Online Special Meeting

[Guest JCraven]

Our organization often holds votes by email. The voting meeting is opened with a motion, which is seconded and boardmembers are allowed up to 24 hours for open discussion and to place their vote. The 24-hour rule is so there is time for back-and-fourth discussion between all members of the board.

Recently, during a special meeting to decided on two motions, a boardmember conducted secretive discussions without the knowledge of the entire board. When he attempted to bring in an outside motion, it was denied because it was not on the special meeting agenda.

The board member then abstained from voting and called into question the chair's legitimacy for disallowing the new item during a special meeting.

Thank you for your comments

[David A Foulkes]

Our organization often holds votes by email. The voting meeting is opened with a motion, which is seconded and boardmembers are allowed up to 24 hours for open discussion and to place their vote. The 24-hour rule is so there is time for back-and-fourth discussion between all members of the board.

Recently, during a special meeting to decided on two motions, a boardmember conducted secretive discussions without the knowledge of the entire board. When he attempted to bring in an outside motion, it was denied because it was not on the special meeting agenda.

The board member then abstained from voting and called into question the chair's legitimacy for disallowing the new item during a special meeting.

Thank you for your comments

With all due respect.... you've given a lot of background information (and thanks for that) but what's your question? Before we all go off half-cocked talking about special meetings and email voting and secretive discussions and a whole host of other topics hinted at in your explanation (and that is not unlikely here), what do you want to know?

What is your question?

[Guest jcraven]

With all due respect.... you've given a lot of background information (and thanks for that) but what's your question? Before we all go off half-cocked talking about special meetings and email voting and secretive discussions and a whole host of other topics hinted at in your explanation (and that is not unlikely here), what do you want to know?

What is your question?

[Josh Martin]

Our organization often holds votes by email. The voting meeting is opened with a motion, which is seconded and boardmembers are allowed up to 24 hours for open discussion and to place their vote. The 24-hour rule is so there is time for back-and-fourth discussion between all members of the board.

Recently, during a special meeting to decided on two motions, a boardmember conducted secretive discussions without the knowledge of the entire board. When he attempted to bring in an outside motion, it was denied because it was not on the special meeting agenda.

The board member then abstained from voting and called into question the chair's legitimacy for disallowing the new item during a special meeting.

Thank you for your comments

Like Mr. Foulkes, I'm not entirely clear on what your question is, but some comments:

E-mail voting is null and void unless specifically authorized by your Bylaws. (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 2, footnote) No rule in RONR prohibits members from having private discussions. It's correct that in a special meeting, only items included in the call of the meeting can be considered. (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 90, lines 16-19) However, even if it is authorized by your Bylaws, RONR would not consider voting by e-mail to be a "meeting." (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 1, lines 12-14) Therefore, what motions are permissible under such a voting system is entirely up to your organization's rules, not the rules of RONR.

[hmtcastle]

Our organization often holds votes by email. The voting meeting is opened with a motion

Firstly, are you referring to meetings of your organization (i.e. the general membership) or meetings of the board?

Secondly, "meeting" via e-mail and voting via e-mail are two different things and neither are permitted unless specifically authorized by your bylaws. That goes for special (non-regular) meetings too.

[Guest jcraven]

Sorry,

I'm wondering: First, was disallowing the outside motion into a special meeting correct, and second, is there a rule about conducting discussion outside of the forum set up by the board, or in other words, should all discussion be open to all members of the board?

Thank you.

[hmtcastle]

is there a rule about conducting discussion outside of the forum set up by the board, or in other words, should all discussion be open to all members of the board?

The RONR rule is that you can't "meet" the way you're meeting, so all bets are off.

[Josh Martin]

First, was disallowing the outside motion into a special meeting correct,

I don't know, because voting by e-mail is not a "meeting," special or otherwise, as defined by RONR. You'll need to check your own rules.

second, is there a rule about conducting discussion outside of the forum set up by the board, or in other words, should all discussion be open to all members of the board?

There is no rule in RONR on the subject. People are free to have private conversations.

[David A Foulkes]

Sorry,

I'm wondering: First, was disallowing the outside motion into a special meeting correct, and second, is there a rule about conducting discussion outside of the forum set up by the board, or in other words, should all discussion be open to all members of the board?

Thank you.

I'll rough out a qualified yes here, in that special meetings are called for a specific purpose (the business to be attended to) and nothing else can be brought up at that meeting. So, again, a qualified yes.

[Guest jcraven]

Thanks for your responses.

[Josh Martin]

I'll rough out a qualified yes here, in that special meetings are called for a specific purpose (the business to be attended to) and nothing else can be brought up at that meeting. So, again, a qualified yes.

But Mr. Foulkes, this is not a "meeting" as defined by RONR, so the rules regarding special meetings would not apply.

[David A Foulkes]

But Mr. Foulkes, this is not a "meeting" as defined by RONR, so the rules regarding special meetings would not apply.

Although JCraven started by saying votes are often conducted by email, I'm not sure the "special meeting" wasn't one held in person (this post is very unclear on so many points), as meetings should be. I was simply addressing the concept that special meetings (when held properly) do not allow "outside motions" to be introduced.

If in fact this "special meeting" was another one of those 24-hour marathon email meetings, then I do not dispute your comment.

[Josh Martin]

Although JCraven started by saying votes are often conducted by email, I'm not sure the "special meeting" wasn't one held in person (this post is very unclear on so many points), as meetings should be. I was simply addressing the concept that special meetings (when held properly) do not allow "outside motions" to be introduced.

If in fact this "special meeting" was another one of those 24-hour marathon email meetings, then I do not dispute your comment.

Well, I would be a little puzzled as to why JCraven would include the information on e-mail voting if it was not relevant to this question, but yes, I agree that if this was a real special meeting, the motion would be null and void. It would also make the secret discussions far more entertaining.