Is it improper or inadvisable for the secretary to make certain motions or to nominate people? What about the parliamentarian?

[user]

For example, would it be improper or inadvisable for the secretary to move to approve the meeting minutes they wrote? What about the secretary nominating someone during an election?

Are there certain motions a parliamentarian should avoid?

What about the chair? From what I understand the chair has a duty to remain impartial, so they usually would try to avoid making motions if it would make them seem impartial, but it's not strictly against the rules for them to do so?

Edited April 21, 2023 at 04:32 AM by user

[J. J.]

On 4/21/2023 at 12:32 AM, user said:

For example, would it be improper or inadvisable for the secretary to move to approve the meeting minutes they wrote? What about the secretary nominating someone during an election?

Are there certain motions a parliamentarian should avoid?

What about the chair? From what I understand the chair has a duty to remain impartial, so they usually would try to avoid making motions if it would make them seem impartial, but it's not strictly against the rules for them to do so?

The secretary, if a member, is free to make motions.  Generally the chair asks for any correction to the minutes, without a motion.

A member parliamentarian should not make motions (47:55).

[Josh Martin]

On 4/20/2023 at 11:32 PM, user said:

For example, would it be improper or inadvisable for the secretary to move to approve the meeting minutes they wrote?

No motion is required to approve the minutes. Rather, the chair would ask if there are any corrections, and after any corrections are disposed of, the chair declares the minutes approved. So it is not necessary for the Secretary (or anyone else) to make a motion to approve the minutes.

On 4/20/2023 at 11:32 PM, user said:

What about the secretary nominating someone during an election?

Nothing in RONR suggests that it would be "improper or inadvisable" for the secretary to nominate a person for office.

As a general matter, the secretary is as free to make motions as any other member. The rules of impartiality applying to the chair and parliamentarian are not applicable to the secretary.

The one limitation in regard to the Secretary is that RONR provides that officers should not make motions to implement recommendations in their report, but in my experience, for the Secretary to make a report containing recommendations is fairly uncommon anyway. (The minutes are separate and are not part of the secretary's report.)

On 4/20/2023 at 11:32 PM, user said:

Are there certain motions a parliamentarian should avoid?

The parliamentarian should avoid making any motions, in order to maintain the appearance of impartiality.

On 4/20/2023 at 11:32 PM, user said:

From what I understand the chair has a duty to remain impartial, so they usually would try to avoid making motions if it would make them seem impartial, but it's not strictly against the rules for them to do so?

It is against the rules for the chair to make motions while presiding, except in a committee or small board. If the chair of an assembly not using the small board rules insists on making a motion, he should first relinquish the chair and turn it over to the Vice President (or another member, if the Vice President's appearance of impartiality is also compromised).

It is correct that ultimately the chair, if a member, has a right to make motions. So if push comes to shove, the chair cannot be prevented from making a motion while presiding. But to do so is nonetheless "strictly against the rules," except in a committee or small board.

In the event the assembly is using the small board rules, the chair is free to participate the same as any other member.

The same applies to the parliamentarian (if a member) in that the parliamentarian could not be prevented from making a motion if he insists on doing so. Unlike the chair, there is no means to temporarily relinquish the position, so it would always be improper for the parliamentarian to make a motion under the rules in RONR. Additionally, unlike the chair, the parliamentarian is expected to maintain the appearance of impartiality even under the small board rules.

Edited April 21, 2023 at 11:52 AM by Josh Martin

[Rob Elsman]

As to the general sense of the question being asked, any member of the society who is elected to an office retains all of his rights of membership. The secretary is perfectly proper to make motions, speak in debate, and vote—just like any other member. RONR (12th ed.) 47:3.

[user]

Thank you!