Petition to the Board

[Guest Tyrone Kalogeresis]

Back in May, my club board received a petition from our membership asking to amend the club bylaws to allow voting by mail for club officers. The board refused to let the petition go forward on the basis that it violated "parliamentary procedures". I asked what extact "parliamentary procedure" did the petituon violated and I received no answer to my question. My question to you everyone on here is, did my club board violate Robert's Rule in not letting the petiton be brought to the general membership? Any help on this matter will be most helpful.

Just to give you some information our club bylaws state following regarding petitions being presented to the club board:

ARTICLE VIII

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments to the Constitution and By-laws may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Secretary signed by twenty percent of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted to the members with recommendations of the Board by the Secretary for vote within three months of the date when the petition was received by the Secretary.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Back in May, my club board received a petition from our membership asking to amend the club bylaws to allow voting by mail for club officers.

The board refused to let the petition go forward on the basis that it violated "parliamentary procedures".

I asked what exact "parliamentary procedure" did the petition violated and I received no answer to my question.

My question to you everyone on here is, did my club board violate Robert's Rule in not letting the petition be brought to the general membership?

...

ARTICLE VIII

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments to the Constitution and By-laws may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Secretary signed by twenty percent of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted to the members with recommendations of the Board by the Secretary for vote within three months of the date when the petition was received by the Secretary.

I don't know.

Q. What part of your Article 8 was violated?

Q. What rule in Robert's Rules of Order was violated?

When you say "club received", what do you mean? - Do you mean, the president got something in the mail? Do you mean, the Secretary got something via e-mail?

Did you petition comply with all parts of Article 8?

e.g., was it addressed to the Secretary?

e.g., was it signed by 20% of the membership in good standing?

[Guest Tyrone Kalogeresis]

[The petition was present at a Board meeting by the Vice President. Also, the petiton was signed by more that 20% of the members in good standing. The petition The Board never told us what we violated in Robert's Rules. That is what we are trying to find out what would we violate in Robert's Rule's.

quote name=Kim Goldsworthy' date='14 September 2010 - 12:25 AM' timestamp='1284441928' post='22312]

I don't know.

Q. What part of your Article 8 was violated?

Q. What rule in Robert's Rules of Order was violated?

When you say "club received", what do you mean? - Do you mean, the president got something in the mail? Do you mean, the Secretary got something via e-mail?

Did you petition comply with all parts of Article 8?

e.g., was it addressed to the Secretary?

e.g., was it signed by 20% of the membership in good standing?

[hmtcastle]

The Board never told us what we violated in Robert's Rules. That is what we are trying to find out what would we violate in Robert's Rule's.

Nothing in RONR requires a petition sent to the board in order to amend the bylaws.

Your bylaws say only that a petition "may" be sent to the board (not "shall" or "must" be sent) so perhaps your bylaws don't require one either. I'd look into the possibility of bypassing the board altogether.

In any case, when someone tells you that RONR says that something is permitted (or prohibited), the burden of proof is on them to show you exactly where it says so. Nine times out of ten, they won't be able to. 'Cause it ain't there.

And if the current board isn't willing to play by the rules, see FAQ #20.

[Guest Tyrone Kalogeresis]

I guess what I want answered is, does Robert's Rules state that a club board can deny a petition being presented to the full membership for consideration?

Nothing in RONR requires a petition sent to the board in order to amend the bylaws.

Your bylaws say only that a petition "may" be sent to the board (not "shall" or "must" be sent) so perhaps your bylaws don't require one either. I'd look into the possibility of bypassing the board altogether.

In any case, when someone tells you that RONR says that something is permitted (or prohibited), the burden of proof is on them to show you exactly where it says so. Nine times out of ten, they won't be able to. 'Cause it ain't there.

And if the current board isn't willing to play by the rules, see FAQ #20.

[Chris Harrison]

I guess what I want answered is, does Robert's Rules state that a club board can deny a petition being presented to the full membership for consideration?

RONR leaves those details to the individual organization to decide (and codify in their bylaws).

[Kim Goldsworthy]

I guess what I want answered is, does Robert's Rules state that a club board can deny a petition being presented to the full membership for consideration?

In general, "yes." Petitions are to be ignored.

A petition carries no weight.

It isn't a motion. It isn't a second.

(Only people make motions. Pieces of paper, being forwarded hither and yon, make no motions.)

If you have rules which recognize petitions as having a kind of value or purpose, then you've jumped outside of Robert's Rules, and you must rely on your own customized rules for whatever applicable process you have.

[George Mervosh]

In general, "yes." Petitions are to be ignored.

A petition carries no weight.

It isn't a motion. It isn't a second.

(Only people make motions. Pieces of paper, being forwarded hither and yon, make no motions.)

If you have rules which recognize petitions as having a kind of value or purpose, then you've jumped outside of Robert's Rules, and you must rely on your own customized rules for whatever applicable process you have.

If petitions are to be ignored, why you can't you object to the consideration of one from a superior body? p.259