The Florida Parliamentarian

The Florida Theme:

Volume 33, Number 2

April 2013

Parliamentary Procedure Joins the Electronic Age

Presidents Message FSAP Annual Meeting with District Three May 17 – 19, 2013

Motto

There has been a lot of effort put into the plans for our FSAP Annual meeting. It has been seven years since Florida has hosted the District Three meeting in conjunction with our annual meeting. Can you remember the seven states in District Three? Here they are: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. As of now we have people planning to come to our May 17-19, 2013, coming from Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and of course Florida.

“Let all things be done decently and in order.”

I Corinthians 14:40

Presidents Message

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FSAP Call to Meeting

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Questions and Answers

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FURP Call to Meeting

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Citrus County Workshop

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FSAP Registration Form

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Hotel Reservation Form

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Members and Happenings

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All the different Districts have assigned parts of the world to reach out to.

In District Three we have Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, the Caribbean and Africa. Years ago I would look forward to speaking with a gentleman from Puerto Rico who often came to the NAP meetings.

In March, NAP added a new member from Lesotho, Southern Africa. I was fortunate to help her take the exam. Prospective members can take the NAP exam online., even in Africa. I set up the online exam but there was a problem. I had an email sent to me about 3:00 AM which I opened when I got up about 7:00 AM. After several attempts we switched to a paper exam. Her monitor scanned the exam and sent to me to grade. It was not until the next day when were exchanging emails that I found out this new member from Africa is 80 years old.

Most likely our new member may not be able to attend our meeting. We sure hope that you can attend. Our host unit is the Bradenton Unit of Parliamentarians. The hotel where we are staying is the Holiday Inn Sarasota Lakewood Ranch. I was lucky to attend their 50th Anniversary a couple of years ago at the facility, so I know it is a great venue.

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The members of The Bradenton Unit are planning a great weekend. Working with the hotel they have negotiated a low room rate, lunch included on Saturday and the District Three Awards Banquet Saturday evening. There will be three receptions at no cost. Before dinner, on you own, Friday there is a welcome reception In my suite. We will have suggestion for local restaurants. After dinner is a reception for the current NAP, VP Ann Guiberson. Before dinner and after the workshops on Saturday is a reception for the new FSAP President.

The FSAP/District Three Meeting will begin early on Saturday morning with a meeting of FSAP. Then a District Three meeting . At lunch time we will have a show and tell for each state on the best practices in membership recruitment and retention, program development, community program involvement, parliamentary lessons, etc.

One of the reasons we will be together is also for the educational opportunities and getting to know other members of NAP. The President of the Georgia, Corless Baker will be teaching a class on Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning we begin with a memorial service followed by the Florida Unit of Registered Parliamentarians short meeting. Then there will be a wonderful class taught by President of Tennessee, Robert B. Blair, PH.D, and PRP. The title is “Creative Teaching Strategies for a Stellar Performance.”

The District Three meeting will be on Saturday evening. The guest speaker will be State Missionary Dale Huff, RP. Dr. Huff has been employed by the State Board of Missions since 1990 and is currently the Director of the office of Leader Care and Church Administration. His primary job is to help ministers find places of service and to help churches find ministers.

For many years I have attend the NAP and FSAP meeting certainly to learn more, but also because the members are wonderful people and good friends. Everyone is always smiling and eager to get to know you. This will happen in Bradenton. I guarantee it.

The Florida Parliamentarian is the official publication of the Florida State Association of Parliamentarians, published four times a year; February, April, September, December. Subscription rate: $20 per year. © 2005 Florida State Association of Parliamentarians

Nancy Dauster,PRP, Editor-in Chief 941-505-2122 E-mail: jndauster@aol.com

DEADLINES FOR COPY February issue > > > > Dec 31st April issue > > > > > Mar. 1st September issue > > > > July 31st December issue > > > > Oct 31st

Karen Price, Editor 941-697-8000 E-mail: craftyksp@ewol.com

SEND ADDRESS CORRECTIONS TO: Nancy Watkins 1903 Bayshore Blvd Tampa, Florida 33606-3107

Dorothy Demarest, PRP, Associate Editor 239-417-5269 Email: ParliDDR@aol.com

FSAP WEBSITE http://www.flparliamentarian.com

Nancy H. Watkins Circulation Manager 813-254-3369 nwatkins@robertwatkins.com

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I want to close by thanking all of the members of FSAP. Beth Bond and Shirley Brodbeck have done a spectacular job with this weekend. Karen Price has done an outstanding job as editor of the Florida Parliamentarian, Dona Garner writes comprehensive scripts and is always there to take an extra job.

