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2020-02-07 City Council - Full Agenda-2539.nC. 1 City of Edmonds City Council Retreat February 07, 2020 8:45 am — 4:30 pm Edmonds City Hall, Brackett Room PURPOSE: • Strengthen foundation for constructive relationships and effective governing • Enhance cohesion and shared understanding • Increase familiarity with parliamentary procedures and public records requirements U&N,11l7_1 8:45am Refreshments and mingling 9:00 am Call to Order 9:00 am Minute to arrive/Introductions/Welcome-Council President and Mayor 9:10 am Agenda review/Meeting behaviors 9:15 am Exercise: Learning about each other 9:45 am Sharing Wisdom: The Art and Carpentry of Governing • Brainstorm and Discussion: What are some key questions regarding governing, organizational structures, or functions that you want to know? • Discussion: What piece(s) of wisdom/tricks of the trade/lessons learned would each person like to share? 11:00 am Governing Fundamentals -Discussion • Attributes of well -functioning groups particularly in a political context • Top eight tips for keeping communications respectful • Clarifying roles of staff and elected officials (scenarios) 1 12:00 pm LUNCH (provided in-house) 12:30 pm Visioning Drawing and sharing • What is your vision of positive, effective, and constructive governing over the next 4 years? • What qualities do you want associated with the city government? Discussion • What is needed to help make that vision a reality? 1:30 pm BREAK 1:45 pm Parliamentary Procedures —Applying Roberts Rules of Order (Ann McFarlane) 3:15 pm Public Records/OPMA 101 (Patricia Taraday/Jeff Taraday) 4:00 pm Finance Briefing (Scott James) 4:20 pm Follow-up for next retreat 4:25pm Closing reflections (Council President and Mayor) 4:30 pm Close 2 Phyllis Shulman pshulman82@gmail.com Attributes of Well -Functioning Groups Particularly in a Political Context ■ Approach with Dignity —at core of effective functioning even when there are deep disagreements/differences . •[Ti1 F1T ►OINI ..1 ►A STO NFOM1aOMifi�R•1"i ■ Ability to see Perspectives/ External Considering - ability to step into someone else's shoes, consider from a different perspective ■ Going beyond Assumptions and engaging in Ingu4—difference between thinking you know why someone is acting or thinking a certain way or asking questions to get more understanding ■ Mindfulness- being present to self and others ■ Not holding Gr,udqes —toxic to a political environment. Grudges are personal and constrains elected officials from connecting to the great needs in public service ■ Being Adaptive —ability to deal with emerging issues ■ Having Discipline — ability to keep focused on agreed upon goals/priorities- also distinguishing between what is important and what is urgent ■ Effective Communication, ability to connect, and development of relationships — important to be able to know enough about each other to work together ■ Transparency and Accessibility — most elected officials don't like surprises, working together requires ability to access each other ■ Accountabilities — awareness of impacts of actions on others and connection to constituents, customers ■ Systems approach oach - understanding connections —understanding how things are connected, what are the ripple effects, how the larger system impacts and informs your actions and vice versa. Phyllis Shulman pshulman82@gmail.com Interests compared to Positions Interests are the needs, desires, and concerns that people have in regard to a given situation. Interests focus on what outcome is important and why? Problem solving can often be more effective once there is agreement on the interests of a group. Positions (or solutions) are how people meet their interests. Positions can take into account the set of interests expressed. Technical Challenge compared to an Adaptive Challenge Key question: What is the principal challenge ,being faced? A challenge that requires the straightforward application of expertise to solve the problem. A challenge that is more complex in that it necessitates addressing and/or changing people's values, habits, practices, and priorities. This requires leadership that orchestrates a process of getting the variety of people who own some of the problem to do adaptive work. There are different adaptive challenges with different contexts. Phyllis Shulman- pshulman82@gmail.com TOP EIGHT TIPS FOR KEEPING COMMUNICATIONS RESPECTFUL ONE: Keep all communications (email, phone, twitter, etc.) civil and professional. Don't say anything that you wouldn't want 42,209 residents of Edmonds to read, hear, or see. Don't make disparaging remarks about other city employees including elected officials in written or oral communications. Focus disagreements on policy and policy implementation, not on personal behavior or differences. TWO: Only communicate about city business. THREE: Other than coordination on scheduling, do not use city staff, offices, phones, or computers for campaign related activities. FOUR: Refrain from utilizing open public meetings to make personal attacks or criticism of elected officials, city staff, or community members. Take care of personal conflicts through direct communication -phone calls or private meetings. FIVE: Don't use a public forum to shame others. Communicate to others how you would like to be communicated to. SIX: Consider your body language when communicating or listening to others in public meetings. Keep side comments to a minimum during public meetings. SEVEN: Minimize surprises at public meetings including vet amendments or new ideas prior to introduction and/or discussion. Provide key questions for staff ahead of public discussions. EIGHT: Utilize the following general guidelines for when best to utilize different forms of communication: When best to use email/social media (remember these are all disclosable to the public) When best to use phone or in person meeting Constituent communications Policy deliberations Scheduling and logistics Peer consultation Sharing of existing information including briefing papers, etc. Political strategizing Newsletters and other outreach Discussion and attempted resolution of conflicts or disagreements Showcasing a city project or activity Discussion of personnel matters Sending questions to staff. Exploration and discussion of misunderstandings Constituent engagement CITIZEN'S GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE CONDUCT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS USING PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE AND ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER IN WASHINGTON STATE © City of Mountlake Terrace, Washington. Used by permission. This guide has been prepared to assist citizens and residents who want to know the expectations for public meetings under parliamentary procedure and Robert's Rules of Order in Washington State. We use the example of a city council; these questions are also relevant to other local government bodies such as county commissions, school boards, special districts, etc. We are parliamentarians and nothing in this guide constitutes legal advice. John Berg, PRP Kevin R. Connelly, PRP, CP Ann G. Macfarlane, PRP K. Ann McCartney, PRP, CP-T Paul McClintock, PRP, CP-T Weldon L. Merritt, PRP, CPP Beverly Przybylski, PRP Mary L. Randolph, PRP, CPP-T Matthew J. Schafer, PRP Table of Contents INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 3 1. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.............................................................................4 1I. PRESIDING............................................................................................................4 III. MAYOR...................................................................................................................5 IV. MEETING NOTICES AND AGENDA......................................................................... 6 V. DEBATING.............................................................................................................6 VI. VOTING..................................................................................................................7 VII. POINT OF ORDER AND APPEAL............................................................................ 8 VIII. ADJOURNMENT AND ORDERING A MEMBER TO LEAVE THE MEETING ............... g IX. