Ann Macfarlane
The announcement that Jim Slaughter has revamped and updated his website is joyful news for all of us committed to good meetings and the democratic process. I have long valued the resources that Jim provides. His book Notes and Comments on Robert’s Rules is my “go-to” volume for clear and helpful explanations of difficult aspects…
Guest article by Ted Weisgal Are bylaws the be-all and end-all of organizational development? If you create good ones will a flourishing organization be the natural outcome? Probably not. Good bylaws are critically important, but you should also have: A mission that resonates with people, Orderly meetings, Members who are reliable, Agendas that justify people’s…
Guest post by Weldon L. Merritt, JD, PRP-R, CPP-Retired The Modern Rules of Order, 5th edition (MRO), by Donald A. Tortorice, a law professor at William and Mary School of Law, is one of the many works intended to replace Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th edition (RONR), as a parliamentary authority for adoption…
Dear Dinosaur: A commonly expressed sentiment by both the public and elected officials is that the Discussion Period on any agenda item should not be viewed as an opportunity to convince colleagues to vote one way or another. One should ask questions, and perhaps state one’s own viewpoint. However, attempting to sway votes one way…
Updated November 20, 2022 Boards and councils often fail to process reports correctly. When an officer or a committee submits a written report, the board usually should NOT vote to accept, adopt, approve, or receive it. Instead, the report is noted as received for filing. No action is necessary. The minutes simply state: Last month’s…
In Robert’s Rules of Order, a RESOLUTION is a special type of MOTION. My friend the late John Stackpole, a distinguished parliamentarian, described it this way: “A resolution is a motion in fancy dress.” A resolution is used for important or complex questions, or when greater formality is desired. A resolution should be put into…
Congratulations on being elected to your nonprofit board of directors! Here are six key questions as you prepare for your new gig, with answers below: What is my moral and legal “duty of care” as a nonprofit board director? Is it a good idea to “go along to get along” on a nonprofit board? What…
When a group of people gather together to conduct their organization’s business, they are in a meeting. The group of people is called an “assembly,” and the event by which they gather is called a “meeting.” Sometimes in order to conduct business the assembly meets in a series of meetings. This series of meetings is…
Guest post by Nicole Schenk Do you suspect that your chair is being a bully? Essentially, this occurs when the chair is not doing their duty to protect the rights of members during meetings, and allows their own personal beliefs or preferences to override their commitment to their duties as chair (or president or mayor—whoever…
Dear Dinosaur: As our Zoom meeting rolls along, a member of our board starts making quips and silly jokes. He keeps his video off and takes a long time to unmute when called upon to vote. Then he leaves himself unmuted, and starts making jokes while others are speaking. A few days after the meeting,…
