Who can make a motion to approve annual budget

[Guest Dan]

Can only the Treasurer move the motion to approve the budget?
 

I am preparing notes for our treasurer’s report to the Board. This also includes a motion to approve the draft budget. Two sort of organizational customs butting against each other: 1–each committee head chairs their portion of the meeting and therefore calls for movers and seconders for motions and 2–there’s a perception that only the Treasurer can move the budget. Is it better to have the treasure ask for a mover / seconder then facilitate discussion and vote, or make the motion and ask for a seconder and facilitate discussion and vote? 

[Josh Martin]

On 3/31/2022 at 6:09 PM, Guest Dan said:

Can only the Treasurer move the motion to approve the budget?

No. Any member can do so. In fact, if the budget is part of the Treasurer's report, the Treasurer should not make the motion to approve the budget. RONR provides that officers (unlike committees) should not make motions arising out of their reports.

On 3/31/2022 at 6:09 PM, Guest Dan said:

Two sort of organizational customs butting against each other: 1–each committee head chairs their portion of the meeting and therefore calls for movers and seconders for motions

This practice is entirely improper and should be ceased immediately. The regular presiding officer should continue to preside. The committee chair should give the committee report and should make any motions arising from the report. Motions made on behalf of a committee do not require a second (assuming the committee consists of more than one person).

"The practice in some organizations of permitting the chairman of a committee to preside over the assembly or put questions to vote during the presentation and consideration of the committee’s report violates numerous principles of parliamentary law relating to the chair’s appearance of impartiality and the inappropriateness of his entering into debate, not to speak of the regular presiding officer’s duty to preside (see 47:5–7)." RONR (12th ed.) 47:12

On 3/31/2022 at 6:09 PM, Guest Dan said:

2–there’s a perception that only the Treasurer can move the budget. Is it better to have the treasure ask for a mover / seconder then facilitate discussion and vote, or make the motion and ask for a seconder and facilitate discussion and vote? 

It is the chair of the assembly who should ask if there is a motion and second to approve the budget and facilitate the discussion and vote.

Edited March 31, 2022 at 11:47 PM by Josh Martin

[Gary Novosielski]

It's hard to answer that because under the rules in RONR, committee chairs do not chair the meeting of the assembly.

If the rules in RONR apply, and I see no reason why they would not, the regular presiding officer presides over the meeting.  The Treasurer presents the financial report, and I'm guessing in your case chairs a budget committee of some sort that develops a draft budget?  None of this is clear from your question, but the draft budget must come from somewhere.

If that's the case, the Treasurer can move adoption of the draft budget, but so can anyone else, general perceptions to the contrary notwithstanding. Much depends on whether the Treasurer is reporting as an officer, or as the chair of some sort of budget committee.

In any case, a lot of what you describe is pretty far off base as far as RONR is concerned. 

[Guest Annual Budget motions LOST]

Are there any rules under Robert's that if a budget is not adopted, the prior year's budget remains in place until a new budget is adopted?  Are there any requirements for the organization's leader to vote on regarding a budget if required in the bylaws?  What if the leader fails on duty?  Is there an assumed motion that if the membership does not bring up the budget, the membership desires to leave the budget alone?

[Josh Martin]

There are no rules in RONR pertaining to a budget whatsoever. Such matters are governed by your organization's rules. If you feel your organization's rules are lacking in this matter, your organization is free to adopt additional rules.

On 3/13/2024 at 11:00 PM, Guest Annual Budget motions LOST said:

Are there any rules under Robert's that if a budget is not adopted, the prior year's budget remains in place until a new budget is adopted?

No, unless your rules so provide.

On 3/13/2024 at 11:00 PM, Guest Annual Budget motions LOST said:

Are there any requirements for the organization's leader to vote on regarding a budget if required in the bylaws?

What exactly do your bylaws require in this matter?

If your bylaws require, for example, that a budget will be adopted at the annual meeting (for example), then a budget must be adopted at the annual meeting, and is a special order for that meeting. Generally, in an organization which requires the adoption of a budget, the organization's rules will clarify whose duty it is to prepare the draft budget for the assembly's consideration. The presiding officer is obliged to state the question on the adoption of the budget at the appropriate time in the meeting.

If your bylaws are more vague on this subject and simply provide that a budget is required, but provide no specifics, then the assembly is of course still obliged to follow this rule, but there will be more ambiguity in how the assembly does so.

On 3/13/2024 at 11:00 PM, Guest Annual Budget motions LOST said:

What if the leader fails on duty?

I understand this to refer to a situation in which either a.) no draft budget is prepared and/or b.) the budget is not considered at the meeting required in the bylaws. In such circumstances, the organization could resolve in several ways, such as some other person proposing a budget, or adopting a motion instructing a committee appointed for the purpose to prepare a budget for a later meeting. They may be other ways - this is not an exhaustive list.

But the bottom line is if the organization's bylaws require adopting a budget, this must be done. If the persons whose duty this is have neglected to perform their part, then others will have to pick up the slack. Ultimately, following the bylaws is the responsibility of everyone in the organization.

In the event the assembly fails to adopt a budget at the required time, then the assembly should adopt a budget as soon as possible thereafter.

On 3/13/2024 at 11:00 PM, Guest Annual Budget motions LOST said:

Is there an assumed motion that if the membership does not bring up the budget, the membership desires to leave the budget alone?

No, unless your rules so provide.

I believe it certainly would be in order, however, for a member to propose to adopt a budget which is identical to the prior year's budget.

Edited March 14, 2024 at 01:03 PM by Josh Martin

[Gary Novosielski]

On 3/14/2024 at 12:00 AM, Guest Annual Budget motions LOST said:

Are there any rules under Robert's that if a budget is not adopted, the prior year's budget remains in place until a new budget is adopted?  Are there any requirements for the organization's leader to vote on regarding a budget if required in the bylaws?  What if the leader fails on duty?  Is there an assumed motion that if the membership does not bring up the budget, the membership desires to leave the budget alone?

RONR does not contain any budget rules at all, much less a rule like that.  but your assumption does not, in my view, meet the requirement to interpret the language in its ordinary meaning.

• Even if the prior year's budget remained "in place," it would authorize no expenditures in this year.  None of the months of Fiscal Year 2023 have any budgetary amounts allocated past last year's end.  You cannot, for example, discharge your tax obligations for this year by saying that you paid your taxes last year.
• There are no requirements for leaders to vote on things.  It might someone's responsibility to develop a budget for this year, and they should be prevailed upon to fulfill that responsibility.  The leaders may have the duty to call meetings, but your bylaws might also specify that an Annual General Meeting is required where things like budgets and elections are commonly voted on.  The leaders might have to schedule this meeting, or the dates might be specified directly in the bylaws.
• I don't think it can be reasonably assumed that those who approved last year's budget intended for it to extend beyond its end date, even if the present membership wishes that it could.