Special Meeting Rules

[Guest Stacey Dickey]

We will be holding a special meeting to discuss a particularly sensitive topic following our regular meeting. I am concerned that the special meeting will drag on-and-on with hours of discussion. I have been told that as President, I can set limits of debate for the meeting (which I am familiar with the motions of).

Can I announce these limits at the beginning of our meeting, or on the agenda, as President? Or do they have to be motions made by other members at the onset of the meeting?

Thank you!

[George Mervosh]

The later. You have no authority. The assembly has total authority.

Edit - And they might want to consider not only a limit per speaker, but a total limit as well.

[Rob Elsman]

We will be holding a special meeting to discuss a particularly sensitive topic following our regular meeting. I am concerned that the special meeting will drag on-and-on with hours of discussion. I have been told that as President, I can set limits of debate for the meeting (which I am familiar with the motions of).

Can I announce these limits at the beginning of our meeting, or on the agenda, as President? Or do they have to be motions made by other members at the onset of the meeting?

Thank you!

I see no reason to hold a special meeting on account that a particular topic is "sensitive". I suspect you are confusing the notions of special meeting and executive session. You might want to take a look at RONR (10th ed.), pp. 89, 90, 92, 93. At any rate, the chairman does not make motions to limit debate while in the chair. See FAQ #1 at the Rober's Rules of Order website, www.robertsrules.com.