Re-Voting on Bylaw Amendments

[Guest Lawrence Beck]

At our last quarterly business meeting the membership voted to amend the bylaws. The clerk forgot record the number of yea/nay votes. As a result, at the upcoming quarterly business meeting on October 16, 2010 the membership is being asked to revote on the same bylaw amendments.

1. Is it correct to assume that the bylaw amendments as passed will be included in the last meetings minutes without the yea/nay recordation?

2. If 1. is correct, would the proper procedure be for the chair to ask for a motion to approve the amended bylaws included in or attached to the last business meeting minutes and a second. Next, would the chair still still have to open the motiion for debate or could thc chair simply ask for someone to call the question?

What exactly is the correct procedure in this case?

[Larry Cisar]

The change of the bylaws was declared passed at the last meeting. No need to revote. It is unfortunate that the vote was not recorded but that does not change what was done at the last meeting.

[hmtcastle]

1. Is it correct to assume that the bylaw amendments as passed will be included in the last meetings minutes without the yea/nay recordation?

Yes. If the vote was not a counted vote, it's enough to simply record that the motion was adopted. And "recordation" is not a word.

2. If 1. is correct, would the proper procedure be for the chair to ask for a motion to approve the amended bylaws included in or attached to the last business meeting minutes and a second. Next, would the chair still still have to open the motiion for debate or could thc chair simply ask for someone to call the question?

The motion was adopted. There's nothing more for the chair to do.

[Tim Wynn]

And "recordation" is not a word.

"record" is, though. It's a shame when root words don't get the respect they deserve.

[Trina]

At our last quarterly business meeting the membership voted to amend the bylaws. The clerk forgot record the number of yea/nay votes. As a result, at the upcoming quarterly business meeting on October 16, 2010 the membership is being asked to revote on the same bylaw amendments.

1. Is it correct to assume that the bylaw amendments as passed will be included in the last meetings minutes without the yea/nay recordation?

2. If 1. is correct, would the proper procedure be for the chair to ask for a motion to approve the amended bylaws included in or attached to the last business meeting minutes and a second. Next, would the chair still still have to open the motiion for debate or could thc chair simply ask for someone to call the question?

What exactly is the correct procedure in this case?

As everyone else has said, the correct procedure is to realize that the amendment process is over (the amendment passed at the last quarterly meeting), and that the bylaws stand amended, regardless of what is going on with the minutes of that prior meeting. Going through the motions to vote again on the amendment makes no sense. The information about the vote count (back when the actual vote took place) is simply lost -- you are not going to recapture it by holding another vote at a later meeting. And what happens if the vote count this time has the result that the amendment would fail to pass? What would that mean?

The chair shouldn't do any of the stuff you suggest, and, if he/she does, someone should raise a point of order that the proposed action is improper.

'Motions to "reaffirm" a position previously taken by adopting a motion or resolution are not in order. Such a motion serves no useful purpose because the original motion is still in effect...' (RONR p. 100 ll. 10-13; also, read the rest of the cited paragraph for more on why this type of motion would be a bad idea if it were allowed).

[jstackpo]

"Not a word" since 1812?

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recordation?show=0&t=1286110083

http://www.copyright.gov/document.html

[hmtcastle]

"Not a word" since 1812?

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recordation?show=0&t=1286110083

http://www.copyright.gov/document.html

I stand corrected and apologize to Mr. Beck.

And now I think I'll put a vinyl recordation on my phongraphicator and listen to the Overturization of 1812.

[Guest Lawrence Beck]

I thank everyone for your comments, and will so inform the chair that there is no need to revote. And I accecpt Mr. Mountcastle's apology.

[jstackpo]

Mr. Mountcastle's gracious apology certainly deserves canonization.

[hmtcastle]

Mr. Mountcastle's gracious apology certainly deserves canonization.

Thank you.

Everyone seems to remember the cannonization at the end of the Overturization of 1812.