Motion Question - Roberts Rules of Order

[classygranny]

We had a situation come up in our summer pre-season meeting that I believe may have been handled incorrectly. Since I believe the same thing may happen when we start the fall league, I want to know what the appropriate manner is to handle this.

We were at the "league fee" section of the rules adoption. A motion was made to raise the fee $1. A second was made. Then a motion was made to raise the fee $3, and a second was made. A third motion was then made to stay at the same rate, and seconded. The President then took a vote on all three and the amount with the most votes won. I don't think this was the appropriate way to handle this, but I am unsure (even after reading the RRofO) how this should have played out.

Should the President have stopped the second motion from going forward before a vote on the first motion? Then after the vote, the second motion could have been entertained? And such?

Also, when nominations for officers are made, how are the nominations closed, with a motion?

Thanks for the assist!

[J Anderson]

We had a situation come up in our summer pre-season meeting that I believe may have been handled incorrectly. Since I believe the same thing may happen when we start the fall league, I want to know what the appropriate manner is to handle this.

We were at the "league fee" section of the rules adoption. A motion was made to raise the fee $1. A second was made. Then a motion was made to raise the fee $3, and a second was made. A third motion was then made to stay at the same rate, and seconded. The President then took a vote on all three and the amount with the most votes won. I don't think this was the appropriate way to handle this, but I am unsure (even after reading the RRofO) how this should have played out.

Should the President have stopped the second motion from going forward before a vote on the first motion? Then after the vote, the second motion could have been entertained? And such?

Also, when nominations for officers are made, how are the nominations closed, with a motion?

Thanks for the assist!

As I understand Robert’s Rules, once a motion has been made and seconded it is then open for discussion and then voted on. The President should not have allowed either the second or third motion on the league fee until after the first motion had been voted on.

[RobLV1]

As I understand Robert’s Rules, once a motion has been made and seconded it is then open for discussion and then voted on. The President should not have allowed either the second or third motion on the league fee until after the first motion had been voted on.

What he said!

[J Anderson]

Also, when nominations for officers are made, how are the nominations closed, with a motion?

Thanks for the assist!

I’m not an expert on nominations and I hate serving on nominating committees. Most of the bowling leagues I’ve been involved with are very informal about selecting officers. Usually the same people keep running things with little regard to any term limits in the by-laws. Churches are usually better about having a formal nominating committee, getting the consent of the nominees before the meeting, presenting a proposed slate of candidates, asking for other nominations from the membership at the meeting, (I have never in 40+ years of annual meetings seen any one nominated at the last minute) and voting on a motion to accept the proposed slate.

[bowl1820]

Also, when nominations for officers are made, how are the nominations closed, with a motion?

Thanks for the assist!

Typically you don't need a motion to close nominations, The process just continues until there are no more nominations. Once they stop, the chair checks that there are no more nominations and then just declares nominations closed.