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD................................................................................. io October 6, 2017 Updated as of December 11, 2017 ©2017 by John Berg, Kevin R. Connelly, Ann G. Macfarlane, K. Ann McCartney, Paul McClintock, Weldon L. Merritt, Beverly Przybylski, Mary L. Randolph, and Matthew J. Schafer. All rights reserved. L8CThis guide is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.o International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.o/. In summary, this guide may be reproduced without any modifications and with attribution, but it may not be used for any commercial gain, either by itself or incorporated into a larger work or collection. There are other rights and obligations in the use or redistribution of this guide. See the license at the web address given above. 31 INTRODUCTION This material is general and educational in nature. The answers are based on Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 11th edition (abbreviated RONR) and our own experience. The National Association of Parliamentarians (parliamentarians.org) and the American Institute of Parliamentarians (aipparl.org) provide extensive information on parliamentary procedure. For additional information on many of these questions, MRSC (Municipal Research and Services Center) has valuable reference materials available for free download (mrsc.org). In this guide we talk about "mayor -council" cities, in which the mayor is elected by the people, and "council- manager" cities, in which the city council elects the mayor from among its own members. Charter cities are governed by the contents of their charter and state law. Throughout this guide, the term "mayor" means "presiding officer" (the person in charge of running the meeting). In every state, state law governs the actions of local government. Many states give access to their relevant statutes online. The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) is mentioned for reference purposes only. Nothing in this guide constitutes legal advice. Consult your attorney or another qualified authority if you have questions about how these general principles apply in a specific situation. PRP Professional Registered Parliamentarian (NAP) CP Certified Parliamentarian (AIP) CPP Certified Professional Parliamentarian (AIP) CP-T Certified Parliamentarian -Teacher (AIP) ECPP-T Certified Professional Parliamentarian -Teacher (AIP) Excerpts from the Revised Code of Washington (RCW): RCW 35A.12.100 (Mayor -council) The mayor shall preside over all meetings of the city council, when present, but shall have a vote only in the case of a tie in the votes of the councilmembers with respect to matters other than the passage of any ordinance, grant, or revocation of franchise or license, or any resolution for the payment of money. RCW 35A.13.030 (Council-manager) The chair of the council shall have the title of mayor and shall preside at meetings of the council. RCW 35A.12.12o The council shall determine its own rules and order of business, and may establish rules for the conduct of council meetings and maintenance of order. (Note: This applies to both mayor -council and council-manager cities.) C I. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE I thought state law governed the conduct of city council meetings. Why do mayors and members of city councils have to follow parliamentary procedure? Under Washington State law, councils determine their own rules: RCW 35A.12.120 "The council shall determine its own rules and order of business, and may establish rules for the conduct of council meetings and the maintenance of order." The set of ordinary and customary rules that councils usually choose for their meetings is "parliamentary procedure." These customs, rules and guidelines have evolved over the last 500 years to govern the conduct of public meetings. They form part of the common law. The courts have found that public bodies must follow parliamentary principles. In some states, the requirement to follow parliamentary principles is specifically included in state law. If a council hasn't adopted Robert's Rules of Order, can it run its meetings the way it likes? No. Robert's Rules of Order is one widely -used authority summing up the general understanding of parliamentary procedure. There are other authorities as well. Even if a council has not adopted any authority, it is still bound by parliamentary principles as part of the common law. What does the principle of majority rule mean? The principle of majority rule means that the decision of a majority of the members of the body (more than half of those present and voting) is the decision of the entire council. The minority must make it their own, or at a minimum, may not take actions to prevent the council from carrying out its decision. What is a quorum? A quorum is the minimum number of voting members who must be present for business to be done. Unless otherwise specified, it is a majority of the members then in office. In a mayor -council city, the mayor is not counted towards the quorum. RONR pp. 345-351 Can a council suspend all of Robert's Rules? No. RONR P. 263-265 How can a rule be suspended? If a member wishes to suspend a rule, for instance, to allow a member of the public to speak longer than the allotted time, he says, "I move to suspend the rules in order to allow the citizen to complete his remarks." This motion needs a second and cannot be debated. It usually takes a two-thirds vote to pass. The specific rule being suspended is not mentioned, only the purpose. Some rules cannot be suspended. RONR pp. 260-267 II. PRESIDING Who is in charge of running a public meeting, such as a city council, school board or special district meeting? For each body, there is a specific individual who has authority to run the meeting, either by election or appointment. This person's personal authority is subject to state law and regulations, any bylaws or guidelines adopted by the body, and the will of the body itself. Depending on the body, this individual will have the title of mayor, president, chair, etc. In a city council, the mayor has the duty of running the meeting. Under the Revised Code of Washington, a mayor elected by the people is supposed to run the meeting. Doesn't he have the right to run it the way he likes? No. The mayor in a mayor -council must follow the principles outlined in parliamentary procedure. During the meeting, he is the servant of the group, and the group is the final authority. The group's final authority is exercised by using the motion to appeal. III. MAYOR What are the obligations of the mayor during a meeting? The mayor has the following duties. RONR pp. 449-450 Open meeting To open the meeting at the appointed time by taking the chair (sitting in the seat reserved for the presiding officer), after finding that a quorum is present, and calling the meeting to order. Announce next activity To announce in proper sequence the next activity before the council in accordance with the prescribed order of business. Recognize members To recognize council members who are entitled to the floor (who have the exclusive right to be heard at that time). State questions and put to To state and put to vote all questions that legitimately come before the council vote as motions or that otherwise arise in the course of proceedings, and to announce the result of each vote; or, if a motion that is not in order is made, to rule it out of order. Refuse to recognize dilatory To protect the council from obviously dilatory (recurrent time -wasting or motions obstructive) motions by refusing to recognize them. Enforce order and decorum To enforce the rules relating to debate and those relating to order and decorum within the council. Expedite business To expedite business in every way compatible with the rights of council members and the council rules. Decide all questions of order To decide all questions of order subject to appeal —unless, when in doubt, the mayor prefers initially to submit such a question to the council for decision. Respond to inquiries To respond to inquiries of council members relating to parliamentary procedure or factual information bearing on the business of the council. Authenticate documents To authenticate by his signature, when necessary, all acts, orders and proceedings of the council. Close meeting To declare the meeting adjourned when the council so votes or —where applicable — at the time prescribed in the agenda, or at any time in the event of a sudden emergency affecting the safety of those present. Is the mayor a member of the city council? In Washington State, the mayor of a council-manager city is a member of the city council, but the mayor of a mayor -council city is not. What right does the mayor have to speak at a city council meeting? • The mayor must, of course, speak about procedural matters in order to carry out the duties outlined above. The mayor in a council-manager