Who has the Authority?

[Dreams]

Hello. Our Executive Director has decided to move our not-for-profit headquarters out of town. The President is in agreement and says it is not necessary to get board approval. Our bylaws do not address this issue either way. How can we stop this move and prevent the Executive Director from signing a contract without the review of the entire board? Thank you.

[jstackpo]

This is most likely going to depend on an interpretation - by your association, collectively - as to how much power your bylaws say the president and executive have.

Begin the interpretation process by reading page 570 then raising a point of order at your next meeting.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Our Executive Director has decided to move our not-for-profit headquarters out of town.

The President is in agreement

and says it is not necessary to get board approval.

Oh?

Then let me ask the obvious question:

Q. WHOSE APPROVAL is necessary to spend organizational time and money to move the headquarters?

There certainly isn't any approval within Robert's Rules of Order given to any individual.

Not even an executive director.

Not even a president.

Our bylaws do not address this issue either way.

How can we stop this move and prevent the Executive Director from signing a contract without the review of the entire board?

If the bylaws are silent, then only the organization itself (which implies, either the general membership, or, if the bylaws provide so, one's board of directors) can grant authority for such a serious action.

No individual can unilaterally make such a serious decision.

Someone (if not the president, then someone else) must inform the executive director that the executive director has no authority to do such a thing, and will risk being fired (perhaps even expelled, if he is a member) if he takes a single step in that direction.

Who does the executive director answer to? - THAT party is the party who should sit down with your executive director, and your president, too, to read them the riot act, and bang their heads together.

[Dreams]

Thank you Kim and JD. I'm in agreement. Is there anything to look to refer to Robert's Rules to support this? Thank you.

Oh?

Then let me ask the obvious question:

Q. WHOSE APPROVAL is necessary to spend organizational time and money to move the headquarters?

There certainly isn't any approval within Robert's Rules of Order given to any individual.

Not even an executive director.

Not even a president.

If the bylaws are silent, then only the organization itself (which implies, either the general membership, or, if the bylaws provide so, one's board of directors) can grant authority for such a serious action.

No individual can unilaterally make such a serious decision.

Someone (if not the president, then someone else) must inform the executive director that the executive director has no authority to do such a thing, and will risk being fired (perhaps even expelled, if he is a member) if he takes a single step in that direction.

Who does the executive director answer to? - THAT party is the party who should sit down with your executive director, and your president, too, to read them the riot act, and bang their heads together.

[Tim Wynn]

Thank you Kim and JD. I'm in agreement. Is there anything to look to refer to Robert's Rules to support this? Thank you.

See page 1, line 4-11.