Make a motion.
I move that the Club spend up to $150 on a webcam.
I move that the summer social be held July 15 at the downtown gazebo.
Take a vote.
The Chair should be very clear: “It is moved by the Technology Committee to spend up to $150 on a webcam. Those in favor, say Aye. Those opposed, say No. The Ayes have it, the motion is adopted, and we will spend up to $150 on a webcam.”
How do you know the Ayes have it? If the motion got a majority vote, the motion is adopted. (Or it passes, however you get the point across is fine.) What’s a majority? More than half. On a seven member board, what’s half? 3.5. What’s more than half? 4. (This will help you remember that a majority is not “half plus one” (that’s 4.5) and it is not 51% (that’s 3.57).)
If there is a tie vote, the motion is lost. (The motion did not get a majority vote.) The Chair can say: “There is a tie vote. The motion is not adopted. Now let’s move on to other business.” The important thing is to make sure everyone knows the result of the vote.
Write minutes.
The minutes should record what was done in a meeting, not what is said. The motions should be in the minutes.* When you are on a small board and the whole board has developed the motion, you write: “It was moved to spend $500 on new furniture. Motion adopted.” When John Smith makes the motion, you write: “It was moved and seconded to spend $500 on new furniture. (Smith) Motion adopted.” (If a majority voted no or there was a tie, you write: “Motion lost.”) That is all you need. Writing down what everyone said makes it hard to write the minutes and torture to read them.
*But you do not need to write down amendments to a motion–amendments are made to perfect the motion.
Recommended wording from Robert’s Rules of Order is that a motion is either adopted or it is lost. RONR (12th ed.) 4:43(2)
Approve the Minutes
What is being asked? If you like what was written? No. What you want to know is: are the minutes correct? The Chair should say: “Are there any corrections to the Minutes? Seeing none, the Minutes stand approved as distributed.” OR
“Are there any corrections to the Minutes? [Note corrections.] Any further corrections? Seeing none, the Minutes stand approved as corrected.”
If that sounds a bit odd to you, you could say: “There are no corrections. Is there any objection to approving the minutes as distributed? Seeing no objections, the minutes are approved as distributed.”
Make your minutes easy to correct by using line numbers. (Under the “Layout” tab in Word, select “Line Numbers” and choose “Continuous”.)
Use Unanimous Consent
When you expect no opposition to a motion, you can expedite things by saying: “If there is no objection, we will do X.” (Adopt a motion, agree to send a motion to a committee, amend a motion, adjourn). This is effective especially in small boards where you can see that all agree. But what if there is an objection? (This may be because someone doesn’t want to do X or it may be that they want a vote taken.) If there is an objection, you proceed to a vote. “OK, there is an objection, so we will vote. Those in favor of sending motion X to a committee, say Aye. Those opposed say No.” (Majority rules! No one has veto power.)
In a small board meeting in which I was Chair we had just adopted a budget. The Communications Chair arrived late to the meeting and said to us: “I can’t do what I need with $2000. I need $3000.” After much back and forth, I said: “Is there any objection to changing the budget by changing line 6 to $3000?” There was no objection. so that is what we did. Otherwise, we would have had to rescind or reconsider the vote on the budget, move to amend it, vote on the amendment, then vote on the budget again.
Preside at a board meeting.
What should you say? Use this as a guide:
It is 7:00 p.m. Please be seated.
This meeting will come to order.
The Secretary will make note of who is present and absent.
Welcome to the board meeting of XYZ.
Introduce guests or new board members
A draft of the Minutes of our last meeting was sent out in advance of this meeting; are there any corrections to the Minutes?
Hearing none, the Minutes are approved as distributed.
The next order of business is the Finance Report. [The Treasurer gives a report: how much has been spent and collected; what are the fund balances.]
A copy of the Report shall be filed with the Secretary.
The next order of business is the Report of Officers:
President
Reports of other officers
Committee Reports [each committee chair gives a report; a motion may be made during the report if the committee has something it wants approved or spent or done]
Budget
Bylaws/Rules
Website
Unfinished Business is now in order. At the end of our last meeting, we postponed the vote on the motion to spend $350 to purchase a webcam. Is there further discussion?
[discussion and amendments happen at this time]
[now repeat the motion so everyone knows what they are voting on:]
It is moved and seconded to spend $350 to purchase a webcam.
Those in favor say Aye. Those opposed say No. The Ayes have it, the motion is adopted, and we will spend $350 to purchase a webcam.
Is there any New Business? The chair understands there is a motion relating to a donation to the food shelf for their special March drive. [Motion]
It is moved and seconded to donate $500 to the food shelf for their special March drive. Is there any discussion?………
[Take the vote….and announce results …..]
Are there any items to be discussed under Good of the Order/Open Forum? Are there any announcements?
The next board meeting is ____________.
Are there further announcements? Is there any further business?
Seeing no further business and if there are no objections, this meeting will adjourn. Hearing no objection, this meeting is adjourned.