city has the same right to speak about issues facing the council as any other council member. RONR has special rules for small boards (up to about 12 members). In a mayor -council city with a small council, the elected mayor customarily has a right to speak on matters pending before the council, even though technically not a member. In a larger council, if the elected mayor wishes to speak on substance, he should step down from the chair in order to participate in debate, while another who has not and will not speak on the matter presides, resuming it only when the item has been dealt with. RONR pp. 394-395• Can the council remove the mayor as presiding officer during a city council meeting and appoint someone else in his place? This is primarily a legal and not a parliamentary question. IV. MEETING NOTICES AND AGENDA Who authorizes the notice of a special meeting? Issuing notices of a meeting is part of the administrative duties of the mayor. The mayor is bound to issue notices of special meetings that are called according to state law and council rules. Who decides what goes on the agenda of a public meeting? The mayor prepares the draft agenda of a public meeting, but the final content of the agenda is subject to the vote of the council. RONR P. 372-373 V. DEBATING Who decides who may speak in debate and in what order? The mayor recognizes council members (gives them permission to debate) in accord with the rules of parliamentary procedure. For example: • The person who makes a motion has the right to debate first if he wishes to. RONR P. 379 No one may debate a second time until everyone who wishes to do so has spoken once. RONR pp. 379, 388-389 • The mayor may not refuse to recognize council members based on personal preference. RONR pp. 376-377 May council members interrupt each other or the mayor? No. Interrupting is forbidden under RONR. An exception is that a council member may interrupt to raise a "point of order" if a procedural rule is being broken that needs immediate attention. RONR pp. 383-385 May the mayor interrupt a debater? No. RONR says specifically that the chair may not interrupt a debater except for a point of order, so long as no council rules are broken. The mayor may not interrupt even if he knows more about a given subject than the debater. RONR pp. 43-44 May the council members debate directly to each other? It depends. In a large council, council members must address all remarks to the chair. In a small council (up to about 12 members) council members may speak directly to each other. However, the rule that no one may 71 debate a second time until everyone who wishes to do so has spoken once still applies. Allowing members to debate to each other often leads to one-on-one conversations that violate this rule. RONR P. 392; PP. 487-488 What kinds of remarks are forbidden at city council meetings? There are certain types of unacceptable remark under RONR. Council members may not make such remarks, which are considered to be irrelevant (not germane) to debate. (Members of the public are not bound by these restrictions.) RONR pp. 392-393 • Personal remarks (remarks about a person's individual qualities, rather than his views) • Insulting language, personal attacks, profanity and vulgarity • Inflammatory remarks • Criticizing a past action of the group, unless the topic is under discussion by the group as a whole, or the member plans to introduce a motion to amend or rescind the action at the end of his speech. • Remarks that are not germane (relevant) to the topic under discussion. Who decides whether a remark is forbidden under these rules? The mayor issues a ruling about improper remarks, subject to appeal. A council member may also object to an improper remark. May the council invite a member of the public to speak at a public meeting? Yes. The council may invite anyone it chooses to address it. VI. VOTING How many votes does it take to pass a motion or resolution? In most cases it takes a majority vote to pass a motion or resolution. RONR pp. 400-429 What is a majority vote? This is a vote in which more than half of the members who cast a vote vote in favor of the motion: 2 or 3 members vote 2 in favor 4 or 5 members vote 3 in favor 6 or 7 members vote 4 in favor 8 or 9 members vote 5 in favor What is a two-thirds vote? This is a vote in which at least two-thirds of the members who cast a vote vote in favor of the motion: 2 or 3 members vote 2 in favor 4 members 3 in favor 5 or 6 members vote 4 in favor 7 members vote 5 in favor 8 or 9 members vote 6 in favor 81 Who decides what the outcome of a vote is? The mayor announces the result of a vote and has a special obligation to verify it beyond reasonable doubt. RONR P. 48 If the mayor announces the result of a vote, and it seems to a council member that he made an error, what should the council member do? If the vote was taken by voice, the council member should call out "division." The mayor must then retake the vote by raising hands or asking council members to stand. At the request of any council member, the vote must be taken by roll call. RONR p. 52 Can the mayor vote at council meetings? In a council-manager city, the mayor may vote. In a mayor -council city, the mayor ordinarily has no vote. However, the mayor may vote in one instance: to break a tie in a matter that is NOT the passage of an ordinance, grant, or revocation of franchise or license, or any resolution for the payment of money. If the council passes a resolution or motion, can the mayor veto it? Mayors in mayor -council code and second class cities can veto ordinances passed by the council, but such a veto may be overridden by the vote of a majority of all council members plus one more vote. The mayor does not have the power to veto other actions of the council. Mayors in towns do not have a veto power. In a council-manager city, mayors also do not have a veto power. The veto power of mayors in the ten first class cities are detailed in their city charters. VII. POINT OF ORDER AND APPEAL What should a council member do when someone breaks one of the rules? A council member can make a point of order. This is a motion that requires another council member, or the chair, to abide by the council's rules or parliamentary rules. If an error isn't obvious, the council member may have to briefly explain how the rules are being broken. This motion is made by just one council member and in most circumstances the motion must be made at the time of the rule violation. When this motion is made it immediately and temporarily stops business until the point is ruled on by the chair, who will either agree with the council member and enforce the rule, or may disagree with the council member. Once the chair rules that the point of order was well taken (correct) or not well taken (incorrect), the business that was interrupted then continues (unless the chair's ruling is immediately appealed). RONR P. 247, 255 How does a council member raise a point of order? The council member who sees a rule violation and wants the rule enforced should stand up, interrupt the chair or a speaker if necessary, and without waiting to be recognized, call out, "Point of order!" or "I rise to a point of order." RONR P. 253 Can a council member raise a point of order about the chair's actions? Yes. Everyone in the meeting must follow the rules. If this happens, the chair issues a ruling on his own action. Can a member of the public raise a point of order? No. Only a council member can raise a point of order. What should council members do when they disagree with a ruling by the mayor? A council member can appeal the chair's ruling, which then tells the chair that the council member is in disagreement with the chair's interpretation and that he wants the council to decide it for themselves. The appeal must be made immediately. If other business intervenes, then it is too late to appeal the chair's decision or ruling. When the motion is made, it immediately and temporarily stops the pending business until a decision is reached on the appeal. After a vote is taken on the appeal by the council members, the business that was interrupted then continues. RONR pp. 255-56 How is an appeal conducted? A council member stands and without waiting to be recognized says: "I disagree with the ruling by the chair." The chair should recognize an appeal, even if worded simply as, "I don't think that's right - I disagree with you." The formal wording is, "I appeal from the decision of the chair." The chair then processes the motion. RONR P. 259 Can appeals be debated? Appeals pertaining to language and decorum may not be debated. In general, other appeals can