Guest Gramma C Posted December 9, 2010 at 11:33 PM Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 at 11:33 PM Our organization holds monthly general membership meetings as well as a BOD meeting. Minutes of the general membership meeting are distributed to the general membership. Minutes of the board meetings are disbributed only to the board. Members want the board meeting minutes also - the president (who is a member of the board) refuses to distribute them to the membership. The organization bylaws do not address distribution of minutes. Are the members entitled to board meeting minutes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmtcastle Posted December 9, 2010 at 11:46 PM Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 at 11:46 PM Are the members entitled to board meeting minutes?No. And nothing in RONR requires the distribution of minutes to anyone.But members of the body that is meeting have a right to view the approved minutes (at the convenience of the secretary) and the general membership can order board minutes to be read at a meeting of the general membership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gramma C Posted December 10, 2010 at 12:02 AM Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 at 12:02 AM Can the membership vote to amend the bylaws regarding distribution of meeting minutes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmtcastle Posted December 10, 2010 at 12:05 AM Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 at 12:05 AM Can the membership vote to amend the bylaws regarding distribution of meeting minutes?Sure. The bylaws can say pretty much whatever the membership wants. Just be careful what you wish for.And be sure to distinguish between the secretary's (pre-approval) draft of the minutes and the (approved) minutes themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gramma C Posted December 10, 2010 at 12:18 AM Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 at 12:18 AM This will solve the problem of a couple of "rouge" board members who do things telling the general membership that the action was a board decision.Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted December 10, 2010 at 12:42 AM Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 at 12:42 AM Can the membership vote to amend the bylaws regarding distribution of meeting minutes?Yes, and even a special rule of order would be sufficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gramma C Posted December 10, 2010 at 01:01 AM Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 at 01:01 AM Special rule of order?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted December 10, 2010 at 12:20 PM Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 at 12:20 PM Special rule of order??A special rule of order is something an organization may choose to add (in effect) to the collection of rules in its parliamentary authority (such as RONR) -- the organization may decide it needs one or more additional rules to govern itself -- rule(s) which are not already in the generic rulebook.It is generally easier/quicker to adopt a special rule of order than to amend the bylaws. To adopt a special rule of order you need a two-thirds vote with previous notice OR a majority vote of the entire membership.So, for example, if previous notice is given that the general membership will be asked to consider a motion to have board meeting minutes distributed to the general membership, then, at the general membership meeting, a two-thirds vote (of those present and voting) would be sufficient to establish a special rule of order to that effect.If no previous notice is given, more than half of your entire membership would have to vote in favor. For that to work, more than half of the entire membership must be attending the meeting in the first place, of course -- such attendance levels might be typical for some organizations; extremely unlikely for others... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted December 10, 2010 at 10:31 PM Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 at 10:31 PM Can the membership vote to amend the bylaws regarding distribution of meeting minutes?Nobody here knows. The bylaws can only be amended in accordance with the provisions contained in them for their own amendment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted December 10, 2010 at 10:34 PM Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 at 10:34 PM Are the members entitled to board meeting minutes?See RONR(10th ed.), p. 470, l. 3-10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted December 10, 2010 at 11:07 PM Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 at 11:07 PM Nobody here knows. The bylaws can only be amended in accordance with the provisions contained in them for their own amendment.Well, while this is true, it is certainly the usual case that the power to amend the Bylaws is reserved for the general membership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted December 10, 2010 at 11:12 PM Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 at 11:12 PM Well, while this is true, it is certainly the usual case that the power to amend the Bylaws is reserved for the general membership.I was going for true, not usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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