Crow River Investment Club
Meeting Rules
Formal parliamentary rules are meant to assist the meeting by clearly establishing the rules of order. They were originally written to protect the minority. Therefore, every matter should be fully discussed; each member has a right to his/her say; and every member has a right to understand any motion up for a vote.
Preparation is the key. Everyone needs to do his or her part by coming to the meetings prepared.
In order to move things along, it’s important to know the by-laws of the club. Here are the ones that pertain to assembly:
a) Contact the President to place your items on the agenda and follow the
agenda.
b) Dues are required at the time of the meeting, whether or not a member is
present.
c) Attendance at regularly scheduled meetings is expected.
d) The meeting time is predefined. Be on time.
e) Resolutions passed by the club are to be carried out the next business day,
unless otherwise stipulated by the resolution.
f) Participation is expected from all members.
g) All members have an equal vote, and a quorum of 2/3 of the members must
be present to vote.
Certain segments of the meeting should recognize formal parliamentary protocol. During these segments the President will have the chair. It’s the chair’s responsibility to call on members and limit the topic and time of the speaker.
Obtaining the floor:
a) You shouldn’t make a motion or speak unless you obtain the floor, by
being recognized by the chair.
b) The chair will recognize a member by a showing of hands.
c) You shouldn’t raise your hand until the current speaker has yielded the
floor.
d) Once you obtain the floor, make your point and yield the floor back to the
chair.
You are Out of Order when you…
a) Interrupt the speaker without obtaining the floor.
b) Raise your hand before the speaker has yielded the floor.
c) Revisit a topic that has already been tabled or voted upon.
d) Say "Move to the Question" during a debate, in order to get the
President to wrap up the conversation. However, sometimes it may be the only way
to get the meeting to move along.
a) Can’t hear or see. To
correct it...say “I can’t see or hear.”
b) Don’t understand a motion being voted on...say "I don’t understand
the motion"
c) Notice the rules are not being followed...say "Point of Order"
d) Want to end a discussion, by calling for an object of consideration. You
don’t need to be recognized by the chair. An immediate vote is taken and a 2/3
quorum in favor will end the discussion...
1) say "Move to lay on the Table" to postpone a discussion to another
time or meeting.
2) say "Move to Committee" if the subject needs more research.
3) say "Move to Postpone Indefinitely" to kill a discussion
completely.
Other considerations:
a) Minutes do not need a motion to be approved--only accepted as written.
b) Club Agent and Treasurer’s reports cannot be approved if not audited--only
accepted.
c) For the Minutes, Club Agent and Treasurer’s reports (or any other topic
that is obviously not controversial), the President can move to accept
without a motion, as long as they are not disputed.
d) All business should result in a motion or it’s not important enough to be
discussed. And, the President should always ask for "those in favor"
and "those opposed", and the responses recorded as such.
Non-Stock-Related Business Issues:
Old Business means an issue is disposed of.
Unfinished Business means that we are continuing with matters, which are not currently complete. The chair should never ask the members for unfinished business. Only the Secretary can answer this question. It’s the Secretary’s responsibility to provide the Unfinished Business for the President’s agenda.
If an issue is tabled, or sent to committee, it remains Unfinished Business at the next meeting. If the issue isn’t dealt with at the next meeting, it dies. In order to be revisited, it must be presented as New Business at a future meeting.
New Business, if serious in nature, should be presented to the President prior to the meeting, to be placed on the agenda. Only minor issues should be brought up during the New Business segment of the meeting without notice.
See the Standard Agenda for other notes.
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