be debated. There is a special process for debating an appeal. RONR P. 257 Are there rulings that cannot be appealed? Yes. A point of order that was raised while an appeal is pending cannot be appealed, nor can a ruling by the chair for which there cannot possibly be two reasonable opinions. RONR P. 256 What should the council members do if the mayor ignores an appeal? This is a highly significant violation of parliamentary procedure which should never happen. The council member may stand and take the vote himself. Education is critical so that all involved understand how this process works. Consult an attorney if legal action is needed. RONR p. 651 VIII. ADJOURNMENT AND ORDERING A MEMBER TO LEAVE THE MEETING May the mayor adjourn the meeting when he chooses? No. The mayor may adjourn the meeting on his own initiative only in two instances: • If the council has come to the end of its agenda and there is no further business. • If a riot or other dangerous situation has arisen. RONR P. 233-242 May the members adjourn the meeting when they choose? Yes. When the council votes in favor of adjournment, the meeting ends, even if there is unfinished business. This motion cannot be debated and requires a majority vote. May the mayor order a member of a city council to leave the meeting? No. May the council members order one of their own members to leave the meeting? Yes. In situations where disruption or disorderly conduct by a council member warrants it, the other members may direct that he leave the meeting. Usually warnings are given first. The removal can be ordered only for a single meeting, not for future meetings. It is best to have adopted policies in place that state when and how such an event might occur. RONR pp. 643-653 IX. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD What is the purpose of the public comment period at public meetings? The purpose of the public comment period at public meetings is for the public to inform the council about their views on matters before the council. It is not intended for debate and discussion with the public. When back -and -forth exchanges occur, it can become a challenge to describe the council's position correctly and accurately, and substantial confusion may result. Councils should have other channels in place to answer questions, address concerns, and dialogue with the public —community forums, surveys, personal discussions, a form on the website to contact council members or staff, etc. May the council place limits on the public comment period? Yes. The council may place reasonable limits on when public comment is taken, how long people may speak, and how long the public comment period will be; the council may also require that the subject matter pertain to the council's work. All such rules must be "viewpoint -neutral," that is, they may not favor one opinion over another. Should the public in attendance clap, boo, hiss or speak over other people during the meeting? No. This should never happen. Expressions of opinion of this type, whether positive or negative, are intimidating to others and may lead to the suppression of free speech. They also impede the council from doing its business. May the mayor or members encourage the crowd to clap, boo, hiss or speak over other people during the meeting? No. What should the mayor and council do if the public becomes rowdy and unruly during a meeting? The mayor should explain firmly to the public that they have an obligation to allow the council to do its business. In cases of severe disruption, the council may order the room cleared, or may move to another location (see RCW 42.30.050). Advice from the attorney is helpful in such cases. Can the mayor order a member of the public to leave the meeting? State and Federal law and court cases pertaining to open meetings and free speech govern this question. The authors may be contacted at: John Berg, PRP nap@jb7o.net Kevin R. Connelly, PRP, CP tdk91692@gmail.com Ann G. Macfarlane, PRP ann@jurassicparliament.com K. Ann McCartney, PRP, CP-T ann@silverbeach.com Paul McClintock, PRP, CP-T pmcclintock@gmail.com Weldon L. Merritt, PRP, CPP weldonlmerritt@gmail.com Beverly Przyblyski, PRP beverlyp9@comcast.net Mary L. Randolph, PRP, CPP-T mlrandolph@msn.com Matthew J. Schafer, PRP matthew.j.schafer@gmail.com Citizen's Guide to Effective Conduct of Public Meetings Using Parliamentary Procedure and Robert's Rules of Order in Washington State @2017. All rights reserved. Quras s i ParliamentMastering meetings using Robert's Rules Running Effective Council Meetings Using Robert's Rules Ann G. Macfarlane Professional Registered Parliamentarian Edmonds City Council February 7, 2020 Edmonds, Washington www.jurassicparliament.com JURASSIC PARLIAMENT SYLLABUS EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL RETREAT FRI DAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 Introduction 2:00 pm 10 min Four fundamental guidelines 2:10 pm 15 min Point of Order and Appeal 2:25 pm 10 min EXERCISE Table discussion 2:35 pm 10 min IV• Making and processing motions 2:45 pm 15 min EXERCISE Script reading 3:00 pm 15 min V• Conclusion 3:15 pm 15 min Adjourn 3:30 pm 1. SLIDES Jurassic Parliament Maste. ng meN ngsusing Rob rt's Rules Running Effective Council Meetings Using Robert's Rules Ann G. Macfarlane, Professional Registered Parliamentarian Jurassic Parliament City Council Retreat Edmonds, Washington Friday, February 7, 2020 1 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meHingsusing Rob rt's Rules Our topics I. Introduction II. Four fundamental guidelines III. Point of Order and Appeal IV. Making and processing motions V. Conclusion 2 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meH ngs using Rob rt's Rules I. Introduction Why are we here? To inspire you to run effective council meetings using four fundamental guidelines. 3 1 rss Disclaimer material contained in thisentation is based upon the and practices of parliamentary ure. I am not an attorney and in this presentation constitutes legal advice. 4 Jurassic Parliament gmertingsusing gob rt's cu II. Four fundamental guidelines r damental guideline #1 2 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meNingsusing Rob rt's Rules Accountability Hierarchy BOSS x x x x x x x x x II Jurassic Parliament e11n9mertin91-9 Robert's Ru Voluntary Association x x x H LEADER x x� x x x 9 8 Jurassic Parliament Maa e.ing meMmgs using Rob rt's Rules You have both types of structure • The council forms a voluntary association. • The mayor and staff form an accountability hierarchy. I 3 tikti�l Jil LEGISLATION is the prerogative of the council. Mayor supports council, but does not decide. W] ADMINISTRATION is the prerogative of the mayor. Council may not interfere. 11 r Key Point ember has an equal right to nd to try to persuade others to accept their view. 12 S r Key Point During meetings, chair controls the process roup can make the decisions. 13 Jurassic Parliament nng mertingsusing Rob rt's Ru Fundamental guideline #1 During meetings, the chair is the servant of the group, and the group is the final authority. ,4 14 Jurassic Parliament gmeMmgs using Rob rt's Ru All members of a governing board share in a joint and collective authority which exists and can be exercised only when the group is in session. The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure ,5 15 5 r damental guideline #2 16 r rinciple of Equality embers have equal rights, vileges and obligations. 17 r Key Point ssion in council meetings NOT A CONVERSATION. BATE and has its own rules. 18 0 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meNingsusing Rob rt's Rules Fundamental guideline #2 No one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes to do so has spoken once. 19 Jurassic Parliament—te11n9m-91-9 Robert's RWes How to do this? • Seek recognition before speaking. • No one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes to do so has spoken once. • No sidebar conversations or whispering. • NO INTERRUPTING! • Speak to the chair (optional). 20 Jurassic Parliament —telig Mmgs using Robert§ Rules Fundamental guideline #3 21 7 Jurassic Parliament Masteang meN ngsusing Rob rt's Rules Inappropriate remarks • It is a basic principle of parliamentary procedure that debate must be "germane" (relevant) to the topic at hand. • Certain kinds of remarks are inappropriate because they are not relevant to the discussion. %Ji Jurassic Parliament Mastering mertingsusing Rob rt's Rules These remarks are inappropriate 1. Personal remarks about other members (except for conflict of interest) 2. Discourteous remarks —insulting language, attacks 3. Inflammatory language 4. Criticizing past actions of the group (unless subject is under discussion, or member is about to propose to amend or rescind the action at the end of their speech) 5. Remarks that are not germane (relevant) to the discussion 23 Jurassic Parliament Maa e.ing meHMgs using Rob rt's Ru es Fundamental guideline #3 Courtesy and respect are required. 