Presidential vote and approval of minutes

[Guest P. Sterle]

1.) Is the presiding officer able to vote when they feel strongly on a topic?

2.) In my organization the approval of minutes has become something no one pays attention too, we just automatically approve them. Can we just skip the approval and continue with the rest of the meeting?

[Larry Cisar]

1.) Is the presiding officer able to vote when they feel strongly on a topic?

2.) In my organization the approval of minutes has become something no one pays attention too, we just automatically approve them. Can we just skip the approval and continue with the rest of the meeting?

1. If by ballot, roll call, or there is a tie, yes; otherwise, no.

2. No.

[Gary Novosielski]

1.) Is the presiding officer able to vote when they feel strongly on a topic?

2.) In my organization the approval of minutes has become something no one pays attention too, we just automatically approve them. Can we just skip the approval and continue with the rest of the meeting?

1. The presiding officer is always able to vote whenever his/her vote would make any difference, so what's the problem? If that one vote could not make a difference, the presiding officer should not reveal any preference. There is more to be lost than gained by doing so.

2. Instead of skipping the approval, or approving them automatically, you should begin to pay attention to what the draft minutes say, to see if any corrections are required. That's kind of the point. And no, you can't skip them even if you want to.

[Gary Novosielski]

1. If by ballot, roll call, or there is a tie, yes; otherwise, no.

You left out "to create a tie", which is important.

[Dan Honemann]

You left out "to create a tie", which is important.

We'll insert it in place of "roll call" (and not worry about what else is missing).

[Gary Novosielski]

We'll insert it in place of "roll call" (and not worry about what else is missing).

Well, if the president's name is always called last on roll calls everything could work out nicely.

[Tim Wynn]

Well, if the president's name is always called last on roll calls everything could work out nicely.

Are you referring to p. 406, l. 16-18?

[Gary Novosielski]

Are you referring to p. 406, l. 16-18?

I could probably answer that if I had The Book with me.

But if that's where it says that, then yep!

[Josh Martin]

1.) Is the presiding officer able to vote when they feel strongly on a topic?

See FAQ #1 if this is a large assembly or RONR, 10th ed., pg. 471, lines 7-11 if this is a small board or committee (about 12 members or fewer).

2.) In my organization the approval of minutes has become something no one pays attention too, we just automatically approve them. Can we just skip the approval and continue with the rest of the meeting?

No, and you should really take the approval of the minutes more seriously, as the minutes are the official record of the assembly's actions.

[Tim Wynn]

I could probably answer that if I had The Book with me.

We really must get you a copy... perhaps for Christmas.

[Gary Novosielski]

We really must get you a copy... perhaps for Christmas.

I have a copy, in fact it is now within easy reach. But that is not always the case, as I do not carry it everywhere I go.

The same cannot be said of my laptop.

[Tim Wynn]

I have a copy, in fact it is now within easy reach. But that is not always the case, as I do not carry it everywhere I go.

The same cannot be said of my laptop.

That's a nice hint, but we're not getting you a laptop for Christmas.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

I have a copy, in fact it is now within easy reach.

But that is not always the case, as I do not carry it everywhere I go.

"... as I do not carry it everywhere I go."

"Paging Mr. Tressor!"

Definition of VADE MECUM [Latin, "go with me"]

1: a book for ready reference : manual

2: something regularly carried about by a person

This lesson in Latin was brought to you by the letters "GcT".

[Gary Novosielski]

That's a nice hint, but we're not getting you a laptop for Christmas.

No no. I mean that I do have my laptop everywhere I go, and therefore do not need one for Christmas. But my copy of RONR has seen better days. I would have replaced it if it were not for the rumors of Eleven's imminent debut.

[Ann Rempel]

No no. I mean that I do have my laptop everywhere I go, and therefore do not need one for Christmas. But my copy of RONR has seen better days. I would have replaced it if it were not for the rumors of Eleven's imminent debut.

I cannot imagine anyone traveling withOUT his toothbrush and RONR. Unbelievable.

[Gary Novosielski]

I cannot imagine anyone traveling with his toothbrush and RONR. Unbelievable.

Did you mean without?

[Shmuel Gerber]

I cannot imagine anyone traveling withOUT his toothbrush and RONR. Unbelievable.

Well, that explains it then. Someone was traveling, and took Gary' RONR, which is why Gary didn't have it. I don't know why they would need Gary's toothbrush, though.