Changing a non approved agenda

[Tomm]

If there is no vote to approve an agenda because the order of business is in accordance to RONR, how and can you change the agenda?

[Josh Martin]

On 3/9/2022 at 11:06 AM, Tomm said:

If there is no vote to approve an agenda because the order of business is in accordance to RONR, how and can you change the agenda?

Could you provide an example of what exactly you are thinking of?

Speaking generally, I would think the appropriate course of action would either be to 1.) make a motion to move a particular order of the day to an earlier time, 2.) move to Suspend the Rules and take up an item out of order, or 3.) move to adopt an agenda. Which of these is most appropriate might depend on exactly how many changes the member has in mind and whether those changes are consistent with the order of business in RONR.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 3/9/2022 at 12:06 PM, Tomm said:

If there is no vote to approve an agenda because the order of business is in accordance to RONR, how and can you change the agenda?

If the agenda is not approved, it is not binding.  It is simply a list of items in the nature of a reminder, so that none are skipped.

So without an agenda, you are following the standard order of business.  What do you want to do that you believe you cannot, under these conditions?  You should be able to move whatever you want to at the appropriate time, such as New Business.

[Rob Elsman]

You don't.  The circulated memo is just for information.  Individual members bringing their copy to the meeting are responsible for marking it up to reflect changes made during the proceedings.  Regardless of what was circulated, the chair follows the rules relevant to the order of business in RONR (12th ed.).

[Tomm]

On 3/9/2022 at 11:45 AM, Josh Martin said:

Could you provide an example of what exactly you are thinking of?

I was simply asked by a member of the board (I am not a member) how can the agenda be changed if other board members don't agree with it.

What's happening is, a motion will be made and it's on the agenda, that at the next board meeting a motion to Reconsider a motion that failed will be made. My armchair quarterbacking informed them that the motion is out of order because it needed to be made at the meeting in which it failed (37:10 (b). This is a meeting, not a session and no other motions apply.

[Josh Martin]

On 3/9/2022 at 12:59 PM, Tomm said:

I was simply asked by a member of the board (I am not a member) how can the agenda be changed if other board members don't agree with it.

Mr. Elsman is absolutely correct that if the agenda is provided for information only, because it is simply a memorandum of the standard order of business, then that agenda cannot be changed, nor is there any need to do so.

What I understand you to mean when you say "how can the agenda can be changed," however, is how board members can consider their business in an order different than that used in the standard order of business in RONR and/or other rules in RONR governing the order in which business is considered. How exactly to do this will depend upon exactly what changes are being made.

But it sounds to me like changing the order of business isn't actually the problem here. 

On 3/9/2022 at 12:59 PM, Tomm said:

What's happening is, a motion will be made and it's on the agenda, that at the next board meeting a motion to Reconsider a motion that failed will be made. My armchair quarterbacking informed them that the motion is out of order because it needed to be made at the meeting in which it failed (37:10 (b). This is a meeting, not a session and no other motions apply.

I would first note that, based upon these facts, I'm not sure the premise that the agenda is just a memorandum of the standard order of business in RONR is correct. It sounds to me like the agenda is attempting to adopt one or more orders of the day for the meeting which have not previously been set as orders of the day. Adoption of such an agenda would require a vote.

"In some organizations, it is customary to send each member, in advance of a meeting, an order of business or agenda, with some indication of the matters to be considered under each heading. Such an agenda is often provided for information only, with no intention or practice of submitting it for adoption. Unless a precirculated agenda is formally adopted at the session to which it applies, it is not binding as to detail or order of consideration, other than as it lists preexisting orders of the day (41:40ff.) or conforms to the standard order of business (3:16, 41:5ff.) or an order of business prescribed by the rules of the organization (2:16, 3:16)." RONR (12th ed.) 41:62

"At a session that already has an order of business, an agenda can be adopted by a majority vote only if it does not create any special orders and does not conflict with the existing order of business; otherwise, a two-thirds vote is required (see also 25:12)." RONR (12th ed.) 41:61

I would also note, however, that it sounds like the issue here doesn't really have anything to do with the agenda, but instead has to do with whether the motion to Reconsider is in order. (I agree that it is not, and the proper course of action is to make the motion anew.) The way to deal with that is to raise a Point of Order, followed by an Appeal if necessary, when the motion to Reconsider is made.

Edited March 9, 2022 at 07:15 PM by Josh Martin

[Rob Elsman]

On 3/9/2022 at 11:06 AM, Tomm said:

...there is no vote to approve an agenda...

Then, there is nothing in the memorandum that is binding on the assembly, and, there is nothing official to change during the meeting.  Again, regardless of the memorandum that was circulated for members' informational benefit, the chair adheres to the rules in RONR (12th ed.) concerning the order of business.

Concerning changes to the order in which items of business are transacted, take a look at the motions, Postpone to a Definite Time and Suspend the Rules.  There are two other motions that are rarely in order, Lay on the Table and Take from the Table, that are just worth mentioning for the sake of completeness.