24 Jurassic Parliament Bm¢M ngxuxing ¢ub rt§¢ul¢x Who decides? • If any question arises whether a remark is appropriate or not, or a comment is germane, the chair rules, subject to appeal. • The chair may also turn immediately to the group to ask the members to decide. • Ultimately it is the GROUP'S CALL. zs 25 Jura sic Parfi!.r Ennt ,a... CHEAT SHEET WAIT! WAITI WHAT SHOULD I SAY? BIG MISTAKES ¢aau.nuicaay,. •nax. man r- eauom �x.a. ...y- ,av=axm¢am.a � inamv wno.iarea ieomenarew veax. nrv� ��gm� aeaic�smAn��m.n e va�aahxeemuga aaarcw x Ism vv nal m.<bm��rc, wmnaeryma,�m,vao,mmaa w� ,s�anv m I�mnvvurnal v e n<x • a.cryrtnmymmim,mpaug moms. i.ku gsrotanwm. nMare r�nw IWITRORRIATE REMARKSa�,re w¢a.w¢a ny, unpm¢enwxaiwea ryme avn.nn¢ns.m.yb n.¢vananan pau yameei �¢.wmiwette w mmprep a, —a' mmamh reamers e. Note that this is proprietary information. Do not duplicate. 26 Jurassic Parliament Inappropriate Remarks on Local Government Councils lfyou serve as an elected offidal ona local governmentcouncil or board, you should Intow the types ofrem b that are inappropriate during discussionata meeting. Roberts Roles oforderandtbe commonparGamemarylawitis base donrequire than •Members ofa—dl o,boardea stbe courteous toone another. 27 Inappropriate Remarks — Council What's wrong with these remarks? Each remark below is wrong in at least one category, and some more than one. Indicate the numbers that apply. 1. Personal remarks about other members 2. Discourteous remarks — insulting language, attacks, profanity 3. Inflammatory language 4. Criticizing past actions of the group (unless subject is under discussion, or you are going to propose a change at the end of your speech.) 5. Remarks that are not germane (relevant) to the discussion REMARK NUMBER The Mayor is a senior citizen. think that the vote we took earlier today was very unfortunate and will come back to bite us. A huge increase like that will hit our residents hard. We're going to suffer in the public opinion polls for this. Did you see that article in the paper about the Distinguished Mustache Society? They looked so cute in their fancy mustaches and straw hats! They reminded me of my grandpa and the happy days when I was a young tyke. That transfer of money between funds last year was never approved by this council. If there had been EMBEZZLEMENT going on, we would have failed in our duty as public servants. am sick and tired of the negative attitude you bring to our issues. It's people like you who keep us from attracting the best and the brightest to run for this council. © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. Jurassic Parliament Mastering meN ngsusing Rob rt's Rules Important note • We are speaking here about discussion within council and committee meetings. • These prohibitions DO NOT APPLY to the public when they are giving public comment. • See our blog post, Danger Will Robinson: Public Comment Ahead! 00 Jurassic Parliament Mastering mertingsusing Rob rt's Rules Fundamental guideline #4 One thing at a time. 29 Jurassic Parliament Masse. ng meMMgs using Rob rt's Ru es • One thing at a time. • When a topic is under consideration, discussion must be germane. • Deliberate action is necessary to turn to another topic. 30 10 r Language tip rs will kindly keep their remarks y to the topic under discussion. 31 rOne ent gmertingsusing gob rt's cu ur fundamental guidelines chair is the servant of the group, and the group e final authority. embers have equal rights, privileges and ations. To ensure this, no one may speak a nd time until everyone who wishes to do so has en. tesy and respect are essential at all times. thing at a time. 32 33 11 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meN ngsusing Rob rt's Rules III. Point of Order and Appeal 34 Jurassic Parliament Mastering mertingsusing Rob rt's Rules Point of Order • A motion claiming that a procedural mistake has been made. • According to Robert, can be made only by a member. • We recommend authorizing staff to do so also. • Public may not raise a Point of Order. • May interrupt a speaker if necessary. • Must be timely — made at the time of the offense. 35 Jurassic Parliament Masse. ng meMMgs using Rob rt's Ru es Process Point of Order 1. Member: Point of Order! 2. Chair: State your point. 3. Member: That remark breaks our rule against interrupting. 4. Chair: The point is well taken. Members will refrain from interrupting each other. 36 12 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meHingsusing Rob rt's Rules When in doubt, ask the group! • Chair can always ask the group to decide if a point of order is correct ("well -taken") or not. EA Jurassic Parliament M teringme 91u 9Robert's RWes Chair doesn't have to say "Point of Order" • The chair has the duty of maintaining order and decorum, so doesn't need to say "Point of Order." Just needs to take appropriate action. 38 Jurassic Parliament Mast ring meHingsu9ng Rob rt's Rules Chair subject to same rules • If the chair breaks one of the rules, a member may raise a Point of Order. • The chair rules on own behavior, which seems odd, but is the way the system works. 39 13 Jurassic Parliament Masteang meN ngsusing Rob rt's Rules No further discussion • Once the chair has issued a ruling, there is no more discussion or debate on the matter. • The only allowable discussion is to appeal the ruling. Ui] Jurassic Parliament Mastering me bngsusing Rob rt's Rula Chair's rulings can be appealed The CHAIR enforces order and decorum. The GROUP is the final authority. Any TWO MEMBERS can appeal a ruling of the chair (one member appeals and one seconds the appeal). • EXCEPTION: If the ruling is a matter of fact on which there cannot be two interpretations, the ruling cannot be appealed. 41 Jurassic Parliament Maa e.ing me mgs using Robert§ Rules Explaining the Appeal • Chair must take care in explaining vote to members. • Basic principle: The chair's ruling stands until it is overturned. • The question being voted on is, "Shall the decision of the chair be SUSTAINED? 42 14 Jurassic Parliament gmeM ngsus ng kub rt's cu es Confusing! • It takes a NEGATIVE vote for the Appeal to win. • A majority vote in favor of sustaining the chair's ruling, or a tie, means that the chair's ruling stands. • The chair may vote on the Appeal. 43 Jurassic Parliament Mastering mertingsusing gob rt's rules Process Appeal 1. Member A: Appeal! 2. Member B: Second! 3. Chair: The chair's ruling has been appealed and seconded. The members will decide. All those who believe the ruling should be sustained, please say ,Aye 4. Members in favor: Aye! 44 Jurassic Parliament Maa e.ing meMMgs using gob rt's cu es Process Appeal 5. Chair: All those who believe the ruling should NOT be sustained, please say No. 6. Members opposed: No! 7. Chair: The ayes have it and the ruling is sustained, OR The noes have it and the ruling is not sustained. 45 15 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meN ngsusing Rob rt's Rulez Further points • Point of Order is made by one member, but an Appeal needs a second. • Appeals pertainingto decorum or the order of business cannot be debated. • When an appeal can be debated, the process is different from anything else in Robert's Rules. • Point of Order and Appeal are processed immediately. No other business can take place until they are dealt with. 46 Jurassic Parliament Point of Order and Appeal are the heart of democracy J1 L Lqq ti ourhew, thernorT PointdOrderand Appeal aretheheartdour demomq.. Theyprovlde the 47 Jurassic Parliament nng meetlng uvng Roben, Ruiee SAMPLE DISCUSSION GUIDELINES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Permission isgranted to modhtheseguidelines as yourorganization prefers. Note that these guidelines refer to discussion within the body, not to comment by the public. 1. The chair of the meeting runs the meeting in the service ofthe body The chair serves as the facilitator for the meeting and has the primary responsibility for maintaining order. The chair may take part in discussion, but may not answer each individual speaker back, nor lecture or criticize the members. W hen discussing substantive questions, the chair will usually speak and vote, if entitled to do so, after others have spoken. 