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Beverly Newman

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I am new and attended my first meeting when new bylaws were presented for review and to be voted on at the next meeting.  The president was asked if we could extend the meeting time to discuss the new bylaws and she said no, if we did not finish the discussion then it would continue at the next meeting until we could agree and vote on the new bylaws ( meetings are once a month).  In the meantime the officers are moving forward with plans based on the new Bylaws which are significantly different than the old ones.

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On 9/21/2022 at 1:50 PM, Beverly Newman said:

The president was asked if we could extend the meeting time to discuss the new bylaws and she said no, if we did not finish the discussion then it would continue at the next meeting until we could agree and vote on the new bylaws ( meetings are once a month). 

I don't see why you couldn't extend the meeting. And there's no need to agree, that's what voting is for. 

On 9/21/2022 at 1:50 PM, Beverly Newman said:

In the meantime the officers are moving forward with plans based on the new Bylaws which are significantly different than the old ones.

What do you mean "moving forward" in context? Any motions that conflict with the existing bylaws are out of order.

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Agreeing with Mr. Merritt and Mr. katz, the "old" (existing) bylaws are still the bylaws which are in effect and which you must abide by until the new bylaws are adopted.  Officers might PLAN for how to do things under the proposed new bylaws, but those plans are dependent on whether the new bylaws (or relevant bylaw provisions) actually get adopted.

Unless you have a customized rule to the contrary, the ending time of your meeting (if it has a pre-set ending time) can be extended by a two thirds vote.  If it has no fixed pre-set time for adjournment, the meeting can simply continue until a motion to adjourn  is adopted by a majority vote.  It can even go all night.  The chair has no authority to arbitrarily determine when the meeting will end.  That is up to the members.   In addition, the consideration of the new bylaws can be postponed until the next regular meeting or until a special meeting or "continued meeting"  to be held between now and your next regular meeting.  There are several options, but I will not attempt to elaborate on them here.

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On 9/21/2022 at 10:07 AM, Beverly Newman said:

I just joined the board at my church.  The executive committee presented new Bylaws for review and to vote on at the next meeting.  Are the old Bylaws in effect until the new ones are adopted?

Yes, and in particular the rules in the old bylaws that control how the bylaws may be amended are the ones that control how this adoption ias done.

It sounds like your board has the authority to amend the bylaws, which is unusual.  Normally the bylaws may only be amended by the general membership, who also elects the board.  Do your bylaws say different?

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On 9/21/2022 at 9:59 PM, Gary Novosielski said:

Yes, and in particular the rules in the old bylaws that control how the bylaws may be amended are the ones that control how this adoption ias done.

It sounds like your board has the authority to amend the bylaws, which is unusual.  Normally the bylaws may only be amended by the general membership, who also elects the board.  Do your bylaws say different?

I am new to this board and am trying to learn how they operate - it is very different than what I am familiar with on other boards.

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On 9/27/2022 at 8:37 PM, Beverly Newman said:

I am new to this board and am trying to learn how they operate - it is very different than what I am familiar with on other boards.

Learning how they operate is an important factor.  Learning how they are supposed to be operating is also important, and can only be discerned by reading the bylaws, and other rules.

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