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Motion Made in Work Session - Not Valid?


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While in work session, our board voted on two motions. There is concern that these actions are not valid because the board was in work session and had not yet moved to go back into regular session. Does the vote need to be re-taken at the next meeting? If so, do all members get to vote again or only members that were present at the time of the meeting?

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While in work session, our board voted on two motions.

There is concern that these actions are not valid because the board was in work session and had not yet moved to go back into regular session.

Does the vote need to be re-taken at the next meeting?

If so, do all members get to vote again or only members that were present at the time of the meeting?

There is no such thing as a "work session" in Robert's Rules of Order.

Q. What is the difference between a regular board meeting and your board's work session?

Like, is it immediately before and/or immediately after a regularly scheduled board meeting?

Like, is it right smack dab in the middle of a regular board meeting?

Is attendance mandatory or optional? Is attendance any different between these two things?

Is it anything like "executive session"?

What do you do inside a work session that is any different from what you do inside a regular board meeting?

How do you "get to" or "get from" one to the other?

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Q. What is the difference between a regular board meeting and your board's work session?

The work session is designed for discussion while the regular board meeting is designed for action

Like, is it immediately before and/or immediately after a regularly scheduled board meeting?

Like, is it right smack dab in the middle of a regular board meeting?

It is in the middle of a regular board meeting.

Is attendance mandatory or optional? Is attendance any different between these two things?

Attendance is the same as at a regular board meeting.

Is it anything like "executive session"?

I don't think so, because the work sessions are not closed to the public.

What do you do inside a work session that is any different from what you do inside a regular board meeting?

The work sessions are designed to discuss topics that need extra time and/or have not previously been addressed.

How do you "get to" or "get from" one to the other?

The board votes to go into work session and they vote to return to regular session. Typically, any votes from the work session occur during regular session. In this instance, the vote to regular session did not occur.

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Q. What is the difference between a regular board meeting and your board's work session?[... snip] .

It looks to me as if what _guest bd's organization calls work sessions most resemble what Robert's Rules calls a committee of the whole. And the concern in -guest bd's question makes sense, because most motions aren't allowed in a meeting of a committee of the whole.

I don't think we need to tear our hair about these adopted motions much, but we should recognize that -- as long as what a work session (let's say, "WS") is, is consistent with what a committee of the whole ("COW") is, these motions don't bind the organization at all, because they are only a product of the WS/COW, which will amount only to a recommendation to the full-fledged meeting proper.

So yes, all motions need to be re-taken, as part of a non-WS/COW meeting, if you want them to have any effect. And, when voting, every member present -- then and there -- has a vote. Every member absent -- then and there -- does not. Period. (Unless your organization's rules allow for absentee voting. In which case, let's deal with it in a new discussion thread, if we do need to.)

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...

The work session is designed for discussion while the regular board meeting is designed for action

...

It is in the middle of a regular board meeting.

...

Attendance is the same as at a regular board meeting.

...

The work sessions are designed to discuss topics that need extra time and/or have not previously been addressed.

...

The board votes to go into work session and they vote to return to regular session. Typically, any votes from the work session occur during regular session. In this instance, the vote to regular session did not occur.

From your description, it appears that YOU NEVER RECESS NOR ADJOURN, when you enter/exit your work session.

If you have not recessed and have not adjourned, then any business transacted ought to be considered just as valid as any other meeting where there is no recess and no adjournment.

Since the SAME board meeting is ongoing DURING your work session, then all motions adopted during a work session MUST be valid. - Because there is no difference between (a.) a work session, and (b.) an extended DEBATE process of an informal nature.

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While in work session, our board voted on two motions. There is concern that these actions are not valid because the board was in work session and had not yet moved to go back into regular session. Does the vote need to be re-taken at the next meeting? If so, do all members get to vote again or only members that were present at the time of the meeting?

It sounds like your worksessions are treated "as if in Committee of the Whole" or "discussed informally" which relaxes the rules of debate. Motions adopted under this mode of operation would be valid.

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