48 16 j411 u rassic ParliamentMastering meetings using Robert's Rules SAMPLE DISCUSSION GUIDELINES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Permission is granted to modify these guidelines as your organization prefers. Note that these guidelines refer to discussion within the body, not to comment by the public. The chair of the meeting runs the meeting in the service of the body. The chair serves as the facilitator for the meeting and has the primary responsibility for maintaining order.The chair maytake part in discussion, but may not answer each individual speaker back, nor lecture or criticize the members. When discussing substantive questions, the chair will usually speak and vote, if entitled to do so, after others have spoken. Members will give their full attention to their colleagues and will put away their cell phones, unless in an emergency situation. All members have equal rights, privileges and obligations.To ensure this, no one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes to do so has spoken once. 4. Members will seek recognition from the chair before speaking. In general, interrupting is not allowed. If necessaryto enforce a guideline,the chair may interrupt a member.A member may interrupt a speaker in order to make a Point of Order, which should be done infrequently. During business meetings all remarks must be addressed to the chair, and members may not speak directly to each other. 6. During work study sessions or committee meetings, members may speak in conversational mode, in which members speak without recognition and to each other. The chair will ensure that everyone has an equal chance to speak and that no one person dominates the discussion. www.jurassicparliament.com 7. Members may address presenters directly once recognized by the chair. Questions for presenters or staff may not become lengthy exchanges. 8. Discussion should be focused on the issues at hand and remarks must be relevant. Members may not paraphrase other members.The body is the final authority as to whether remarks are permissible. 9. Remarks must be courteous and respectful. Personal remarks about other members are not allowed, except for conflict of interest issues. Insults, personal attacks, vulgarity or obscenity, or inflammatory language are not allowed. Members may not criticize the body. 10. Remarks criticizing past actions of the body are not allowed, unless the body as a whole is discussing the topic, or the member is about to introduce a motion to amend or rescind the action at the end of their speech. 11. A member may not speak against their own motion. If discussion has changed a member's mind, the member may ask permission to withdraw the motion. 12. If a guideline is broken or a question arises as to whether a remark is allowed under the guidelines, a member may make a Point of Order.The chair rules, subject to Appeal.The chair may also turn to the body immediately to decide the matter.A Point of Order must be made at the time of the offense. 13. Individual speeches are limited to a maximum of 5 minutes.The body may adopt a shorter limit, or an overall time limit for a given topic, by a two-thirds vote without debate. If a speaker runs over the limit,the chair will interrupt and request that they conclude their remarks. 14. The motion "Previous Ouestion" or "Call the Question" requires a second and a two- thirds vote, without debate, in order to cut off discussion and vote immediately on the pending motion. Members may not call out "Question!" but must be recognized in orderto make this motion. 15. These guidelines are in effect unless superseded by law, regulation, or adopted policy. Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, iith edition is the parliamentary authority. Sample Discussion Guidelines for Local Governments © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. P.O. Box 77553, Seattle, WA 98177 TEL 206.542.8422 I EMAIL info@jurassicparliament.com www. jurassicparliament.com I Jurassic I Parliament mgm Hngsus ng kub rt'scW.. IV. Making and processing motions 49 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meHingsusing gob rt's rules Main Motion Tyrannosaurus rex • For public bodies, a main motion is the usual and customary way to start the action of discussion and decision -making. • It is also allowable to have discussion before a motion is moved. Jurassic Parliament recommends moving the motion BEFORE discussing it whenever possible. 50 Jurassic Parliament Mast ring meH ngsu9ng aob rt's aides Main Motion We recommend this sequence: • Staff presents proposal in writing and answers any questions. • Public comment is taken (if that is your process). • Motion is moved and seconded. • Members discuss motion and may amend it. • Members vote on motion. 51 17 Jurassic Parliament Masteang meN ngsusing Rob rt's Rules Characteristics of Main Motion • It should be in writing if at all possible (project on screen, use 3-part form). • It should be clear and unambiguous. Don't say, "I move what he just said" or "so moved" • It should be phrased in the grammatical positive. • It must comply with the bylaws and the procedural law of the land. • You can have only one main motion at a time. M Jurassic Parliament Mastering mertingsusing Rob rt's Rules How do you introduce a Main Motion? Three little words: I MOVE THAT 53 Jurassic Parliament Maa e.ing meMMgs using Rob rt's Ru es Don't mix up your ideas with the motion I've been thinking about the delinquent dinosaurs and really, after all, it's a shame, and 1 move that we take whatever steps we can, perhaps we ought to coordinate with County Welfare, so whatever we do will be effective, and in any case we have to reach out to dinosaurs of all species, not just the big ones, and ensure that they receive the services. 54 im r t the exact motion clearly hat we establish a program to serve nt dinosaurs, and consult with the County Board to make sure that all delinquent rs receive services, and that all species are erved. 55 rcan request a moment to write it down a few minutes to write this motion down? lso request that motion be written. 56 r ntg debate, you can say more ly a shame that we have so many delinquent rs, and we want to make sure that whatever e take are effective. Coordinating with the Welfare Board will make our program more and productive. 1feel very strongly about this rge my colleagues to support this motion. 57 19 58 59 Jurassic Parliament gmeM ngsus ng kub rt's cu es Second the motion • You "second a motion" to show that you would like to talk about it. • No need to be recognized. Just call out "second." • It is OK to second a motion you disagree with, if you want to explain why it's a bad idea. Jurassic Parliament Mastering mertingsusing gob rt's rules If no second... • If there is no second, the chair says, "There being no second, the motion will not be considered" • Then moves immediately to next item of business. Jurassic Parliament Maa e.ing meMMgs using g.b rt's cu es Eight steps to process a motion 1. Member makes motion. 2. Another member seconds motion. 3. Chair states motion. 4. Members debate and/or amend motion. 5. Chair restates motion and calls for vote. 6. Members vote on motion. 7. Chair states results of vote, whether motion passes or fails, and what happens next. 8. Chair states next item of business. 20 j491urassic Parliament Mastering meetings using Robert's Rules Eight Steps To Process A Motion Member A: I move that we hold a cruise on Dino Bay. Member B: I second the motion! Chair: It has been moved and seconded that we hold a cruise on Dino Bay. We will now debate the motion. [debate] Chair: Are you ready to vote? The motion is that we hold a cruise on Dino Bay. All those in favor say "aye." All those opposed say "no." The "ayes" have it, the motion passes, and we will hold a cruise on Dino Bay. The Social Committee will make the plans for this event. Our next item of business is... Eight steps to process a motion 1. Member makes a 2. Another 3. Chair states 4. Members 5. Chair restates 6. Members seconds motion. on motion. and/or amend motion. and calls for the vote. 7. Chair states results of vote, whether motion what happens as result of vote. 8. Chair states next item of In taking the vote, the presider must call for the legitimate. ,and or the vote is not The presider has a duty to make things clear so that members understand what they are doing. © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. P.O. Box 77553, Seattle, WA 98177 TEL 206.542.8422 I EMAIL info@jurassicparliament.com www. jurassicparliament.com i Jurassic Parliament mgm Mngsus ng gub rt's cuiea Amendment Dimetrodon • You amend a motion to improve it. • The Amendment applies to the main motion. • The Amendment must be germane (relevant). • Anyone may move to amend, even the person who made the motion. Ju"rassic Parliament Mastering me ingsusing gob rt's cu es Four ways to amend 1. Add or insert words. 