The Florida Theme: Volume 31, Number 4
December 2011
Parliamentary Procedure Joins the Electronic Age
Presidents Message
Motto “Let all things be
What’s next for FSAP is our meeting in the spring. The Plantation Unit of Parliamentarians will be the host of our meeting on Florida’s southeast coast. We hope to see members of South Dade Parliamentary Law Unit, PLATO, Miami Parliamentary Law Unit who won’t have to travel as far as they have in the last few years. For those who have gathered in Gainesville, St. Pete, Orlando or Punta Gorda it’s our time to travel. I’m sure there will be great education programs, a meeting to inform members and answer any questions and social times to get to know each other and renew friendships.
done decently and in order.” I Corinthians 14:40
Presidents Comments
1-3 ,5
Questions and Answers
4
Book Store Sale
6
FSAP Membership
6
Convention Comments Members and Happenings
7 8
Some units have people that love to teach. Other units want to learn but do not have willing teachers. There are many of us who would be agreeable to travel and teach at one of your meetings or conduct a workshop open to the public on a Saturday. If you would like to have one or more of our traveling FSAP members please get in touch with me or anyone on the board. Since we are all busy and it takes much advance coordination of facilities and program it’s important to give us lots of notice.
National Convention Report from your President Those of you who attended the NAP Convention were very excited about being able to attend our national convention in your own back yard. I’ve been fortunate to have attended several but none with so many different and exciting events. There were 400 people attending, a remarkable number in this tough economic time. Henry Martin Robert, lll grandson of General Robert the author of Robert’s Rules of Order, was, as always, in attendance. Early in the convention he announced that the RONR 10th edition was no longer the current parliamentary authority as he released Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 11th Edition. FSAP members can contact NAP headquarters to get the 11th Edition. It will also be available at our FSAP meeting in the spring.
Continue on page 2 1
In the beginning of the new book, the authors remind us that: “This Eleventh Edition supersedes all previous editions and is intended automatically to become the parliamentary authority in organizations whose bylaws prescribe “Robert’s Rules of Order,” “Robert’s Rules of Order Revised,” “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly revised,” or “the current edition of” any of these titles.” On the last day of the convention the entire afternoon was devoted to a presentation by some of the authors of RONR 11th Edition, speaking about the significant changes from the 10th Edition. We also had a lot of fun. Convention Coordinator Carol Austin was able to book Keynote Speaker David Timmons who had us laughing and singing but mostly listening intently to his suggestions on how to focus on what is important in life and how you can make a difference. Not long after opening convention procedures, we were introduced to the slate of candidates chosen by the nominating committee and nominees from the floor. There will not be a nomination committee at the next convention in 2013, as it was left out of the newly adopted bylaws. The schedule called for the voting on the election of officers the next morning from 6:45 – 8:15 am. At the NAP conventions in the last few years, we have voted using wireless voting keypads for all voting, except for elections. Someone moved to vote by keypads during the election instead of by paper ballots. I think it might have been some west coast member who did not want to vote so early in the morning which would have felt like the middle of the night. After much discussion, we voted to use the keypads for the election. Voting by keypad made the election go smoothly on Saturday morning. Our discussion of the proposed bylaw revision was exciting and educational. Some suggested changes passed and others failed. Any member could speak if he got to the microphone in time and his question was germane to the topic. The NAP board always meets in March in the city where the convention is being held in the fall in odd years and where the national training conferences meets in even years. NAP reimburses the board members at a certain rate. One big change in the bylaw revision was to shrink the size of the board from twenty positions to seven to save money. In the end there was an amendment to have a board of nine people which passed by majority vote. That was indicative of the way the revision was handled, by compromise and at least two thirds of the members votes in the affirmative to adopt the revision. Continue on page 3
