Tomm Posted October 26, 2023 at 02:09 PM Report Share Posted October 26, 2023 at 02:09 PM At last years Annual Membership Meeting the General Manager of the corporation served as Chair. The GM was not a Member of the organization he was simply an employee of the corporation. I believe this was wrong if for no other reason, he could not cast a vote! On the other hand, I am assuming a non-member could serve as the Chair of a committee because a committee is not considered to be a form of assembly? Please advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted October 26, 2023 at 02:14 PM Report Share Posted October 26, 2023 at 02:14 PM There is nothing in RONR (12th ed.) that requires that the presiding officer be a member of the assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted October 26, 2023 at 02:43 PM Report Share Posted October 26, 2023 at 02:43 PM On 10/26/2023 at 10:09 AM, Tomm said: I believe this was wrong if for no other reason, he could not cast a vote! Not so. You are correct that as a non-member he could not cast a vote. But that has no bearing on his ability to preside. There is no rule in RONR requiring the presiding officer to be a member. In fact, if you look at the rules regarding when the chair votes or does not, you will find the phrase "the chair, if a member" which suggests the possibility that this will not always be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted October 26, 2023 at 04:10 PM Report Share Posted October 26, 2023 at 04:10 PM On 10/26/2023 at 9:09 AM, Tomm said: At last years Annual Membership Meeting the General Manager of the corporation served as Chair. The GM was not a Member of the organization he was simply an employee of the corporation. Nothing in RONR prevents a nonmember from serving as presiding officer. "In certain instances in an ordinary society—for example, if an adjourned meeting or a special meeting (9) must deal with a problem that has intensely divided the organization—it may be that such a meeting can accomplish more under the chairmanship of an invited nonmember who is skilled in presiding. (Sometimes this may be a professional presiding officer.) If the president and vice-president(s) do not object, the assembly, by majority vote, can adopt an incidental main motion to effect such an arrangement for all or part of a session. This motion is a question of privilege affecting the assembly (19). Alternatively, the rules may be suspended to authorize this type of temporary appointment, even over the objection of the president or a vice-president. Cf. 62:13–14." RONR (12th ed.) 47:13 On 10/26/2023 at 9:09 AM, Tomm said: I believe this was wrong if for no other reason, he could not cast a vote! I'm not clear on why this is a problem. Nothing in RONR requires the presiding officer to cast votes - and indeed, generally the presiding officer of a large assembly should not vote. On 10/26/2023 at 9:09 AM, Tomm said: On the other hand, I am assuming a non-member could serve as the Chair of a committee because a committee is not considered to be a form of assembly? A nonmember can serve as presiding officer of a committee or an assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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