Revisiting a previous board decision

[Guest Kip]

Our nonprofit board voted 5 to 4 in favor of a motion at the last board meeting to approve a board retreat to be held in the spring. New information has come to light that it will cost almost double the amount of that when they originally voted (some costs were not included in the figures). The president would like to bring the new information to the board at the next meeting and ask them if they want to reconsider their decision. One board member says that it is against Roberts Rules to go back to re-visit an issue that has already been settled by a majority vote. (Our bylaws stipulate a simple majority for this kind of issue.) We currently are between parliamentarians.

So, can the President bring the issue up at the next board meeting with the correct figures for the retreat and ask the board if they want to reconsider? If a board member makes a motion to reconsider & it is seconded, could they then discuss it, and eventually vote to overturn their previous decision?

It seems to me that they would need to be able to adjust a past error, but one board member says no. I appreciate your help in advance. Kip

[Rob Elsman]

The proper motion you are looking for is Rescind or Amend Something Previously Adopted, RONR (12th ed.) §35.  The motion is debatable (and opens up for debate the merits of the main motion proposed to be modified to the extent that such debate is germane to the modification proposed).  It is also amendable.

If previous notice of the motion has been properly given, the motion requires a majority vote for adoption; otherwise, it requires either a two-thirds vote or a vote of the majority of the entire membership (whichever of the two can be obtained).

Edited December 9, 2023 at 04:30 AM by Rob Elsman

[Richard Brown]

Agreeing with Mr. Elsman, the member who said RONR prohibits “revisiting“ a motion previously adopted is mistaken. The motion to reconsider is another means of “revisiting“ something, but as Mr. Elsman stated, that would not be the appropriate motion to use in this situation. 

I will also note that, unless this is a small board of no more than about a dozen members and the board is using the small board rules, it would be inappropriate for the chair to make the motion to amend or rescind something previously adopted. The motion should be made by another member unless this is a small board. 

 

Edited December 9, 2023 at 09:09 AM by Richard Brown
Typographical correction

[Joshua Katz]

I would note that there is a chapter in RONR about placing a matter again before the assembly. That would be a very short chapter in RONR prohibited revisiting decisions.

[Rob Elsman]

It might be worth saying that if the motion that ultimately gets made is a motion to rescind the previously adopted main motion, the merits of the previously adopted main motion in its entirety will be open for debate, since the extent of the proposed rescission affects the previously adopted main motion in its entirety.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 12/8/2023 at 10:41 PM, Guest Kip said:

One board member says that it is against Roberts Rules to go back to re-visit an issue that has already been settled by a majority vote.

No, that's just silly.  Errors in judgment, grammar, or even punctuation need a method to bring them again before the assembly for amendment or rescission.  The classic example of the importance of so much as a single comma is demonstrated by the difference between:

• "Let's eat, Grandma!"; and
• "Let's eat Grandma!"

The motions Rescind and Amend Something Previously Adopted are covered in §35 of RONR.  As long as the original motion has not been fully carried out, there's still an opportunity to put things right. Apparently your One Board Member laid the Book aside before reaching section thirty-five. 😏

[Guest Thank you]

Thank you so much! I appreciate your help. Kip