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: Shirley Brodbeck 318 Peace Manor Palmetto FL, 34221
Dorothy Demarest, PRP, Associate Editor 239-417-5269 Email: ParliDDR@aol.com
FSAP WEBSITE http://www.flparliamentarian.com
Shirley Brodbeck, Circulation Manager 419-345-7957 E-mail sjbrodbeck@aol.com
2
Another major change was a vote to reincorporate in Washington DC. There is some language in the Missouri Incorporation Law that differs from RONR like the board having the power to decide where to incorporate not the members. RONR recommends that the basis for voting be the members present and voting not those present which is also in the Missouri law. When the move came by folks in Washington to set up standard code for non profits to incorporate in DC, members of NAP, especially our member lawyers helped write the new rules. The membership discussed the change and voted to incorporate in DC. Our headquarters will remain in Missouri. Saturday and Sunday afternoons were filled with workshops such as: Top 7 Mistakes with Condo & Homeowners Associations; We’ve got to Stop Meeting like this; Changing an Organizations Culture; Without Exceptions; The Will to Govern Well are just a few. The class on Electronic Meetings by Ann Guiberson was so popular folks were willing to sit on the floor. Presiding Practice by Burke Balch, longtime author of RONR repeated his class at different times in the large auditorium since it was so popular. There were at least 30 options for member to choose from. There were all types of meals, dinner banquets honoring NAP Past Presidents, The 11th Edition of RONR and the Installation of NAP Officers; evening receptions for outgoing President Ron Stinson, incoming President Maurice Henderson, Sarah Nieft executive Director who is retiring and a luncheon for incoming Executive Director and past NAP President, Dr. Leonard Young, and also a Youth luncheon. WOW!! It must take some pretty hard workers to manage all those events. Thanks to committee Chair and FSAP First Vice President Shirley Brodbeck, her Vice Chair, Fay Murphy, and members Howard Dobson, Linda Smith, and Roger Smith.
Report from Your President on the: National Association of Parliamentarians 38th Biennial Convention, in St. Petersburg September 23 – 26, 2011. The new officers and Standing Committees Chairs of NAP are as follows: Board of Directors President Maurice Henderson, PRP Vice President Ann Guiberson, PRP - from Florida Secretary Ann Rempel, PRP Treasurer Evan Lemoine, PRP Jim Jones, PRP Mary Randolf, PRP Leigh Wintz, PRP Darlene Allen, District 2 Director Vera Cherniecki, District 5 Director Editor, The National Parliamentarian - Ann McCartney Educational Foundation President - Sandra K. Olsen Immediate Past President - Ronald R. Stinson Parliamentarian - Thomas J. “Burke” Balch Continue on page 5
3
Questions and Answers Associate Editor
Q&A
All page numbers are references to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th 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 Introduction: Most of the opinions to be found in the Florida Parliamentarian the next couple of years will be 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. It is interesting to note how little has changed in the world of parliamentary procedure in the last forty to fifty years. Certainly there were no questions on email voting or conference calls in print as that technology did not exist, but the general tenets of parliamentary law included in these opinions remain the same. I was fortunate to have taken workshops from each of the authors and believe they would be happy to know that their work lives on as they are still teaching today’s parliamentarians through this column. I also wish to thank AIP for allowing FSAP to use their material as a guide for these opinions. Finally, as in incentive to purchase the newly published Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 11th edition, all reference pages listed are from that “most current” parliamentary manual. 1.
2.
Question: What is the purpose of the motion to postpone indefinitely? Opinion: The standard purpose of the motion to postpone indefinitely is to reject the main motion in an indirect fashion, which avoids an immediate, direct vote on the main motion. A second purpose is to obtain a test or “straw” vote on the main motion, while a third purpose is to obtain more speaking time for those who have exhausted their right to debate the main motion. (RONR p. 126 & 128)
3.
Question: The following motion was pending: That the treasurer be instructed to procure bids for the construction of the proposed clubhouse. A member obtained the floor and moved to amend by adding, “and that the president be authorized to request the use of the Town Hall for the club’s public installation next month”. Was the motion to amend in order?
