Can the presiding officer make a motion?

[Guest Jason]

Just checking on this, been on several boards an don't ever remember them making a motion.

[Dan Honemann]

13 minutes ago, Guest Jason said:

Just checking on this, been on several boards an don't ever remember them making a motion.

If the board is a small board (not more than about a dozen members present), yes he can.

[Richard Brown]

You might take a look at the "small board rules" in Section 49:21 of RONR (12th ed.) regarding the participation of the presiding officer in the proceedings of a committee or small board.  These rules also apply in all committees regardless of size unless the organization has adopted a rule to the contrary.

Heck, I'll save you the trouble in case you don't have the book.  Here it is verbatim.  Pay particular attention to item # 7 and to the footnote:

49: 21 Procedure in Small Boards. In a board meeting where there are not more than about a dozen members present, some of the formality that is necessary in a large assembly would hinder business. The rules governing such meetings are different from the rules that hold in other assemblies, in the following respects: 1) Members may raise a hand instead of standing when seeking to obtain the floor, and may remain seated while making motions or speaking. 2) Motions need not be seconded. 3) There is no limit to the number of times a member can speak to a debatable question. 3 Appeals, however, are debatable under the regular rules— that is, each member (except the chair) can speak only once in debate on them, while the chair may speak twice. 4) Informal discussion of a subject is permitted while no motion is pending. 5) When a proposal is perfectly clear to all present, a vote can be taken without a motion’s having been introduced. Unless agreed to by unanimous consent, however, all proposed actions must be approved by vote under the same rules as in larger meetings, except that a vote can be taken initially by a show of hands, which is often a better method in small meetings. 6) The chairman need not rise while putting questions to a vote. 7) If the chairman is a member, he may, without leaving the chair, speak in informal discussions and in debate, and vote on all questions.

You should also take note of footnote # 4 to that section:

Informal discussion may be initiated by the chairman himself, which, in effect, enables the chairman to submit his own proposals without formally making a motion as described in 4: 4– 8 (although he has the right to make a motion if he wishes). (Emphasis added).

 

 

Edited August 7, 2021 at 07:40 PM by Richard Brown
Added quote from §49:21 of RONR