Presiding Officer

[Guest brandendurst]

Who is the presiding officer of a board if the chair and the vice chair are no longer on the board and replacements have not been named?

[Guest brandendurst]

I should clarify that nothing in our board policies, that I can find, provides guidance on who assumess the chairmanship if the chair and the vice chair have been removed.

[Rob Elsman]

If RONR (12th ed.) is the society's parliamentary authority, the members of the board have the power to elect a chairman pro tem to preside over a meeting.  Typically, the board's secretary calls the meeting to order and immediately proceeds to nominations and an election. See RONR (12th ed.) 47:11.

[Guest brandendurst]

On 9/18/2023 at 4:48 PM, Rob Elsman said:

If RONR (12th ed.) is the society's parliamentary authority, the members of the board have the power to elect a chairman pro tem to preside over a meeting.  Typically, the board's secretary calls the meeting to order and immediately proceeds to nominations and an election. See RONR (12th ed.) 47:11.

That's my understanding as well, however our by laws say that the chair shall develop the agenda. In this case, without a chair, the only agenda items would be an organizational meeting where the chair is elected. Thoughts?

[Joshua Katz]

I would think you'd have an empty agenda, and then you'd amend it (or simply not adopt it and instead follow RONR's order of business) at the meeting, unless there are applicable rules or laws preventing that.

[Rob Elsman]

I'm sorry, but I am simply not in a position to help with matters arising out of the bylaws.  All I can advise is to remain in full compliance with the demands of whatever the bylaws set out.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 9/19/2023 at 11:45 AM, Guest brandendurst said:

That's my understanding as well, however our by laws say that the chair shall develop the agenda. In this case, without a chair, the only agenda items would be an organizational meeting where the chair is elected. Thoughts?

If there is no agenda, then RONR provides that the Standard Order of Business as stated below is the prescribed order of business:

41:5 Basic Headings Covering Business Proper.
The customary or “standard” order of business comprises the following subdivisions:

1) Reading and Approval of Minutes
2) Reports of Officers, Boards, and Standing Committees
3) Reports of Special (Select or Ad Hoc) Committees
4) Special Orders
5) Unfinished Business and General Orders
6) New Business

[Josh Martin]

On 9/19/2023 at 10:45 AM, Guest brandendurst said:

That's my understanding as well, however our by laws say that the chair shall develop the agenda. In this case, without a chair, the only agenda items would be an organizational meeting where the chair is elected. Thoughts?

Please clarify exactly what the bylaws say concerning this matter.

It would seem, certainly, that no agenda will be prepared in advance in these circumstances. Depending on what exactly your rules provide, however, the assembly may still have the flexibility to adopt its own agenda at the meeting.