Marone: RCSC speaker limit rule not proper in Sun City
Posted
Speakers at Recreation Centers of Sun City board meetings are now limited to three minutes (“Speakers now limited at meetings,” Sun City Independent, June 23, 2021).
This isn’t the first rule that the board has improperly passed. Truth is, the 3=minute rule imposed on board members actually died once that meeting was over and no longer applies. That’s because although the bylaws state that the board “shall” function under Robert’s Rules of Order, they continually refuse to do so. In order for that rule to apply to all future meetings it must be written as a special rule of order documented and filed within the corporate documents, thereby creating a historic record just like any bylaw. No big deal!
It’s my understanding that Robert’s Rules of Order was somewhat of a recent addition to the bylaws and I suspect it was done when the board decided to open all the board meetings to the public. The board probably understood that they needed to establish a set of guiding principles that most people were somewhat familiar with, which was Robert’s Rules. Anybody who has ever belonged to an organization or attended public meetings was surely familiar with Robert’s Rules of Order.
The problem is the board members never embraced Robert’s Rules and continues to function under the old rules (whatever they were). Consequently, many of their rules, if challenged in the future, would be found to be in violation of their own parliamentary procedure.
I simply don’t understand what their problem is? Some say they don’t like the rules stated in Robert’s Rules, and to that I simply say, “Then write a special rule of order that will supersede that Robert’s Rules.” Problem solved!
Isn’t it interesting how we must all adhere to the RCSC’s numerous board policies but they don’t seem to have to adhere to their own bylaws?
Look, I’m no expert, but I did read the book and would be happy to share any guidance I can offer!
