3-20-06

Ann Hanning recently attended a session on parliamentary procedure presented by the Ohio Parliamentarians Association. A workshop on parliamentary procedure for ORTA chapters is being considered. Meantime, Ann came away with the following items for your information and/or review and possible use in your chapter meetings:

Minutes:
Minutes are to be limited to "the facts" only. Extra comments are not needed. The facts include a list of attendees, verification of a quorum, the maker(s) of any motions and results of the vote(s). Items of discussion and "he said...she said" comments should not be part of the minutes. Report actions (motions) only. While the person making the motion needs to be identified in the minutes, the person seconding the motion does not.

Motions:
In small informal groups such as committee meetings, the chair can make motions and vote.  In larger more formal groups, the chair is the presider and the role changes. Once a motion has been made and seconded, it is on the floor and no longer belongs to the motioner but to the group.  All discussion and questions need to be addressed to the chair or presiding officer.  A committee motion does not need a second. The person seconding the motion does not necessarily favor the motion, but does think it is worthy of discussion. In this larger more formal setting, if the chair wishes to speak to a motion or propose amendments, he/she asks the vice-chair to preside and he/she takes a seat in the audience.  The chair can then be recognized by the vice-chair who is now presiding.  The presider (now the vice-chair) must read the motion and read/announce the results of the vote. Once the vote has been taken and the results read, the chair can once again return and resume his/her persiding role at the meeting.

A chair can vote to break a tie or make a tie.

Financial reports are not accepted during meetings.  They are filed for audit.

All ORTA committees are expected to be conscious of the above rules when conducting meetings. More to come...