Mary Giddens has given us great presenters. Nancy Watkins and Ken Tinkler are always on top of their jobs, as well as Connie Taylor, Barbara Holland and Dave Gruman. But four others stand out. Mary Bearss was always so helpful when this was all new to me. Carol Austin for her work and all I learned from the 2011 Convention in St. Pete. Ann Guiberson and Gene Coy are the two who have taught me the most. And thank you to the folks I will remember to thank when it is too late to add to this list.

FSAP CALL TO MEETING ANNUAL MEETING MAY 17-19, 2013 The Annual Meeting of the Florida State Association of Parliamentarians will be held May 17-19, 2013 at the Holiday Inn Lakewood Ranch, 6321 Lake Osprey Drive, Sarasota FL. This will be a combined meeting of the FSAP and District Three of the National Association of Parliamentarians.

Members of District Three include: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Africa and the Caribbean. More information will be provided in the April issue of the Florida Parliamentarian.

Nancy S. Dauster, PRP FSAP President

You’re Invited

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FSAP Annual Meeting and District 3 Conference, May 17, 2013, Holiday Inn Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota, Florida.

FSAP President Nancy Dauster WELCOME RECEPTION 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

DESSERT with NAP Presidential Nominee Ann Guiberson 8:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Check Registration Desk for Room Number.

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Questions and Answers Associate Editor

Q&A

All page numbers are references to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 11th edition unless otherwise noted. Send your questions to the Associate Editor: Dorothy Demarest, PRP , 3634 Zion Park Ct. Naples, Fl or at ParliDDR@aol.com

Disclaimer: The questions answered in this column are answers to questions on parliamentary procedure. If you are a member of a Florida condominium association, homeowner’s association, etc. the answers might not be applicable because of the Florida Statutes, or the bylaws of the home owners association. Florida statutes, bylaws of the association and in the case of governmental bodies have rules which have precedence over Robert’s Rules of Order FSAP PARLIAMENTARY OPINIONS

The important points are to hold the delegates and to expedite the credentials report. The credentials committee should not attempt to complete an up-to-the- minute report but should set a cut-off time. Time could be profitably filled with speeches, informational reports, discussions “for the good of the order”, in fact, any non-business portions of the convention program.

Dorothy Demarest, PRP Introduction: These opinions are gleaned from an out of print book published by the American Institute of Parliamentarians in 1982. The book Parliamentary Opinions was written by Virginia Schlotzhauer, William J. Evans, and John R. Stipp, all of whom are deceased. Most of the opinions in the book were taken from the Parliamentary Opinions column found in the Parliamentary Journal from 1962 to 1974.

Any references are taken from Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 11th edition unless otherwise stated.

Many organizations hold their conventions in the Spring so opinions on “Credentials” seemed an appropriate topic for this issue of the “Florida Parliamentarian” 1.

2. Question: At a convention the initial report of the credentials committee listed 453 delegates. This report was adopted as the official list of the voting delegates. A short time later when the rules were presented to the assembly, an amendment adopted on a counted division showed a total of 475 votes, which was 22 more than the number of voting delegates reported as registered.

How can a delegate point out this difference to a presiding officer who is apparently unaware of the discrepancy?

Was the vote valid?

Why adopt a credentials report?

Question: After the opening exercises of a convention, the chair announced that the report of the credentials committee was not ready, and that it appeared necessary to recess until the report was completed. A delegate’s motion was adopted, “That business proceed until the report is ready, with the understanding that any action taken will require ratification after the official seating of the delegates”.

Was the motion in order? If not, what could have been done?

Opinion: No, the motion was not in order.

Without a credentials report a convention body has not been established.

Opinion: A discrepancy between the adopted list and the vote on a counted division can usually be explained by the registration of additional delegates after the cut-off time for the last credentials report. According to RONR, page 617, “A voting member who registers after the submission of the first report assumes his full status as soon as he has done so…”

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Since what is significant is the number of eligible voters, not the credentials report, a chairman may be aware of a discrepancy but unconcerned.

An officially seated delegate may call a serious discrepancy to the attention of the chair by a parliamentary inquiry or a point of order, if he doubts the credentials of any voter, he may challenge the voter’s status by a point of order or a question of privilege.

Unless it can be shown that enough votes were cast by unqualified individuals to change the result, the vote was valid.

Obviously it would be impractical, even dilatory, to require an updated credentials report after each new arrival. The chair should call for a report from the credentials committee before an important vote, but any officially seated delegate may raise a question of privilege to ask for an updated report.

Presentation of the credentials report brings doubtful cases and disputes to the assembly for settlement. Adoption of the report establishes the voting body and the basis for a quorum.

