What a mess I've gotten myself in to.

[Andy Van]

I'm a member of a small club that maintains a nature trail system on public land in accord with a special use permit that we have with the county. We have five officers, five board members, and approximately 75 members. During last month's meeting, our President, VP, Treasurer, and one board member stood up and resigned when their motion was lost. Written letters of resignation were handed to a board member and they left the building. Everyone remaining was at a loss for what to do next. A motion was made to adjourn. Our club bylaws refer to Robert's Rules as its parliamentary authority, although we've followed the rules very loosely in our 26 years of existence. And I mean very - I assume many of you would cringe at how business was handled. Regardless, we stumbled along as best as we knew how. An impromptu meeting ensued in the parking lot, where it was decided the best thing to do was to have the secretary call an emergency meeting of all the remaining officers and board members, and soon, for the purpose of calling a meeting of the members for nominating and electing for the open positions. Our bylaws do not cover anything regarding filling open positions mid-term.

Prior to the scheduled meeting, the ex-VP contacted a member of the board, naming him the "chairman" and coached him in how he was in charge and he should now be named the club president. Unfortunately, our bylaws don't define any duties of the board. We've always had a subordinate board (as I've gleaned from reading RONR), and it's been treated as a non-position within the club. I took the initiative to learn as much as I could about procedural due process and parliamentary procedures and shared what I learned with the Secretary. Many of us were worried that the scheduled meeting would become confrontational, but the board members were very accepting of having the Secretary come to the meeting well-armed with proper knowledge of how to proceed.

A time and location was agreed upon, and notices were sent to all the members of the upcoming nominations/election. Approximately 25 members attended the emergency election meeting. The word "quorum" is not even present in our bylaws, yet they do state that a member can only be elected by a majority of the members that are present. The Secretary called the meeting to order and promptly nominated a President pro tem. (also gleaned from RONR). After a brief explanation of the process, nominations were made, ballots were filled, and the votes were tallied.

I've been elected to the position of president. In a matter of two weeks I've gone from being a relatively silent member to the guy that runs the show. I've learned tons from reading RONR In Brief, reading the official RONR book, and from visiting this forum. The club has a nucleus of about 20 great members, all of which want the best for the future of the club. But many things need to change. The bylaws are a pathetic mess. Meetings were previously run almost as a free-for-all. And we have to address the questionable financial transactions that the colluders left us to untangle. I'll be here often seeking advice. Near the top of my personal agenda is to revise those bylaws, but I don't want to come out swinging too hard, if you know what I mean. These parliamentary procedures have been a big enough pill to swallow for many of our members - I don't want to scare anyone off with too much too soon.

Any words of advice will be appreciated.

[hmtcastle]

Any words of advice will be appreciated.

Try, as much as possible, to limit your questions to RONR. Include all relevant information and leave out all extraneous information. Remember, less is more.

And don't assume that anyone will remember facts from previous posts. Your questions should be self-contained.

That said, fire away!

[Larry Cisar]

I would start with the simple. Get the members used to making proposals as motions and sticking to the one motion until it is decided and then go to the next item. Get them used to decorum and to the rights of speakers. Once they get used to that, then expand. Yes, the bylaws are important but changing them should be down the line. Once the members get used to following procedures it will be easier to get them to agree to changing the bylaws. Make them comfortable.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

I've been elected to the position of president.

In a matter of two weeks I've gone from being a relatively silent member to the guy that runs the show.

I've learned tons from reading RONR In Brief, reading the official RONR book, and from visiting this forum.

The club has a nucleus of about 20 great members, all of which want the best for the future of the club.

The bylaws are a pathetic mess.

Meetings were previously run almost as a free-for-all.

And we have to address the questionable financial transactions that the colluders left us to untangle.

Near the top of my personal agenda is to revise those bylaws, but I don't want to come out swinging too hard, if you know what I mean.

These parliamentary procedures have been a big enough pill to swallow for many of our members - I don't want to scare anyone off with too much too soon.

Since you have more than one problem which cannot be fixed by citing a page from RONR, then you are better off hiring a parliamentarian, i.e., someone who can sit down, for a couple of hours, and give you customized advice, not generic advice, based on your bylaws, not merely based on Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th ed.), alone, which may not apply per the unique rules in your "pathetic mess" bylaws.

Contact the A.I.P. and/or N.A.P. for a referral.

[Guest Andy Van]

I would start with the simple. Get the members used to making proposals as motions and sticking to the one motion until it is decided and then go to the next item. Get them used to decorum and to the rights of speakers. Once they get used to that, then expand. Yes, the bylaws are important but changing them should be down the line. Once the members get used to following procedures it will be easier to get them to agree to changing the bylaws. Make them comfortable.

That is my plan. A little at a time, but changes need to be in place prior to the Nov. meeting, as this is when a new board is elected. Which brings me to a question: What is the role of a subordinate board? Historically, ours has been just a title with no extra authority. Or if there is authority, it's implied, not defined in the bylaws.

Also, in hindsight, did it seem as though we stumbled through the elections in a proper fashion? Can a member dispute their outcome? The aforementioned ex-officers are still members, and we worry of any other motives they may have.

[Andy Van]

Since you have more than one problem which cannot be fixed by citing a page from RONR, then you are better off hiring a parliamentarian, i.e., someone who can sit down, for a couple of hours, and give you customized advice, not generic advice, based on your bylaws, not merely based on Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (10th ed.), alone, which may not apply per the unique rules in your "pathetic mess" bylaws.

Contact the A.I.P. and/or N.A.P. for a referral.

Agreed, BUT you do not know this membership. Any outside officiating may be seen as threatenting, especially since they've just been left high & dry by their previous admin. We do have a registered parliamentarian as a member, and I've sent numerous unanswered emails. The time to hire one may be in the future, but I don't feel that now is the time.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Agreed, BUT you do not know this membership. Any outside officiating may be seen as threatenting, especially since they've just been left high & dry by their previous admin. We do have a registered parliamentarian as a member, and I've sent numerous unanswered emails. The time to hire one may be in the future, but I don't feel that now is the time.

Hmmmmm ......

But anonymous advice, from a complete stranger, in 25 words or less, is preferred, over a professional's personal review of your bylaws, directly addressing your many myriad of problems?

... O-keeeeeeee ....

[David A Foulkes]

Agreed, BUT you do not know this membership. Any outside officiating may be seen as threatenting, especially since they've just been left high & dry by their previous admin. We do have a registered parliamentarian as a member, and I've sent numerous unanswered emails. The time to hire one may be in the future, but I don't feel that now is the time.

I am reminded of a Turkish (I believe) proverb: No matter how far down the wrong road you have gone, turn around.

Just sayin'....