Question: According to the bylaws, the president is “ex officio a member of all standing committees”. At a crucial meeting of the legislative committee there were seven present, including the president; six were absent. Was there a quorum? Opinion: No. The president would not be counted in determining the quorum. An ex officio member who has the right, but not the obligation, to participate in the proceedings of the committee is not counted in the quorum. (RONR p. 497)
Opinion: No, the motion to amend was not in order since it is not germane to the main motion. Such irrelevant additions are allowed in some legislative bodies, but they are termed “riders”. (RONR p. 131)
4
NAP Standing Committees Bylaws - Chris Dickey Communications - Leigh Wintz Educational Resources - Dave Mezzera Membership Extension/Retention – George Mervosh III Professional Development - Dorothy Demarest Registration & Membership Examiners - Nancy S. Dauster Youth - Janice Strand District Three Director - Emma Faulk Special thank you to the 38th Biennial Convention Chairman from Florida: Convention Coordinator - Carol Austin, Vice Coordinator - Nancy Dauster Dignitaries - Ken Tinckler Entertainment Committee - Eugene Bierbaum Information Committee - Sandra Whidden Meal Functions/Arrangement Committee – Shirley Brodbeck Newsletter Committee – Ann Guiberson Pages (Youth) Committee – Julie Palm Program Ads & Tote Bags – Karen Price Public Relations – Nancy Watkins Registration committee – Eugene Coy Resolutions committee – Phyllis Wood Sales room/Office – Dave Gruman Signs and Posters – Mary Lou Harden Stage Management Committee – Dona Garner Vendors – Dorothy Demarest Volunteers – Mary Bearss
L– Ann Guiberson, NAP Vice President with Carol Austin Convention Coordinator
Dave Gruman and Mary Giddens from CCPU hard at work at convention
5
BOOK STORE SALE !!! Who doesn’t love a sale? The FSAP Book Store is selling certain items at a discounted price. Titles include: Title First Step Kit In My Opinion: A Guide to Writing Parliamentary Opinions New Board Starter Kit Parliamentary Procedure in Local Government Rules for Electronic Meetings A Simplified Guide to Motions Supplemental Index to Robert’s Rules Of Order, Newly Rev., 10th ed. Various Optional Techniques Explored: A Guide to Voting What Was Done at the Meeting
Original Price $23 $30 $65
Sale price $22 $12 $63
$25
$12
$30 $2
$15 $1
$8
$4 $15
$25
$7 $12
Multiple copies may be available for some titles. Other titles may be available as well. Add $3 for postage to each full order. Orders and all inquiries should be directed to Joyce Gleason at 941-637-5921, or joycegle@earthlink.net.
FSAP Members Can’t Move, Die, Change Email Address Or… Shirley J. Brodbeck, RP They may not receive important mail or be properly recognized. As I pass the FSAP computerized records to Nancy Watkins, 2nd VP, Membership Chairman, I’m saying thank you for helping me keep the records straight. It’s a challenge to keep the records accurate with correct mailing address and changes in your phone or email address, much less those glorious changes in your NAP status of Member, Registered or Professional Registered. I now know how important a P, M, RP, PRP, RRP, RPR, STM, SMR, RF or MAL is behind a name. When you receive the new FSAP Yearbook for 2011-2013 inspect your name, classification, and complete information in the back of the book. My computer makes mistakes and I hope you tell Nancy about the ones it made. Make sure your provisional dues are sent to her for recording and then she’ll send the check on to the FSAP treasurer. I’ll miss corresponding with many of you. Thanks for your help.
6
NAP Convention Comments By Shirley Brodbeck The opening ceremonies were impressive. I was amazed at the bickering over Standing Rules. We voted with electronic keypads and saw result on screen almost instantly. I want to be a delegate next time. It was hard to watch and not vote. There were so many motions. This was a teaching convention. At times there was poor presiding. Workshops were outstanding. The meeting room was too small. FSAP was a wonderful host!
L –R Roger Smith, Linda Smith, Shirley Brodbeck, Carol Austin , Nancy Dauster and John Dauster Attending a banquet at the 38th NAP Convention
7
MEMBERS AND HAPPENINGS Change of Address : – Congratulations to our newest Registered Parliamentarians : Welcome to our newest Provisional Members: Welcome to our newest NAP Members : Larry Roduner, CCPU New NAP Student Members: Resignations: Reinstatements: In Memory of : Julie Cotton,CCPU
Florida State Association Of Parliamentarians Shirley Brodbeck 318 Peace Manor Palmetto, FL 34221-5421
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 1924 TAMPA, FL
8