A delegate who speaks too much

[Pastor Tim]

At the recent Annual meeting of our church, we had one delegate who chose to speak on nearly every item of business, and on nearly every proposed amendment to the issue. He often offered amendments for our body to consider.

Everything about this person's engagement with conference business was in order. The "problem" was the frequency with which he asked to be recognized. In my 25 years of participation at this Conference (including a year as chair), I've never witnessed anyone speak so often and on so many of the items of business. His persistence tried people's patience, and did somewhat bog down business (a subjective opinion, to be sure). 

Is there anything within Roberts' Rules that might help address such matters?

Would it be appropriate for the chair to speak to this delegate privately and gently suggest that they are speaking too much?

[Weldon Merritt]

On 9/30/2023 at 7:16 AM, Pastor Tim said:

Would it be appropriate for the chair to speak to this delegate privately and gently suggest that they are speaking too much?

No, because:

On 9/30/2023 at 7:16 AM, Pastor Tim said:

Everything about this person's engagement with conference business was in order.

 

[Rob Elsman]

Give that person a gold star for being interested and committed. Organizations would be better off if there were more like this one.

[Josh Martin]

On 9/30/2023 at 8:16 AM, Pastor Tim said:

Is there anything within Roberts' Rules that might help address such matters?

The assembly may adopt a motion for the Previous Question or a motion to Limit Debate. Or the assembly may adopt rules limiting debate. To be clear, however, such motions will be generally applicable to all members, and cannot be used to single out this delegate. So this will also have the effect of limiting others.

Beyond that, I do not think there is anything in RONR which would help address such matters. My understanding from the facts presented is that the member is speaking in debate and offering amendments in good faith, not for dilatory purposes. There is no rule in RONR against being "persistent."

On 9/30/2023 at 8:16 AM, Pastor Tim said:

Would it be appropriate for the chair to speak to this delegate privately and gently suggest that they are speaking too much?

It may well be beneficial for someone to speak to this delegate and suggest that it may be prudent for him to pick his battles, and that he may better achieve his objectives by doing so. I am not certain, however, that the chair would be the best person to do this. This may be viewed as an attempt to intimidate the member into speaking less, or may even imply that the member is violating some rule by speaking so much - which he is not.

[Gary Novosielski]

Presumably when this person offers amendments or makes other secondary motions, people are seconding these?  

Also, note the rule that having spoken once on a particular question, a member may not speak a second time on that same question until all others seeking recognition have had a chance to speak once.  This eliminates the situation where the same member is responding every-other-time: Member A, Member B, Member A, Member C, Member A, Member D, etc.  This sort of thing is not in order.

But if he's just participating fully, that's commendable.