Letter presented to the board

[Guest Anne Love]

During an annual meeting of the membership, if a member presents a letter does it have to be accepted into record?

[puzzling]

No, but a majority can decide that it will be included in the minutes.

If it was you who wanted to do this :

the proper way is to make a main  motion or resolution, theyare always included in the minutes

[Atul Kapur]

On 7/30/2023 at 11:06 AM, puzzling said:

the proper way is to make a main  motion or resolution, theyare always included in the minutes

Unless it is withdrawn, in which case it is usually not included. See 48:4(6)

[Josh Martin]

On 7/30/2023 at 10:02 AM, Guest Anne Love said:

During an annual meeting of the membership, if a member presents a letter does it have to be accepted into record?

To the extent that the "record" refers to the minutes, the letter does not (and should not) be included in the minutes, which are a record of what was done, not what was said.

To the extent that the "record" refers to something else, you will have to refer to your own rules concerning that record.

On 7/30/2023 at 10:06 AM, puzzling said:

No, but a majority can decide that it will be included in the minutes.

While I concur that the assembly may, if it wishes, order this letter to be included in the minutes, I would suggest that generally this should not be done.

On 7/30/2023 at 10:06 AM, puzzling said:

If it was you who wanted to do this :

the proper way is to make a main  motion or resolution, theyare always included in the minutes

I suppose this is correct, but without knowing the contents of the letter, I don't know whether it is possible (or desirable) to reword the letter in such a manner that it can be appropriately cast in the form of a resolution. I would note that any main motion or resolution is a proposal for action by the assembly, which will ultimately be voted on by the assembly.

[rulesasker]

On 7/30/2023 at 3:24 PM, Josh Martin said:

On 7/30/2023 at 10:06 AM, puzzling said:

If it was you who wanted to do this :

the proper way is to make a main  motion or resolution, theyare always included in the minutes

I suppose this is correct, but without knowing the contents of the letter, I don't know whether it is possible (or desirable) to reword the letter in such a manner that it can be appropriately cast in the form of a resolution. I would note that any main motion or resolution is a proposal for action by the assembly, which will ultimately be voted on by the assembly.

I think the "proper way" is for the assembly to simply adopt a motion directing the letter to be included in the minutes, as allowed in 48:3. Rephrasing it as a resolution could have the unintended effect of anything in the letter looking like an action being approved by the assembly. I have seen this worded as a motion that a letter be "spread upon the minutes," specifically where a society wanted to allow a minority to memorialize their opposition to an action. 

Edited July 30, 2023 at 11:05 PM by rulesasker

[Gary Novosielski]

On 7/30/2023 at 6:46 PM, rulesasker said:

I think the "proper way" is for the assembly to simply adopt a motion directing the letter to be included in the minutes, as allowed in 48:3.

I'd agree, with one amendment: Strike adopt and insert reject.  🙂

[puzzling]

Wording the letter as a motion has the advantage that the writer at least needs to think about what he wants the meeting to do or decide. (Where the meeting can agree or disagree with as it sees fit)

So intead of only giving reasons the maker also needs to think about what he wants to happen.

[Josh Martin]

On 7/31/2023 at 4:39 AM, puzzling said:

Wording the letter as a motion has the advantage that the writer at least needs to think about what he wants the meeting to do or decide. (Where the meeting can agree or disagree with as it sees fit)

So intead of only giving reasons the maker also needs to think about what he wants to happen.

Assuming the member actually wants the meeting to "do or decide" something, I concur that the best course of action is for the member to make a motion or resolution capturing that (whether that is a new motion or a rewrite of the letter).

[J. J.]

On 7/31/2023 at 7:08 AM, Josh Martin said:

Assuming the member actually wants the meeting to "do or decide" something, I concur that the best course of action is for the member to make a motion or resolution capturing that (whether that is a new motion or a rewrite of the letter).

Agreeing, I will note that correspondence from a member would be subject to Objection to the Consideration of a Question (26:2(2) in all cases.  Incidental main motions (IMM) are not subject to OTCQ.  A letter proposing an IMM could be subject to OTCQ, so a letter may limit some options.