Posts Tagged ‘ground rules for meetings’
School board adopts modified Robert’s Rules – is this legit?
A recent news story described how the Conway School District in New Hampshire adopted a modified version of Robert’s Rules of Order, after extensive debate on the topic. Was this a reasonable way to proceed? Absolutely! You can write your own rules of order Not every school board, local government body, or nonprofit board of…
Read MoreInsulting body language – what to do
Dear Dinosaur: We have a board member who rolls their eyes, sighs, shrugs their shoulders or grimaces while others are speaking. How can this be addressed? Answer: The rules of parliamentary procedure, and specifically Robert’s Rules of Order, require that all members of a body show courtesy and respect. We suggest requesting that the board…
Read MoreThe most useful and practical phrase a chair can say
It’s a little risky to make extreme claims, but in the view of Jurassic Parliament, the most useful and practical phrase a chair can say is: Members will kindly seek recognition before speaking. This is based on our 20+ years of experience, in which the tendency of meetings to dissolve into conversations among the members…
Read MoreCan the chair take the minutes?
Dear Dinosaur: In our organization, one person makes the agenda for the meeting, chairs the meeting, takes the notes, and creates the minutes. Besides being a lot of work for one person, it seems like more people should be involved to avoid the appearance of a concentration of power within the commission. Are there specific…
Read MoreIs your meeting aimed at efficiency or expression?
Guest post by David Rumsey Meetings can come in all shapes and sizes. But there are ultimately two reasons for holding a meeting: to discuss topics and/or to make decisions. Although most meetings include both elements to some extent, understanding which element should be emphasized and when will go a long way toward achieving successful…
Read MoreExtra rules to add to Robert’s Rules
Robert’s Rules of Order is a daunting subject for many folks who haven’t yet seen how much it improves meetings. We strive in Jurassic Parliament to distill key information that will help you run effective and fair meetings. Distillation is one thing, but ADDING RULES? When there are already hundreds of pages of rules in…
Read MoreDon’t attack or criticize the staff in public
Several local government officials have recently described to us situations where elected officials are criticizing and attacking the staff during public meetings. This must not happen. Councilmembers and board members must respect the role of the administrative head of the organization (mayor, city manager, general manager, etc.). They may not criticize the staff in public.…
Read MoreAnn’s podcast interview, “Running Amazing Council Meetings,” with Jim Hunt
I had the pleasure this summer of a lively conversation with Jim Hunt, host of “Amazing Cities and Towns” podcast. Jim is a former mayor and councilmember in Clarksburg, West Virginia, and past president of the National League of Cities. He brought a candid eye, wide experience, and sharp insights to our discussion. We talked…
Read MoreTwo motions at once?
Dear Dinosaur: At a recent board meeting, a motion was made and seconded and there was discussion. During discussion, another motion was made and seconded to delay consideration of the original motion until the next board meeting (we have monthly meetings). A challenge to this second motion was made stating that the original motion was…
Read MoreSignificant Changes to Washington Nonprofit Corporation Law
Guest article by Matthew J. Schafer, PRP Many organizations are incorporated in Washington State under the Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act. (This article will refer to this law as “the Act”.) During the 2021 session, the legislature repealed the existing Act and replaced it with a new one. These are some of the most important changes…
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