Posts Tagged ‘meeting ground rules’
Are your meetings seven hours long?
This strange time of COVID-19 is producing some strange situations. We hear reports of local government meetings lasting far into the night, in some cases taking as long as 7 hours. (See this article about San Jose California). Does this happen to you? Are your meetings too long? If yes, what can be done to…
Read MoreHow disagreeable are your meetings? Take our survey
We had some wild stories at our webinar on “difficult board chair or member.” One person commented, “Seems like Zoom makes all interactions tougher and bolder.” While the norm has not descended to the level of the Handforth Parish Council (see this internet sensation here, or search for “Jackie Weaver”), clearly many meetings are problematic.…
Read MoreOnly one vote – does the motion pass?
Dear Dinosaur: A motion was made by one board member. After discussion, the other board members did not feel adequately informed about the issue at hand to cast an educated vote. The board member who made the motion insisted on a vote. The vote was taken and resulted in one yes vote with 4 abstaining…
Read MoreCan we vote on 10 ordinances at once?
Dear Dinosaur: We have 10 ordinances on tonight’s agenda for pay increases for all Village employees. Each ordinance covers a department. After they discuss each piece and nothing has to be revised or discussed further, can they vote all ten ordinances in one vote, rather than voting on each one individually? Answer: From a Robert’s…
Read MoreMinor mistakes in Robert’s Rules don’t invalidate action
A recent news report described how a school board, realizing that no one had seconded the motion they approved, went back at the next meeting and voted on it again. This was a waste of time. Download PDF The purpose of “seconding the motion” is to be sure that at least two people on a…
Read MoreRobert’s isn’t the only game in town – consider AIPSC
Guest post by Weldon L. Merritt, PRP, CPP Does your organization use Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR) as its parliamentary authority? Do you sometimes feel daunted by RONR’s 700+ pages and its often seemingly archaic terminology? If so, you may be interested to learn that RONR is not your only choice for a…
Read MoreWhat about our elections in this pandemic?
With fall and the turning of the year, many organizations are struggling over their elections. We can’t do things the way we have always done, so what are the options? Here are a few thoughts on holding elections in this pandemic. As always, this is not legal advice. Be sure to consult your attorney! 1. …
Read MoreHow to be objective about subjective comments
What can you do when your colleagues on a board or council say things that you find offensive? What if they are making subjective statements that hurt your feelings? We are living in tough times for civility. People feel free to say things during meetings that can be offensive and challenging. Robert’s Rules of Order…
Read MoreBe vigilant when fundamental principles are compromised in emergency situations
This article by John R. Berg, PRP, president of the Washington State Association of Parliamentarians (WSAP), was originally published in the August 2020 issue of the Washington State Parliamentarian, the WSAP newsletter. Jurassic Parliament expresses its gratitude to John and to WSAP for permission to reprint. In my previous message I stressed the need to…
Read MoreAdvice for your first ZOOM annual meeting
Dear Tony, Thank you for checking in as you prepare for the first annual meeting of your homeowners’ association on Zoom. Here are a few thoughts to help it go well. Can you meet remotely? The first thing is to make sure that you CAN meet remotely. Our article, When COVID-19 cancels your meeting, describes…
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