Expediting Meetings

Few people want meetings to run longer than necessary. While staff and facilities may have an hourly rate, generally, when individuals are compensated to attend meetings, they receive a fixed sum for the meeting regardless of how long it may run.

One community organization of over 650 members required a majority of the members for a quorum at membership meetings. They had no difficulty in obtaining a quorum because everyone received $200 for attending. The problem was that once everyone was checked in for the meeting and qualified to receive their check, a motion to adjourn ended the meeting before all the business was accomplished.

While a motion to adjourn is an effective way to shorten meetings, it is not necessarily a productive tool when there is business yet to be accomplished. Parliamentary procedure is often criticized for slowing down meetings with unnecessary formality, but this criticism is usually not justified. When properly applied, parliamentary procedure expedites business by adjusting the degree of formality to the parliamentary situation. This article will explore both time-wasters to avoid and time-saving tools to implement.

Start the meeting on time. At an early morning meeting, some of the attendees may want to wait for others to arrive, while many feel that they did not make the effort come to an early morning meeting just to wait for those who chose to sleep in. Perhaps bringing only enough donuts for those who arrive on time will help the habitual late-comers arrive on time in the future.

If everyone who has a right to attend is there or has given notice that they will not be attending, the meeting may start before the appointed time if there is no objection. There would be no violation of absentees’ rights. However, if others have a right to attend, even just as observers, such as many public meetings, the meeting cannot start before the appointed time.

A roll call of those in attendance is not required. If an attendance record is maintained, there can be a sign-in sheet or the secretary can quietly compile an attendance record.

It is not necessary to formally determine a quorum nor announce that a quorum is present. The chair has the responsibility to not call the meeting to order unless a quorum is present. (If, after a reasonable time, it appears that a quorum will not be in attendance, the chair would call the meeting to order, announce that a quorum is not present and proceed to that business necessary to obtain a quorum or that can be conducted without a quorum.) RONR (12th ed.) 40:11. If the quorum is twenty-five and it is obvious that there are over a hundred in attendance, it would be dilatory to raise a point of order questioning the presence of a quorum. The minutes need not record that a quorum was present.

John R. Berg, PRP

A motion to approve the minutes is not necessary. (What would be done if a motion to approve the minutes failed?) The minutes are either approved as written or corrected and approved by unanimous consent. If there is any disagreement on the appropriate corrections, that is handled by vote as an amendment. RONR (12th ed.) 41:10.

Seconds to motions are not required in committees or in small boards of a dozen or less. When a second is required, it is not necessary to obtain or record the name of the seconder. RONR (12th ed.) 48:5. When motion cards are used, there is often time wasted in getting the seconder in the back of the room to sign the motion card. This is not necessary.

The chair should know if there is unfinished business from the previous meeting and should not ask if there is any unfinished business. RONR (12th ed.) 42:10. Doing so just opens the window for members to reintroduce past business.

If the chair knows the answer, the chair need not ask the question. It has been said that a lawyer should not ask a witness on the stand a question unless the answer is already known to the lawyer posing the question. Similarly, it is a waste of time for the chair to ask a question when the answer is already known. One organization required anyone running from the floor to file a notice of intent before the annual meeting. Nevertheless, the chair took the time to ask if there were any nominations from the floor for each office when it was known that there were only nominations from the floor for a few offices. The chair could simply announce that there are no nominations from the floor for that office and move on.

While the chair has no authority to end debate. RONR (12th ed.) 43:4, the chair can and should facilitate the conduct of business. By alternating debate between the pro and con for a particular motion, it can become clear when the debate is winding down or is no longer necessary. The chair can propose ending debate by unanimous consent, but should not do so if there are still members wishing to speak.

Nominations do not need seconds nor do they require recognition from the chair before being made (except for practicality in a large meeting). RONR (12th ed.) 46:6. It is not necessary for the chair to ask three times if there are any further nominations. It is not necessary to have a motion to close nominations. RONR (12th ed.) 46:20.

Many votes on routine, noncontroversial motions can be taken by unanimous consent, which is basically asking for negative votes first, then announcing that the motion is adopted if there are no negative votes. RONR (12th ed.) 4:58-60. Newer members or visitors may not be used to this manner of conducting business, so care should be taken to avoid the appearance of railroading or gaveling through the business.

The use of voting cards may or may not expedite the business, depending upon the nature of the meeting and the business involved. There are distinct advantages to using voting cards over a voice vote: • “No” naturally sounds louder than “Aye”

• Not realizing the number of possible negative votes, those voting

“Aye” may use a normal voice, after which those voting in the negative can simply shout louder • Those individuals with naturally lower or louder voices are unintentionally given more weight in a voice vote • The use of voting cards is, in effect, a division, so that a call for a division and repeat vote can often be avoided • When there are voters and non-voters sitting together, voting cards provide more security by having only qualified voters actually voting.

Voting cards take slightly longer than a voice vote, in addition to the time consumed in issuing them to voters. If most of the business is routine, voice votes may be less timeconsuming. RONR (12th ed.) 46:16.

Except for ballots, votes are not counted unless either the chair chooses to count the vote or there is an actual motion adopted to count the vote. RONR (12th ed.) 4:39. Often when there is a call for a division, an inexperienced chair may automatically proceed to count the votes. This is not necessary. The chair can “eyeball” the votes on a division, then if the vote is not conclusive the chair can repeat the division and take a count. The chair has a better view of all of the voters than would a member in the middle of the room. In order to maintain the confidence of the body, the chair should proceed to count the vote if there is any reasonable question as to the outcome.

It is not necessary to vote to destroy the ballots. RONR (12th ed.) 45:41. The ballots would normally be given to the secretary who would destroy them when the time allowed for a recount has expired. The only effect of a motion to destroy the ballots would be to preclude a motion to recount the votes before they are actually destroyed. (If a motion to destroy the ballots failed, would the secretary be required to keep them indefinitely?)

If all agenda items have been disposed of, and there is no response to a call for any new business, the meeting is over and a motion to adjourn is not necessary. The chair can adjourn the meeting. RONR (12th ed.) 21:15. (As with a motion to approve the minutes, what would be done if a motion to adjourn failed but there was no further business?) While the chair can simply say, “There being no further business, this meeting is adjourned”, that is a little abrupt and may take some members by surprise. If there are closing announcements or a closing ritual, the chair can call for these as a final notice that the meeting will be ending shortly. Some business is still in order after any closing ritual (or even after a vote to adjourn) as long as the chair has not actually closed the meeting. RONR (12th ed.) 21:10.

Every minute saved in a meeting can allow for more deliberation on substantive issues, or more time for socializing and refreshments. NP

John R. Berg, PRP, was president of the Washington State Association of Parliamentarians 2017-2021 and has served as parliamentarian for a number of national organizations. In 2019 he was elected to the board of directors of the South Kitsap School District in Washington State and now serves as its vice president.