INNOVATION September-October 2017

L E T T E R S

Letters to the editor containing your views on topics of interest are encouraged. Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily endorsed by Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Letters should be 300 words or less and can be emailed to innovation@egbc.ca. Find information at egbc.ca/Submitting-to-Innovation.

Editor’s note: For more information, see Page 10, July/August 2017 issue of Innovation . “New Procedure for Submitting Motions for 2017 Annual General Meeting.”

ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER OR ASSOCIATION’S RULES? Innovation July/August describes changes to the procedures for presenting motions at the October 21, 2017 Annual General meeting. Details of these new ʻrules’ are found on the association’s website. Association bylaw 2(i) states “The rules contained in the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of meetings…in which they are not inconsistent with the bylaws or the special rules of order of this association.” Therefore, if the association wants to establish ʻAGM special rules,’ it must propose a change to the bylaws or introduce these ʻspecial rules’ at a general meeting and have them approved by the members. A significant problem with these ʻspecial rules’ is that motions must be presented 30 days before the AGM, September 21 for the 2017 AGM, before the ʻspecial rules’ could be approved at the October AGM. The current approach presumes members’ consent, rather than bringing these proposed rules forward for approval at the AGM for implementation in 2018. The ʻspecial rules’ also state that motions may only be introduced at the AGM with the consent of a 2/3 vote. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), Section 39 states that a 2/3 vote is only required to accept a motion if the motion “is outside the object of the society or assembly as defined in the bylaws.” There is no requirement in RONR that a 2/3 vote of the meeting is required to accept any valid motion. These ʻspecial rules’ should not be applied presumptively before they are approved by members, consequently RONR must govern for the October AGM. There is no need to rush to apply these ʻspecial rules’ to this year’s AGM without time for due member consideration. This will only serve

to hinder members from introducing motions which may be contrary to the views of Council. —Ernest Portfors, P.Eng. North Vancouver, BC

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