Our Congregation’s Bylaws require that all meetings be run according to our Confessional Standards and the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

A Quorum and an Official Meeting

As long as a Voters’ Assembly or Council Meeting is constitutionally called and announced those regular voting members present comprise a quorum. For boards and committees a quorum is half of the members of the board. Properly excused members reduce the number of those necessary for a quorum. The chairperson should record in the minutes that an individual has asked to be excused.

Robert’s Rules – Meeting Agenda

The more serious an issue is, the more the reason to insist that the issue be included on the agenda, and that the agenda includes explicit starting time for each major section.

An agenda according to Robert's (RONR (10th ed.), p. 342-351), with a few comments.

1. Reading and approval of the minutes.
   (Motion to approve is not necessary. The minutes are either approved as read or as corrected, but without a vote.)
2. Reports of Officers, Boards, Standing Committees.
   (This includes correspondence, treasurer's report, etc. Treasure's report is never adopted or voted upon unless it has been audited. )
3. Reports of Special Committees.
   (Each report could conclude with a motion that the assembly must address.)
4. Special Orders.
   (Any motion that was adopted as a Special Order which guarantees that the motion will be dealt with before the meeting is adjourned.)
5. Unfinished Business and General Orders.
   (Any issue that was not concluded, was postponed, or was tabled during the prior meeting. The secretary's minutes should inform the chair which items to add to this section.)
6. New Business.
   (This is when the chair can be surprised by the sequence of events. It is best to always anticipate issues the membership may present. It is at this time that announcements, educational programs, and guests are introduced.)
7. Adjournment.
   (A motion to adjourn may be made at any time of the meeting. The assembly should never be forced to meet longer than it is willing to meet.)

Robert's Rules - The Minutes

 Under ordinary circumstances, there is no purpose in recording the debate; the duty of the secretary is to record what is "done" by the assembly, and not what is said by the members. The minutes should show:

·         Kind of meeting, "regular" (or stated) or "special," or "adjourned regular" or "adjourned special";

·         Name of the organization or assembly;

·         Date/time of meeting and place, when it is not always the same;

·         Members present, including who chaired the meeting and others present;

·         Whether the minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved, or approved as corrected, and the date of the meeting if other than a regular business meeting;

·         All main motions, stating the wording as adopted or disposed of, and the outcome of the motion -- including temporary outcome (e.g., any amendments, etc.);

·         Special requests (e.g., board members may request that their “No” vote be recorded in the minutes).

·         Points of order and appeals, and reasons the chair gives for the ruling;

·         Time of adjournment.

Generally the name is recorded of the mover, but not of the seconder, unless ordered by the assembly. When corrections to the minutes are made by the assembly, the corrections are made in the written text of the minutes being approved, and the minutes of the meeting where they are corrected merely state that the minutes were approved “as corrected”, without actually stating the details of those corrections.

The secretary should sign the minutes and the president also signs Voters’ Assembly minutes. When the minutes are approved, the word "Approved" should be written on the minutes with the secretary’s initials and the date.

The chairperson or any member may request that a vote count be included. Where the vote is by ballot, the number of votes on each side should be entered.  When the voting is by roll call, a list of the names of those voting on each side should be entered, and those answering “Present”, and enough names of those present, who fail to respond, to reflect that a quorum was present.

The minutes are read at the opening of each day's meeting, and, after correction should be approved.

For additional information, refer to RONR 10th ed. pp. 451-458.

Handling Motions:

When a motion is on the floor, it is the chairman’s job to insure that the group stays on the subject. It’s helpful for the chairman to rule comments “out of order” (with an explanation), when they are not on the topic. If you have a chance during the meeting, you can come back to the “out of order” comment after the motion has been decided.

1.     Member makes a motion – It’s important that only one person speak at a time. The person making the motion should be recognized to speak before making the motion. It helps the secretary if known motions are submitted in writing and included with the meeting agenda.

2.     Another member seconds the motion – If no one seconds the motion, the chairman declares that the motion is defeated for lack of a second.

3.     Chairman states the question – the secretary can read the motion from the minutes if that’s easier. The chairman may also rule at this time that a motion is “out of order”. The reasons for such a ruling are that a motion was made at the wrong time in the meeting, the board does not have the power to act on a motion or that there is not enough time or information (in the chair’s opinion) to deal with the motion responsibly. In the last case, the motion then becomes a matter of Special Orders at the next meeting.

4.     Debate (amendment and secondary motions) – there is no debate permitted until there is a second. Amendments to the motion are voted on before the motion. If an amendment passes, the motion as amended becomes what’s debated. If the amendment is defeated, the original motion is debated.

5.    Chairman puts the question to a vote – the assembly may vote by voice vote, a show of hands, roll call or secret ballot. A 2/3 vote of the assembly is required to call for a secret ballot unless it was called for in the agenda. Any member may request a different voting method. Members may vote, “Yes”, “No”, or “Present”

6.      Chairman announces the result of the vote – in the case of a secret ballot the secretary counts the ballots, but any member may request to audit the count.