President making a motion

[Guest Carol Deime]

Can the President/Chairman bring a motion to the floor?

[hmtcastle]

Can the President/Chairman bring a motion to the floor?

Can? Yes.

Should? See FAQ #1.

[Robert B Fish]

Can? Yes.

Should? See FAQ #1.

In groups of about a dozen or less, the chairman patricipates in the meeting along with the other members. He/she can make motions, speak in debate, and vote along with the others.

-Bob

[Guest dinette Begin]

Can he/she that is actually Vice President if she is filling in for the President also put a motion up on the floor?

[hmtcastle]

Can he/she that is actually Vice President if she is filling in for the President also put a motion up on the floor?

Same answers.

[Guest Pete]

Can the President/Chairman bring a motion to the floor?

[Guest Pete]

Yes, but should defer the gavel to the vice-chairman prior to doing so.

[Guest Carol Deime]

Same answers.

Thanks for the info.

[Guest Carol Deime]

Yes, but should defer the gavel to the vice-chairman prior to doing so.

Thanks for the info.

[David A Foulkes]

In groups of about a dozen or less, the chairman patricipates in the meeting along with the other members. He/she can make motions, speak in debate, and vote along with the others.

-Bob

Just to clarify, if only for myself, I've been under the belief that this "relaxed rule" applies to small boards and committees, but not to membership meetings. So.... if in fact a membership meeting was attended by "about a dozen or fewer" members (assuming a quorum, of course), is the chair allowed to fully participate?

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Just to clarify, if only for myself, I've been under the belief that this "relaxed rule" applies to small boards and committees, but not to membership meetings. So.... if in fact a membership meeting was attended by "about a dozen or fewer" members (assuming a quorum, of course), is the chair allowed to fully participate?

David, here is a Socratic question for your scenario.

Q. If the gen. mem. meeting is down to (say) 5-10 atttendees, (assuming the quorum is satisfied), then what is the rationale for:

(a.) the full set of formal parliamentary rules?

(b.) the relaxed subset of informal parliamentary rules?

RONR gives no magic number. - "About a dozen" is the "magic number".

You know what a "dozen" is.

Q. What number of attendees satisfies the modifier "about"?

[Josh Martin]

Just to clarify, if only for myself, I've been under the belief that this "relaxed rule" applies to small boards and committees, but not to membership meetings. So.... if in fact a membership meeting was attended by "about a dozen or fewer" members (assuming a quorum, of course), is the chair allowed to fully participate?

I see no reason why the "relaxed rules" would not apply to small assemblies of all types. I think the rule refers to boards and committees because they are more likely to be small. But keep in mind two important factors regarding the rules for the chair's participation - this rule is subject to the customs of the assembly, and the rule should be uniformly followed (it shouldn't fluctuate based on attendance). (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 471, lines 7-11)

[David A Foulkes]

David, here is a Socratic question for your scenario.

Q. If the gen. mem. meeting is down to (say) 5-10 atttendees, (assuming the quorum is satisfied), then what is the rationale for:

(a.) the full set of formal parliamentary rules?

(b.) the relaxed subset of informal parliamentary rules?

RONR gives no magic number. - "About a dozen" is the "magic number".

You know what a "dozen" is.

Q. What number of attendees satisfies the modifier "about"?

I see no reason why the "relaxed rules" would not apply to small assemblies of all types. I think the rule refers to boards and committees because they are more likely to be small. But keep in mind two important factors regarding the rules for the chair's participation - this rule is subject to the customs of the assembly, and the rule should be uniformly followed (it shouldn't fluctuate based on attendance). (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 471, lines 7-11)

I'm just looking at page 470, Procedure in Small Boards, and it says "In a board meeting......" Thus I take that to mean these "relaxed rules" apply to Board meetings, not membership meetings. What is the rationale? That RONR says "in a board meeting", not simply "in meetings." I see no reason either, except that RONR seems to point to small Board meetings, not small general membership meetings.

I'm willing to defer to your knowledge, experience and credentials and accept both your interpretations. I just didn't read it that way.

[Dan Honemann]

I'm just looking at page 470, Procedure in Small Boards, and it says "In a board meeting......" Thus I take that to mean these "relaxed rules" apply to Board meetings, not membership meetings. What is the rationale? That RONR says "in a board meeting", not simply "in meetings." I see no reason either, except that RONR seems to point to small Board meetings, not small general membership meetings.

I'm willing to defer to your knowledge, experience and credentials and accept both your interpretations. I just didn't read it that way.

I think all of you are interpreting what is said in RONR on this subject in an entirely reasonable and understandable fashion.

[Guest Nancy N.]

I think all of you are interpreting what is said in RONR on this subject in an entirely reasonable and understandable fashion.

I think what Kim and Josh say makes sense. It's made clear by what the first (text) page or two of RONR-In Brief says. I share David's discomfort, though, because RONR distinctly specifies that these rules apply to small boards and committees, period. Oh ... Perhaps that's what the oracular wrath-person meant.