2. Strike out words. 3. Strike out words and insert words in their place. 4. Substitute (tricky!). 62 Jurassic Parliament Maa e.ing meMMgs using gob rt's cu ea Process Amendment • The Amendment is processed using the same eight steps that we just saw for a main motion. 63 21 �I 65 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meN ngsusing Rob rt's Rules The challenge is... • We vote on amendments BEFORE we vote on the main motion, in order to make the main motion as good as possible —to PERFECT the motion. Jurassic Parliament Mastering meHingsusing Rob rt's Rules Fate of the Amendment • People sometimes get confused, and don't realize that after voting on the amendment, the process continues. • Once the fate of the amendment has been decided, debate continues on the main motion. Jurassic Parliament Mastering meH ngs using Rob rt's Rules More amendments are possible... • Once you've dealt with one amendment, you may have others... • provided that they apply to a different aspect of the main motion. • It takes special actions (reconsideration) to go back and change something we've already amended. 22 r e process continues mendments have been processed, still must vote on the AMENDED TION. M Jurassic Parliament nng mertingsusing Rob rt's Ru Keep in touch! • You are invited to subscribe to our mailing list. • We publish a free monthly e-newsletter, weekly blog posts, and occasional other messages. • Schedule a free telephone call on our website. • Email any time. www.jurassicparliament.com -nt.com 206-542-8422 68 r�7 W 23 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meN ngsusing Rob rt's Rules V. Conclusion 70 Jurassic Parliament Mastering mertingsusing Rob rt's Rules Note on role of chair • Robert has different rules for small boards (up to about 12 people). • In a small board, chair may make motions, discuss, and vote, unless law, regulations or bylaws say otherwise. • We recommend chair exercise restraint by speaking and voting last, and by refraining from making motions (this is a Jurassic Parliament suggestion). 71 Jurassic Parliament Masse. ng meMMgs using Rob rt's Ru es Strong mayor as chair • A strong mayor does not make motions. • By custom in Washington State, a strong mayor may participate in discussion. • However, the mayor may not interrupt members, lecture or criticize them, or attempt to dominate the discussion. • The mayor may break a tie EXCEPT for three circumstances. 72 24 raa gmeN ngsusing Rob rt's Rules or cannot break tie for an ordinance.vocation of a franchise or license. for the payment of money. 73 CITIZEN'S GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE CONDUCT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS USING PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE AND ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER IN WASHINGTON STATE 'this guide has been prepared to assist citizens and residents who want to know the expectations for public 74 raagmeMmgs using Rob rt's Ru Y do we need these rules? ose is the only game most of us . We have a constant unspoken need tion and actually find no enjoyment in win/win situations. Richard Rohr 75 25 Jurassic Parliament Masterng meN ngsusing Rob rt's Rules Three things you must have: 1. Knowledge of how this system works 2. A majority on your council in favor of civility and this system. 3. The personal moxie, chutzpah, energy and drive to put it all into practice. Jurassic Parliament Mastering meHingsusing Rob rt's Rules Chair must control who speaks when • The chair serves as a BENEVOLENT DICTATOR, enforcing the rules the group has chosen. • Individual members must SEEK RECOGNITION before speaking. 77 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meH ngs using Rob rt's Rules Chair controls who speaks when • If someone speaks up without being recognized, STOP THEM. • If someone speaks out of turn, INTERRUPT THEM. • If someone makes insulting remarks, CUT THEM OFF. 78 26 79 Jurassic Parliament gmeM ngsus ng kub rt's cu es HOW to control? The chair should never get excited. Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 11°M1 edition, p. 466 Jurassic Parliament Mastering mertingsusing gob rt's rules Why are we here? To inspire you to run effective council meetings using four fundamental guidelines. IJurassic Maa I Parliament se.ng meMMgs using gobert's c��ea Four fundamental guidelines 1. The chair is the servant of the group, and the group is the final authority. 2. All members have equal rights, privileges and obligations. To ensure this, no one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes to do so has spoken. 3. Courtesy and respect are essential at all times. 4. One thing at a time. 81 27 -1 4urassic Parliament Follow four fundamental guidelines for successful meetings Wb—RWe, ofordainclud,, fomfuMame Wguiddinestiaas will creare svccessfulmeeting, illy are easy sn say bu r ra ke scone eff—. appl, siaue prevailing c Wiwe is often —y Mferem. Retry —meetings according ru shese guidelines soyour meetings —a ymv organization—wJl ❑—,h. 82 Jurassic Parliament Mastering me ingsusing gob rt's rules Rules are proxies for values • They are necessary but limited. • They are based on the past. • They are always approximate. • Always look to the value that underlies the rule. Source: How by Dov Seidman 83 IJurassic Maa I Parliament gmeMMgs using go —gees What is the key value in Robert? R E S P E C T 84 Jurassic Parliament Mastering meNingsusing Rob rt's Rules Treat your colleagues with respect • And if you don't respect them... 85 Jurassic Parliament—teringmertings using Robert's RWes Central paradox • The chair is the most important person in the room, AND the least important person in the room. • The chair must be strict on process — a "benevolent dictator." • The chair is not responsible for the decision that the group makes. • The chair is the servant of the group, and the group is the final authority. Jurassic Parliament —telig ,—gs using Robert§ Rules Disclaimer: Nothing in this presentation constitutes business or legal advice. © Jurassic Parliament 2020. All rights reserved. PO Box 77553, Seattle, WA 98177 Tel: 206-542-8422 Email: ann@iurassicoarliament.com Web: www.iurassicoarlia ment.com 87 29 2. SCRIPTS PICKLE FESTIVAL PRACTICE SCRIPT 6 attendees: chair, chamber of commerce (COC) president, chef, knitter, sheriff, TV anchor [Note that the numbers are a substitute for being recognized.] 1. chair Does any member care to make a motion? 2. chef I move that we hold a pickle festival this summer! 3. president Second! Very well, the main motion has been moved and seconded that we hold a pickle festival this summer. 4. chair The person who makes the motion has the right to speak first. Do you care to speak to your motion? The North Carolina Pickle Festival has been a success for the last 22 years. They have an antique car show, a bicycle "Tour de Pickle," an event where you learn how 5. chef to pack pickles in a jar, and tons of great pickle foods. This will bring many dinosaurs into town and increase our visibility. 6. chair Further discussion? Ruin our reputation is more like it! This seems like a 7. sheriff way to make the City of Dinopolis the target of everybody's jokes! I'm against this idea. Quirky events have been doing pretty well in our coc region. I'd like to give this a try. However, I move to a. president amend the motion by striking the words "this summer" and inserting the words "next summer." 9. knitter Second! 10. chair It has been moved and seconded that we amend the motion by striking the words "this summer" and adding the words "next summer." Do you care to speak to your motion? coc It seems like a good idea to me, but we need more time 11. president to plan if we're going to make it a success. That is certainly a consideration. I'm in favor of the 12. knitter amendment. Is there any further discussion? [pause] Hearing none, we'll take the vote. It has been proposed to amend the motion by striking the words "this summer" and inserting the words "next summer." If this amendment 13. chair passes, the motion will read: "that we hold a pickle festival next summer." All those in favor of amending the motion by striking the words "this summer" and inserting the words "next summer," please say "aye." 14. everyone Aye! All those opposed, please say "no." [pause] The "ayes" have it and the motion passes. The motion is amended 15. chair to read "that we hold a pickle festival next summer." Further discussion on the main motion as amended? would like to amend the motion by adding the words, 16. TV anchor "And use the slogan, 'The Dinopolis Pickle Festival is kind of a big dill."' 17. chef Second! The Chair didn't hear the amendment; would the 18. chair member please repeat it? Yes, I said, "And use the slogan, 'The Dinopolis Pickle 19. TV anchor Festival is kind of a big dill."' © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. 