Robert’s Rules of Order
“Can City Council President Ben Stuckart really shut down a meeting whenever he wants?” runs the catchy headline. The answer, of course, is NO!
Read More
We see so many instances of rude behavior in public life today that it is not easy to keep our bearings about civility. Polite people who have been well brought up sometimes feel stymied when public discourse disintegrates.
Read More
Readers of this blog know that I am conflicted about Robert’s Rules of Order. On the one hand, they offer key insights for fair and democratic meetings. On the other, the official book is too long, too complex, and too hard to read for most of us.
Read More
Here in Salt Lake City for the Utah School Boards Association, I find an interesting news item. The Kaysville city council is scheduled to pass a motion to censure a council member and request his resignation at this evening’s meeting. Read the Salt Lake Tribune news story here. Why pass a motion to censure? The…
Read More
If you serve as a director on a nonprofit board, you should know the types of remarks that are inappropriate during discussion at a meeting. Robert’s Rules of Order and the common parliamentary law it is based on require that: Directors on a board must be courteous to one another. They must speak to the…
Read More
If you serve as an elected official on a local government council or board, you should know the types of remarks that are inappropriate during discussion at meetings. Robert’s Rules of Order and the common parliamentary law it is based on require that: Members of a council or board must be courteous to one another.…
Read More
Your Citizen’s Guide to Effective Public Meetings is now available for interested citizens and residents. If you want to know the expectations for public meetings under parliamentary procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order, explained clearly and elegantly, download this Citizen’s Guide today!
Read More
Updated July 14, 2021 The different rules for small boards are one of the best-kept secrets of Robert’s Rules of Order. If you serve on a small board (up to about 12 people) you may benefit from the flexibility that the rules for small boards offer. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th edition says…
Read More
Have you ever wondered whether a fill in the blank approach could be useful to your board or council? Sometimes a board of directors has to make hard choices about selling property, giving the executive director a raise, making an appointment or choosing a date to schedule an event. Robert’s Rules of Order offers an…
Read More
A reader contacted us to find out how to tackle a number of changes needed for his bylaws. He was uncertain as to how to go about it and felt intimidated by the task. While it’s true that almost everyone hates bylaws (attorneys and parliamentarians are the exception), it is possible to change them without…
Read More
