How To Conduct A Meeting (2ndEd, 1979)

[Music] [Music] disc [Music] we're going to sit in on a meeting of a neighborhood Improvement Association groups such as this one gather regularly to discuss the future actions and policies of their organizations for all except the most informal meetings such groups are usually made up of a presiding officer who may be the chairperson or the president of the group other officers and of course the individual members the meeting will come to order meetings such as this one seek out the will of the majority while giving the minority a fair hearing clubs businesses schools churches and government depend upon conducting their business in an orderly manner in an orderly manner how did all this happen so fast pardon me excuse me please may I quiet thank you madam president why do you say we start again remember there is a definite order of business to follow now now the meeting will please come to order so far so good will the secretary please read the minutes of the last meeting the regular monthly meeting of the Southside Improvement Association was held on the second Tuesday thank you are there any corrections or additions to the minutes if there are no Corrections the minutes will stand approved as read by the secretary and now may we have the treasures report Treasures report November 13th after paying bills approved at our last meeting at which time it was are there any reports from special committees Madame President Miss Kennedy the social committee wishes to report that we we've completed plans for our annual awards banquet thank you Miss Kennedy old or unfinished business is now in order discussion of the motion to send delegates to the seminar in Denver was interrupted by adjournment would anyone care to resume the discussion yes Madam president yes I still say what I did at the last meeting we can't afford this treasury I I think we should send the officers and pay their expenses oh of course why not you're an officer come on whoa hold it break it up you did it again you're right sorry I should think you would be in the last few seconds you've broken almost every rule for stating And discussing a main motion that must be what got you in trouble before so let's try it again starting with the president's call for unfinished business unfinished business is now in order disc discussion of the motion uh do you know the exact wording of the motion then you should ask the secretary to read it because it's essential that a motion is correctly understood by everyone present discussion of the motion to send delegates to the seminar in Denver was interrupted by adjournment will the secretary please read the motion it was moved and seconded that we should consider sending three delegates to the annual convention the motion was made by Samuel Decker and second do I hear any discussion of the motion as read by the secretary mident mad president Mr Decker I think that we should designate three people to attend the seminar in Denver I still think we should send three officers yes that makes more Madam president no no oh you see as the presiding officer you never take sides or state your opinion opinion your duty is to stimulate and to moderate not to argue but yes I yes nothing I still feel that we should designate three people to attend the seminar do I hear any further discussion Madam president Mrs Brown I'm dead set against sending delegates to this meeting it's a waste of time and money and all they do at those seminars is talk talk talk she's right let's use our money and our efforts for some constructive action instead of more yaking Madam president Madam president I command to be recognized Mr Decker it seems to me that we' be wasting our efforts and money if we don't send delegates to the seminar if we jump into some big local Project without first finding out how other groups have handled the same problem we could make some costly mist stes let's learn from the experience of others let's [Applause] plan excuse Madam president you've just lost control of the discussion and the meeting really I thought the debate was just starting to get good not if your objective is to hold orderly and open discussions of the issues to reach a fair agreement well where did I go wrong go back to Mrs Brown's comments as soon as she finished talking you allowed Mr Green to speak out without being recognized by the chair I shouldn't have let him do that huh right and your second mistake was in permitting two speakers in a row to present the same side of the argument when there are clear-cut sides in a debate you should alternate the pro andon speakers so both sides have a fair chance to present their views that makes sense the rules for conducting a meeting do make sense anything else yes you made another error when you recognized Mr Decker for the second time what was wrong with that he had already had the chance to State his views the chairperson should make sure that before anyone is recognized to speak for a second time that anyone else waiting to speak has a chance oh I get it so during debate the chairperson alternates between pro and con speakers and gives everyone a chance to be heard before anyone speaks twice you've got it the another point to keep in mind is that the chairperson is responsible for making sure the speaker's remarks are gerain to the subject if a speaker wanders off into a subject that's not pertinent you have to get the discussion back on the track right I'd like to try that again fine go right ahead Madam president mad president the chair recognizes Mr Kennedy Madame President I feel that we should investigate what other groups have gained is there any further discussion it has been moved and seconded that we send three delegates to the seminar in Denver all those in favor please raise your right hands nine n those opposed the same sign five five the motion is carried new business is now in order Madame President Mr Decker I move that $200 per delegate be set aside from our treasury to help cover expenses for for our delegates at the seminar I second that motion it has been moved and seconded that the sum of $200 per person be set aside from our treasury to help cover delegate expenses during the seminar is there any discussion Madam president Mr Palmer I move to amend the motion by striking the words per person and the words to help cover delegate expenses at the seminar and by inserting the words for a neighborhood picnic I'll second that motion it has been moved and seconded that the main motion before the house be amended Madam president I Rise to a point of order you what oh yes please State your point of order my point is