Mix or match?

[Guest Larry Reynolds]

Must messages sent be all the same method or may two or more be used?

Notice of each meeting shall be given to each member by mail, telephone, fax, or electronic mail depending on the circumstances.

Thanks

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Notice of each meeting shall be given to each member by mail, telephone, fax, or electronic mail depending on the circumstances.

Q. Is the above your bylaws' rule?

Q. Is the above someone's opinion, like your own understanding?

Either way, it isn't anything taken from RONR tenth edition 2000.

Must messages sent be all the same method or may two or more be used?

Q. Are you asking a question about compliance with your above-cited customized "rule" (?), or are you asking a question about compliance with Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR 10th ed.)?

[Guest larry reynolds]

Q. Is the above your bylaws' rule?

Q. Is the above someone's opinion, like your own understanding?

Either way, it isn't anything taken from RONR tenth edition 2000.

Q. Are you asking a question about compliance with your above-cited customized "rule" (?), or are you asking a question about compliance with Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR 10th ed.)?

[Trina]

Must messages sent be all the same method or may two or more be used?

Notice of each meeting shall be given to each member by mail, telephone, fax, or electronic mail depending on the circumstances.

Thanks

RONR says that notice of a meeting 'is a written notice of the time and place, which is mailed or distributed to all members of the organization a reasonable time in advance.' (p. 5)

Since your bylaws have departed from this rule, your bylaws take precedence as to the means of giving notice. If I understand your question, you're asking about possibly mixing different media (e.g. some members get a card in the mail, others get phone calls, a third group gets e-mails)? This is a question that your bylaws should answer. If the bylaws are vague (which they appear to be, if the above is direct quote), your organization should clarify them by amendment.

In the meantime, I point out the key elements in the citation about notice: 'to all members' and 'a reasonable time in advance'. One of the main purposes of notice is to protect the rights of members who may be absent -- every member has an equal right to be informed of a coming meeting, and every member has the right to be informed a reasonable time in advance.

[J. J.]

Certainly various delivery methods of written notice, hand delivery, mail, would be acceptable, even under RONR, in most cases. I would argue that facsimile constitutes written notice.

Now, what do your bylaws say?

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Must messages sent be all the same method or may two or more be used?

>>Notice of each meeting shall be given to each member by mail, telephone, fax, or electronic mail depending on the circumstances.<<

Another ambiguity.

Q. Do you mean, out of 100 members in the organization . . .

(a.) 33 get faxes;

(b.) 33 get e-mail;

(c.) 34 get phone calls;

. . . for the same upcoming meeting?

If your bylaws had been silent, then the answer would be "No."

There is no secondary medium other than the mailed, written call-to-meeting, per the default rules of Robert's Rules of Order.

"One size fits all."

Once you customize a rule, then you risk the chance that RONR will no longer contained a simple, canned answer which fits your deviation from the norm.

* * *

Yet another ambiguity:

depending on the circumstances

Q. Who is it who decides the "circumstances"?

The sender of the medium?

The caller of the meeting?

The President?

The secretary?

"Oy, oy!"

You could open a store and sell ambiguities, with the stock you are accruing!