(To learn more about Credentials Committees refer to RONR pages 610 -617)

Citrus County Unit of Parliamentarians co-sponsored by the Department of Parks and Recreation

Presents an Advanced Workshop on “Motions“ by Colleen M. Duris, PRP Friday, April 5, 2013 , 9:30 AM—12:00 PM Recreational Building, Whispering Pines Park, Inverness Advanced registration of $10 required by April 1, 2013 payable to: C.C.U.P. Mail to Patricia Cowen, Treasurer 421 N. Turkey Pine Loop, Lecanto, Fl 34461-8434 For more information contact: Bob Hagaman, rhagaman@tampabay.rr.com or Patricia Cowen 352-746-9003

FURP CALL TO MEETING ANNUAL MEETING MAY 19, 2013 The Annual Meeting of the Florida Unit of Registered Parliamentarians will be held at 8:30 am on MAY 19, 2013 at Holiday Inn Lakewood Ranch, 6321 Lake Osprey Drive, Sarasota, Florida 34240.

Notice of the following Standing Rule to be voted on at the Annual Meeting: Add Standing Rule # 6. The Treasurer may select with approval of the executive board a bank of their choice to hold the funds of FURP. Eugene K. Coy PRP FURP President

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FLORIDA STATE ASSOCIATION OF PARLIAMENTARIANS 61ST ANNUAL MEETING – NAP DISTRICT 3 CONFERENCE Holiday Inn Sarasota-Lakewood Ranch 6231 Lake Osprey Drive Sarasota, FL 34240 May 17 – May 19, 2013

NAME________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS____________________________________________________________ CITY____________________________________STATE______ZIP______________ Unit__MAL__Member__Guest__ __________________________________________ FSAP-Office/Chairmanship held____________________________________________ UNIT-Office/Chairmanship held_____________________________________________ Other District 3 State___Office/Chairmanship held______________________________ Other District 3 Unit________________Office/Chairmanship held__________________ REGISTRATION FEE: Postmarked no later than May 6 (includes Saturday lunch) $45 $___________ LATE REGISTRATION FEE: Postmarked after May 6

$6 $___________

GUEST LUNCH

$13 $___________

SATURDAY DISTRICT 3 AWARDS BANQUET (everyone welcome)

$27 $___________

Choose one: Sirloin of Beef___Parmesan Crusted Chicken.___Pasta Primavera___ SATURDAY WORKSHOPS ONLY FEE

$35 $___________

TOTAL ENCLOSED

$___________

Make check payable to FSAP and mail to: Shirley Brodbeck, 318 Peace Manor, Palmetto, FL 34221 Email: sjbrodbeck@aol.com phone: 1-941-722-2281

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Did you choose your entrée?

Lakewood Ranch - Sarasota 6231 Lake Osprey Drive Sarasota, FL 34240 Phone: 1-866-782-4401 Fax: 1-941-782-4401 RESERVATION FORM (Cut and mail or fax directly to hotel. Please Print) NAME________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS_____________________________________________________________ ARRIVAL DATE__________________DEPARTURE DATE______________________

Room Rate is $89.00 per night plus applicable state and local taxes Non-Smoking Only

One (King)______ or Two Queen/Doubles______

PARKING IS FREE GUARANTEE: Submit one night’s deposit or fill out the following information Amex___Diners___Discover___Master Card___Visa___ _______________________________ ____________________________________ Card Holder’s Name Credit Card Number _______________________________ Card Holder’s Signature

____________________________________ Expiration Date

DEADLINE FOR ROOM RATE GUARANTEE: May 6 Group Name: Florida State Association of Parliamentarians Driving Directions Traveling from the North: I-75 South to exit 213. Left off of exit ramp onto university Parkway. Turn right at the second light onto Lake Osprey Drive. The hotel is located on the left. Traveling from the South: I-75 North to exit 213. Right off of exit ramp onto University Parkway. Turn right at the first light onto Lake Osprey Drive. The hotel is located on the left.

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MEMBERS AND HAPPENINGS Change of Address : – Congratulations to our newest Professional Registered Parliamentarian : Congratulations to our newest Registered Parliamentarian: Walter Harvey, Miami Welcome to our newest Provisional Members: Welcome to our newest NAP Members : Robin Lawrence, Cape Coral; John Dauster, Punta Gorda

Welcome to Student Members: Welcome MAL Members:

Florida State Association of the National Association of Parliamentarians Nancy H. Watkins 1903 Bayshore Blvd.

Tampa, FL 33606-3107

NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 1924 TAMPA, FL

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