that the amendment now proposed is not gerain to the main motion and is therefore out of order a neighborhood picnic has nothing to do with the subject of paying delegates expenses Madam president my Amendment deals with the expenditure of funds and is therefore not out of order Mr Palmer you have not been recognized by the chair nor is the point of order debatable unless the chair refers it to the group now let's see the question is whether the subject of the main motion is paying our delegates expenses or the expenditure of funds H it seems clear that the proposer of the main motion was concerned with delegate expenses not how we spend our money exactly the amendment last proposed is out of order Madame President Mr Palmer I move that we adjourn now wait a minute what about the rest of you are you just going to sit Madam president the motion to adjourn is a privileged motion and is not debatable it has been moved that we adjourn shame on you Palmer oh that was a sharp move all right your amendment was ruled out so you got mad and since you know a few tricks of parliamentary procedure you decided to foul up the works well I I you can do just that if you decide to because parli M law is set up to protect the rights of all even the denters oh yes you see that's why I no it isn't you were angry you weren't interested in the rights of the group as a whole as much as in your own wounded Pride Madam president Mr Palmer I retract my motion to a motion can be withdrawn by its mover before it has been seconded and stated by the chair the main motion is the open for discussion once again at the seminar thank you Mr Palmer is there any further discussion on the original motion Madame President Mr Palmer I move to amend the motion by striking the words $200 and inserting in their place $100 I'll second that motion it has been moved and seconded that the motion before the group be amended by striking out the words $200 and in inserting in their place $100 all those in favor please raise your right hand all those oppose the same sign the motion is carried unless there is any further discussion we will now vote on the main motion as amended will the secretary please read the amended motion it has been moved and seconded that the sum of $100 per person be set aside from our treasury to help cover delegate expenses during the seminar all those favor please raise your right hands all those opposed the same sign the motion is carried do I hear any further new business Madam president Miss Taylor the nominating committee is ready to report on our recommendation for the position of regional coordinator and what is the recommendation of the committee we nominate Ralph scanland thank you Ralph scanlan's name has been placed a nomination for the office of regional coordinator do I hear any nomination from the floor Madame President Mr Martinez I nominate Joyce letherman I'll second that motion a nomination is not a motion so a second is not required blanch sorry I didn't know that that's all right do I hear any other nominations Madame President Mrs Miller I would like to place the name of Bob cely a nomination Bob cely has been nominated do I hear any further nominations madam president I move that the nominations be closed it has been moved that the nominations be closed do I hear a second I second that motion it has been moved and seconded that the nominations be closed all in favor raise your right hand all oppos the same sign the nominations are closed we will now proceed with a vote Madam president yes you have three candidates for the same office yes well it's it's very possible that no one of them will receive over half the votes do you know whether a candidate can be elected with a simple plurality or is a majority required I don't know which is it well that varies from one organization to another I'd suggest that you check your bylaws to see what the rule is in your organization we'll do that thanks for the tip you check that we will now vote on the candidates for the office of regional coordinator all those in favor of Ralph scanland please raise if the bylaws are silent on the question of majority or plurality vote a runoff vote of the top two candidates will have to be taken if none of the candidates receives a majority on the first ballot Ralph scanland is our new regional coordinator do I hear any further new business if not do I hear a motion to to adjourn Madame President Mr Palmer I move that we adjourn I second that motion it has been moved and seconded that we adjourn all those in favor raise your right hand all those opposed the same sign the meeting is adjourned that was very well done but just to be sure we remember them let's run through the most important steps for conducting a meeting one more time shall we that's a good idea first a meeting has a definite order of business which includes calling the meeting to order the meeting will come to order the regular monthly meeting of reading the minutes of the last meeting was held on the second hearing regular reports Treasures report November 13th the social committee hearing reports of the Committees completed plans for our annual awards banquet taking up unfinished business what other groups have gained by attending such a conference taking up new business $0000 per delegate be set aside from our treasury to help cover expenses and adjournment I move that we adjourn now let's take one more look at the life history of a main motion I move that $200 the motion is made be set aside from our treasury to help cover expenses for our delegates at the seminar seconded I second that motion it has been moved and seconded that the sum of $200 per person be set aside from our treasury stated to the group delate expenses during the seminar is there any discussion discussed if necessary I'm dead set against sending delegates to this meeting it's a waste of time and money amended if necessary I move to amend the motion by striking the motion is restated it has been moved and seconded that the sum of $100 per person be set aside from our treasury to help cover delegate there is a vote during the seminar all those in favor please raise your right hand and the results of the vote are announced the motion is carried do I hear any further new business I think we've got it now and thanks for helping us out well that's all right I hoped you wouldn't mind my budding in not at all and I for one I'm glad you did then you're not upset Mr Palmer well I was but well I was out of order I knew a few tricks and I used them I thought it would be fun it can be but you'll find that the rules are more enjoyable when they're used to get the job done [Music] yes