Proper Meeting Notice?

[Patriot]

A Chairman wrote in an email that he is going to call a meeting "sometime in the next few months." I am contending that is not a proper meeting call because it does not specify time/place. Is there a rule in Roberts that clearly states that to reference in this situation?

[Gary Novosielski]

No, he didn't call a meeting.  He said he is going to call a meeting.  When he calls it, he must say the time and place.

[Richard Brown]

I agree with Mr. Novosielski. The chair stating that he is going to call a meeting sometime in the future is not the same thing. as actually calling a meeting. And, yes, the call of a meeting must specify the date time and location of the meeting … and the purpose of the meeting if it is a special meeting. See 9:13-9:15 of RONR (12th Ed.). 

[Josh Martin]

On 4/19/2024 at 4:37 PM, Patriot said:

A Chairman wrote in an email that he is going to call a meeting "sometime in the next few months." I am contending that is not a proper meeting call because it does not specify time/place. Is there a rule in Roberts that clearly states that to reference in this situation?

I agree that this email is not, in itself, a proper meeting call. The meeting call must specify the date, time, and location of the meeting. If it is a special meeting, which would appear to be the case, the purpose of the meeting must also be included.

It is not clear to me, however, that it was the chairman's intent that this email, in itself, constitute the call of the meeting. Rather, this seems to be an informal communication indicating that the chair intends to call a special meeting "sometime in the next few months."

"A special meeting (or called meeting) is a separate session of a society held at a time different from that of any regular meeting, and convened only to consider one or more items of business specified in the call of the meeting. Notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting, clearly and specifically describing the subject matter of the motions or items of business to be brought up, must be sent to all members a reasonable number of days in advance." RONR (12th ed.) 9:13

[Patriot]

Finally found a clear reference in Roberts that defines a call - "The call of a meeting is a written notice of its time and place that is sent to all members of the organization a reasonable time in advance." RONR 1:7

[Richard Brown]

On 4/22/2024 at 4:42 PM, Patriot said:

Finally found a clear reference in Roberts that defines a call - "The call of a meeting is a written notice of its time and place that is sent to all members of the organization a reasonable time in advance." RONR 1:7

It is a bit more complicated than that, however.  If the meeting is a special meeting, the call of the meeting must also include the purpose of the meeting and "the subject matter of the motions or items of business to be brought up".   See 9:13 (RONR 12th ed.).

[Patriot]

In our organization, we don't have regularly scheduled meetings, so our chairman/vice chairman can call meetings at any time with proper notice, and there is no limit on the agenda items for those meetings. So I don't think those would be considered special meetings? If the members call a meeting (by getting a certain percentage of members to sign the call), the members have to list the purpose and can only have ONE purpose for a member-called meeting, so that type of meeting I would consider a special meeting.

[Josh Martin]

On 4/24/2024 at 11:36 AM, Patriot said:

In our organization, we don't have regularly scheduled meetings, so our chairman/vice chairman can call meetings at any time with proper notice, and there is no limit on the agenda items for those meetings. So I don't think those would be considered special meetings? If the members call a meeting (by getting a certain percentage of members to sign the call), the members have to list the purpose and can only have ONE purpose for a member-called meeting, so that type of meeting I would consider a special meeting.

Based on these additional facts (although it is difficult to say for certain because we have not seen the exact language of the rules in question), I am inclined to agree that meetings called by the Chairman/Vice Chairman are not "special meetings," but are instead regular meetings.

Assuming this to be correct, the call of the meeting would only need to include the date, time, and location of the meeting.

[Richard Brown]

I agree that based on additional facts these meetings might indeed be regular meetings rather than special meetings.  As such, the date, time and location must be provided in the meeting notice, but not necessarily the purpose of the meeting or the items of business to be taken up.