committee

Committees in Robert’s Rules

By Ann Macfarlane / August 13, 2021 /

Do you want committees that run smooth and effective meetings? Download our paper, “Committees in Robert’s Rules,” to learn how they can. Committees in Robert’s Rules – Introduction A committee is a group of volunteers who have agreed to do a job defined by someone else. The key fact about a committee is that it…

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Can committees take official votes? Is a “straw poll” allowed?

By Ann Macfarlane / June 4, 2021 /

Dear Dinosaur: A secretary forwarded a board member’s question: “I have always been told that we could not take an official vote in committee. Can you find anything about this?” This came up in a governance committee where members were “voting” to move a policy change to the whole board for vote. Is this straw…

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4 bad habits to avoid at council meetings

By Ann Macfarlane / August 6, 2016 / Comments Off on 4 bad habits to avoid at council meetings

There are a number of “urban myths” about Robert’s Rules of Order that can get in the way of democratic process for your council. If your municipality, county council, or special district avoids these bad habits, congratulations! If these errors happen at your meetings, however, you might want to bring them to the attention of your colleagues…

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