on the second Monday of the month at 7:00 PM. There is nothing I can find in the bylaws that would allow any officer to change this, even in an emergency. However we have an anticipated schedule conflict coming up next month that will require the meeting time to be changed at the least and some have floated the idea of changing the date.

We have a contractor coming in on the meeting night starting at 5 to provide our annual physicals. Why this was scheduled for the meeting night is beyond me. However the same room we hold our meetings in is where the bulk of the physicals will take place. Our president has simply said that we will hold the meeting after the physicals are done. While I think this is probably a violation of the bylaws, it does seem relatively reasonable. However due to fasting before the physicals quite a few members tend to leave right away, so this may lead to a poorly attended meeting. 

It seems to me that we could just move the meeting to the next day, but that would also appear to violate the bylaws. Can a motion be made at this month's meeting to postpone next month's meeting? Since the day & time are in the bylaws, would a simple motion be allowed to make such a change? I don't think that a bylaws amendment, while effective, would be warranted in this matter. We also would not have the time to pass such an amendment since this is only a month away. 

[George Mervosh]

The proper thing to do is for the president to call the meeting in question to order at the proper day and time, and any members present may adopt a motion to Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn (RONR §22).  The motion would specify the date and time of the adjourned meeting and it must be held before your next regular meeting.  So if your department wants to push it back until the same date at 9 PM for example, fine.  A week later, as an example, fine.    Just let everyone know, if possible.  A quorum need not be present to adopt this motion.

 

Edited August 5, 2021 at 03:39 PM by George Mervosh

[Joshua Katz]

It might also be worth amending the bylaws to conform with RONR's suggestion that the time not be set in the bylaws, so that it can be more easily changed in such a circumstance.

[AFS1970]

The time is not so much of a problem as the date. I am not sure that if we hold the meeting after the physicals that we will have a quorum. Although one other option is to have food there, so as physicals are over people can eat.

[Richard Brown]

4 hours ago, AFS1970 said:

Although one other option is to have food there, so as physicals are over people can eat

Free food and beer has been known to be very effective in getting increased attendance at meetings! 😊

[Joshua Katz]

For the future, you could also consider amending the bylaws to say something like "the third complete week of the month" and then your standing rules can say it's on Tuesday at 7, so that both of those could be changed more easily.

[AFS1970]

Well no attempt of moving the date was changed, although when the physicals were announced, it was said that the meeting would be held after the physicals. I am going to try and get some food there, in the past there have been a few snacks & drinks but nothing substantial. 

[Guest Alan]

On 8/8/2021 at 4:18 AM, Richard Brown said:

Free food and beer has been known to be very effective in getting increased attendance at meetings! 😊

As president of a volunteer fire department association I agree with the beer and food. Unfortunately not all fire departments allow for beer (Hah, for the old days) , then the meeting can always be adjourned to a local adult establishment.