8 business meeting decorum

Business Meeting Decorum/Practices

Management & Leadership in Ministry

Business Mtg. Decorum/Practices

a) Arrive early & be prepared to start the meeting on-time.

b) Have extra copies of the agenda and related reports and information on hand.

c) Chairperson should dress ,one level above the average dress of those in attendance.

d) Chairperson should have on-hand, easy access to:

- Bible, paper, pen, ballots, gavel- Roberts Rules of Order- Church Policy book &Bylaws- ‘Minutes’ of the last business meeting- Historic & Current Financial Reports


e) The chairperson does not enter into the debate. Don’t do it or encourage it.

f) An odd number of non-related Tellers counting ballots (who have no vested interest in the outcome of the balloting). Encourage tellers to report as quickly as possible. Always best to report the results in writing, rather than verbally. Provide the tellers a “Report Form” to work with. Tellers also vote

g) Keep the meeting moving along … quickly recognize people (giving them the floor), and do your best to alternate between those who are speaking for/against the motion.


h) Reign in ‘character assassinations’ and cross talk immediately … Rule it “out of order’, especially if it is hurtful or disruptive. Protect people

i) Do not let people ‘stand’ while someone else is speaking. People may inconspicuously use their ‘hands’ to get the attention of the chair. If no one is speaking, then a person may ‘stand or speak’ (Mr. Chair) to gain the attention of the chairperson. When the chair person stands, everyone else immediately stops talking & sits down, including the person who presently ‘has the floor’.


j) Typically there is no debate on an issue after the issue has been called upon for a vote. Questions about procedures or seeking clarifications about the motion are still permissible

k) No loud ‘talking, whispering’ or walking around’ while someone else is speaking.

l) Turn off cell phones.

m)Don’t refer to female chairperson as a chairlady (proper : Madam Chair)

o) Don ‘t allow an individual to speak or against a motion for more than 5 to 10 minutes (max. 2 x)

p) Do your best to present /nominate 2 individuals for each elected position (avoids the appearance of ‘railroading’ the congregation and/or a conflicts of interest)

q) Do not delay calling for the ‘question’, if you sense the debate is begin repetitive.

r) When receiving nominations from the floor, ‘double check’ with the person being nominated to see if they are willing & able to serve if elected. A person can nominate themself or any number of people (unless others object, then only 1/person)

s) Do not ‘spoil’ ballots if the ballot is improperly marked or a name misspelled, but the intent of the person casting the ballot is obvious.

t) Those who are newly elected, begin to serve at the ‘rise’ of the business meeting (not during the meeting). A ‘resignation’ begins after the letter of resignation is formally received by the officiating board, not when it is received in the church office (thus a cooling off period)

u) The chairperson should not entertain a frivolous or absurd motion (don’t even ask for seconder).

v) A person should excuse themselves from a business meeting debate whenever a motion or election specifically relates solely to themselves, their spouse/kids.

w) Don’t be a legalist. Don’t insist that ‘everything’ be done by the book & worded exactly ‘so’. Many people don’t know nor understand Parliamentary Rules … nor know how use the rules, or phrase things properly. Err on the side of grace - remember the big principles : facilitate the will of the majority, with input from the minority; orderly/ civil; debate1 item at a time; 2/3 for changes/limit rights; speak to chair.

x) If people leave during a meeting & there is no longer a quorum present … no official business can be transacted. A legitimate “Point of Order”

y) Minutes of a business meeting ONLY record what was decided or done … not what was said, who said something, nor any opinions on matters discussed. The minutes MAY include the ‘gist’ of the discussions (high level overview).

Minutes DO NOT need to record who ‘seconded’ a motion … but should include the name of the mover of substantial motions.

An unusual item that I didn’t know where to put into our learning experience

A common practice amongst pastors is to conduct a poll or vote of board members, via telephone or e.mail, especially when a quick decision must be made (ie: replace the broken furnace before Sunday).

In such cases … board decisions made by telephone or e.mail MUST be ratified at the following board meeting, to be official actions of the board (and recorded in the Minutes).

VOTING CLARIFICATION

Role of Tellers . . . Tellers can/should vote

Report total number of ballots cast

Report total number of ballots needed to carry the decision ( majority or 2/3 )

Report Number of votes:

- yes and no

- votes for each person up for election

BUT it is the chairperson who declares ‘who was elected’ or if the motion was ‘carried or lost’

Typical Congregational Business Mtg. Agenda (Orders of the Day)

Call the meeting to “Order”

Opening “Welcome, Devotional, Prayer”

Approve the “Tellers”

Approve the “Agenda” (Orders of the Day)

Receive the “Minutes” of the previous meeting.

Receive the “Financial Report” (Lots of discussion, unless Info. Mtg. wk. earlier )

Report of the “Nominating Committee/ Elections” (Nominations from the floor; then election of officers) Intersperse Reports from staff/ministry leaders while you wait for tellers report.

“Motions/Recommendations” from various boards/ committees (Church Board, Finance Committee/ Budget, Trustees, etc.)

Hear Reports from the Pastoral staff and various Ministry Departments (no second, no vote… just express ‘thanks’). ‘Recommendations’ need a separate motion to be officially considered/debated/voted upon by the congregation.

New Business

Motion to “Destroy Ballots” & Refer unfinished business to the church board

Closing Prayer

Adjournment (“We are adjourned”) Refreshments (at end, or ½ way through)

JUST A REMINDER >>> THERE ARE MANY more motions & procedures than listed here.

Fix Time to Adjourn

Adjourn

Take a Recess

Question of Privilege

Call for Orders of the Day

Appeal

Division of Assembly

Division of Question

Inquiry/Pt. of Information

Pt. of Order

Suspend Rules

Withdraw a motion

Lay on the Table

Previous Question

Limit/Extend time Debate

Postpone to Certain Time

Refer to Committee

Amend

Postpone Indefinitely

Main Motion

Second, Amendable, Majority

Second, Majority


Interrupt, No Vote

Interrupt, No Vote

Interrupt, Second, Debate, Majority

Interrupt, No Vote


Interrupt, No Vote

Interrupt, No Vote

Second, 2/3 vote

By mover, if there is no amendment

Second, Majority

Second, 2/3 vote

Second, Amendable, 2/3 vote

Second, Amendable, Debate, Majority



Second, Debatable, Majority


Privileged

Incidental

Subsidiary

Class ExerciseScenario:

Location: Your Local Church

Situation: Church Board mtg.

Motion: “Motion to sell the present church facilities, buy 5 acres of land on the south side of town, and temporarily move the congregation into a school gym for the next 2 years while architectural drawings are secured for our new facility’.

Recommendation to L.C.C.

Fix Time to AdjournAdjournTake a RecessQuestion of PrivilegeCall for Orders of the DayAppealDivision of AssemblyDivision of QuestionInquiry/Pt. of InformationPt. of OrderSuspend RulesWithdraw a motionLay on the TablePrevious QuestionLimit/Extend time DebatePostpone to Certain TimeRefer to CommitteeAmendPostpone IndefinitelyMain Motion

8 business meeting decorum

Education