Strategies for getting a “Fair Chair”

THROW THE BUM OUT!!

OUTLINE

• What do you do if you think the chair of your meeting is not (being) going to be fair?

• Removal of chair or parliamentarian not seen to be “fair” – Article in recent NP

• How the “dual role” of the CEO/Chair can be dangerous

• Things to have in place that may prevent trouble, or handle removal of a chair/pro-tem

• What is the procedure?

• Motions, types of motions

• Difference in removing a chair vs. chair pro-tem

• Manages the flow of the meeting

• Insures the accomplishment of the agenda

• Impartial participant in discussions and votes (sometimes)

• Obligated to allow both sides to be heard

• Not “their meeting”

• Business leader of the organization

• Responsible for setting and managing the direction of the business

• Ultimately “chief” decision maker when it comes to what should be done to further the business

THE (SOMETIMES) DUAL ROLE OF THE CHAIRAs President / Chairman / CEO As Presiding Officer / Moderator /

Speaker

VACATING THE CHAIR:SOME “USUAL” SCENARIOS

• Chair wishes to participate in debate

• Chair is the person giving the Educational Topic presentation

• Chair needs to personally attend to some “sidebar” detail requiring them to leave the lectern/podium for an extended period of time

• Chair needs to take an “extended” bio-break during a meeting

• Dilatory to call for a temporary occupant if the chair only has to step away from their post for a ‘brief’ moment to consult with someone on the dais or look over some items brought to the side by another member of the assembly, etc.

A NON-IMPARTIAL CHAIR IS NO ONE'S FRIEND!

• The role of the Chair is supposed to be “the servant of the Assembly’.

• May bring “own agenda” If the presiding officer/chairman is also the president or other executive of the organization.

• Special Meeting rules and exclusions in place within the bylaws are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to protect against abuse by chair.

• Both RONR and AIP suggest that adequate notice of intent to remove should be given so as to prepare defense (for trial or disciplinary action), protect their right to cross examine witnesses, or prepare for debate process.

WHAT THE ASSEMBLY CAN DO…..

• Elected: Incidental Main Motion to Suspend the Rules IS ALLOWED (p. 652, 2nd footnote).

• Appointed or elected Chair Pro-Tem: Privileged Motion to declare the chair vacant and proceed to elect a new chair.

• If the chair/chair-pro-tem doesn’t step down, the maker of the motion to vacate the chair has the right to put the question directly to the assembly. The secretary or secretary pro-tem would be in charge of running the election of the new occupant (p. 652, 1st footnote).

• If the assembly knows in advance that the chair is not going to be impartial, they can prepare the motions as a strategy for replacing the chair.

• Motion to declare chair vacant is NOT in order:

• Move to suspend the rules so as to take away their authority to preside during part or all of a given session.

• 2/3 vote required to pass.

• Motion to declare the chair vacant and proceed to elect a new chairman.

• Question of privilege – incidental main motion, requires majority vote for adoption.

• Open election (nominations/voting), unless motion states who desired replacement will be.

REMOVAL OF CHAIR/PRESIDING OFFICER

Pro-Tem (appointed or elected) NOT appointed/elected pro-tem

MOTIONS, TYPES, RULE, AND METHODS• The motion to remove the main moderator/chair is a ________ motion

• The motion to remove a temporary chair (chair pro-tem) is a __________ motion

• The wording of the motions above are DIFFERENT!

• One just calls for the chair to step aside and hand the gavel to the next person (Vice President)

• The other calls for vacating the chair pro-tem and holding an election to pick their successor.

• If the chair-pro-tem is vacated, who runs the election? (nominations, voting, etc.)

• What happens if the chair pro-tem does not wish to comply with the motion of the assembly?

AND NOW……THE QUIZ!

• Which type of motion is used to remove an elected chairperson?

• Which type of motion is used to remove a chair pro-tem?

• What type of safeguards can be put in place to guard against “biased” chairs?

• If removal of the chair during the meeting or session is not provided for in the organizations bylaws, what’s the first step the assembly needs to do in order to Throw the Bum Out?

• If the Chair ignores a point of order, how many times can the point of order be repeated before being put to a vote of the assembly?

• Is the question on the vote of the point of order debatable?

CITATION SEARCH

RONR:

• Removal of Chair: § 62, pp. 650-654; ll 5-3

• Bylaws provision for removal: § 56, p. 574; ll 8-33

• Rules against Chair participating: § 43, p. 394-395, ll 24-26

• Temporary / Invited Occupants of the Chair: § 47, pp. 452-454, ll 4-2

• Rules of Order: § 2, p 17, ll 19-27

Rules governing votes and appeals on Points of Order: § 23, p. 249; ll 21-24 and § 24, p. 258, ll 14-18

OTHERS:

• AIP Removal of Officers: pp. 185-186

• http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/roberts-rules-and-the-motion-to-suspend-the-rules.html

STUDY REFERENCES & CITATIONS