20. chair The last word is spelled "D — E — A — L," is that correct? 21. TV anchor No, it's a pun — the word is spelled "D — I — L — L." Thank you, Council Member. So it has been moved and seconded that we amend the motion by adding the 22. chair words, "And use the slogan, 'The Dinopolis Pickle Festival is kind of a big dill."' Discussion? The clever pun in this slogan will make people laugh 23. TV anchor and pay more attention to the festival. Well, lots of people hate puns! This will just turn them 24. knitter off. It seems to me that it would make sense to wait until coc we decided whether we're having a festival at all, and 25. president then leave the marketing experts to decide about the details of slogans and such. agree with the Chamber of Commerce president on 26. sheriff this. Oh well, if you're going to be that way about it, I ask 27. TV anchor permission to withdraw my motion to amend. Is there any objection if the TV anchor withdraws the motion to amend? [pouse] Hearing none, the 28. chair amendment is withdrawn. Clerk, please note that motions that are withdrawn are not included in the minutes. We are now discussing the main motion as amended, 29. chair namely, that we hold a pickle festival next summer. © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. Chair, I think we should have a bigger festival than just 30. knitter pickles. I move to amend the motion by inserting the words "and yarn" after the word "pickle." 31. chair Is there a second? [pause] There being no second, the motion to amend will not 32. chair be taken up. But that's not fair! I have just as much right to suggest 33. knitter a yarn festival as the chef has to propose a pickle festival. Under Robert's Rules of Order, a motion has to be "seconded" before the group can spend time on it. Since no one seconded this motion, it means that only 34. chair one person wants to discuss this idea. Broadening the festival to include yarn is not something that we can discuss at this time. 35. TV anchor Point of Information, chair. 36. chair State your question. Just what kind of pickley foods would we offer at this 37. TV anchor festival? 38. chair Chef, can you answer that question? In North Carolina they have pickle chips and pickle popcorn and pickle pizza and deep-fried pickles, and 39. chef also pickle ice cream and pickle sno-cones and pickle pretzels. Do we have any evidence that these foods are 40. TV anchor attractive to dinosaurs? I think that they taste too sour and acidic for our dinosaur population to enjoy. © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. Well, once you deep-fry pickles, or put them in 41. chef pizzas, they lose their acidic quality. That seems pretty dubious to me. Speaking personally, I hate pickles! Also sauerkraut and 42. TV anchor kimchi and sushi and pickled fish and herrings... YUCK! 43. coc president Point of Order, Chair! 44. chair State your point. According to Robert's Rules of Order, no one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes to do coc so has spoken once. Also, it seems to me that remarks 45. president about one's personal preferences are not germane or relevant here. We should be discussing the merits of the motion. The point is well taken! Each person has a chance to speak once before anyone may speak twice, and we 46. chair should be talking only about whether a pickle festival is a good idea, not our personal taste. Is there further discussion on the main motion? just wonder about why the chef is proposing this motion. It seems to me that it's a conflict of interest for 47. sheriff the chef to propose something that involves cooking, since that's how they make their living. Under Robert's Rules of Order, "conflict of Interest" refers to a specific personal interest, usually financial. 48. chair Members are free to propose actions that benefit an entire group of which they are a member. There are many chefs in our city. © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. coc I think that the sheriff is just saying that because the 49 president chef broke off their engagement last year. 50. TV anchor Point of Order! 51. chair State your point! Under Robert's Rules, personal remarks like that are 52. TV anchor NOT allowed! [glaring at the COC president and speaking firmly] The 53. Chair point is well taken. As Robert's Rules says, "Speak to issues, not to personalities." [say this loudly and with emphasis] I move to amend 54. knitter the motion by deleting the word "pickle" and inserting the word "knitting." An amendment was proposed earlier to add "yarn" to the festival. It was not seconded and therefore was not taken up. The chair will rule that a "knitting" festival is 55. chair essentially the same thing as a "yarn" festival. Since the group already declined to address such a proposal earlier in the meeting, this amendment is not in order and will not be taken up. [make a circling motion with your finger on the side of your head as you say this] I wish people wouldn't get all 56. sheriff riled up about their ideas. It seems kind of obsessive to me. The member is reminded that insulting remarks or body language are not allowed under Robert's Rules of 57. chair Order. Members will kindly show respect and courtesy to their fellow council members, AT ALL TIMES! © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. 58. coc president I call the question! 59. knitter Second! The question has been called. As you know, if this motion passes, it means that we will stop debate 60. chair immediately and vote on the question before us, namely, to hold a pickle festival next summer. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. chair, chef, 61. coc president, [Raise your right hand.] knitter Thank you, hands down. All those opposed please raise 62. chair your right hand. 63. sheriff [Raise your right hand.] Thank you, hands down. There are four in favor and 64. chair one against, which is more than two-thirds, so we will vote immediately on the main motion. Chair, I have a question about parliamentary 65. knitter procedure. 66. chair State your question. Why did you take that vote by asking us to raise our 67. knitter hands, instead of just saying "aye" or "no?" It seems like it wastes time to vote that way. Robert's Rules of Order says that a two-thirds vote must be taken when member rights are limited or 68. chair extended. Shortening the time for discussion limits member rights. And it's hard to tell two-thirds by voice, so the vote must be taken another way. © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. 69. knitter Thank you for that explanation, Chair. 70. chef Chair, I move to recess for 10 minutes. The motion to recess is allowed while a vote on the 71. chair main motion is pending. Is there any objection if we recess for 10 minutes? [pause] 72. coc president OBJECTION! Very well, we don't have unanimous consent to 73. chair recess for 10 minutes, so we'll take a vote. coc Just a minute, I need to explain why we shouldn't 74. president take a recess right now. Sorry, the motion to recess cannot be debated. All 75. chair those in favor of recessing for 10 minutes, please say "aye." chef, 76. knitter, Aye! sheriff, TV anchor 77. chair All those opposed, please say "no." 78. COC NO. president 79. chair There is a majority in favor so the motion passes. [say this in a disagreeable tone] Chair, I feel like all coc these rules are tying us up in knots. They're making 80 president our meetings waaaay too complicated. You're just a DICTATOR WITH A GAVEL, Chair. The chair will rule that the words "dictator with a 81. chair gavel" are an insult and may not be used. We are now in recess for ten minutes. © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. AFTER THE RECESS So when we left off, we were just about to take a vote 82. chair on the main motion. Chair, during the recess, I researched some new info 83. chef about pickles. I'd like to share it with you all. Unfortunately once the call for the question has been approved, no further debate is in order. All those in 84. chair favor of holding a pickle festival next summer, please say "aye." chef, TV 85. anchor, coc Aye! president Those opposed, please say "no" [pause]. The ayes have 86. chair it and we will hold a pickle festival next summer. Wait a minute, only three people voted! Three is not a 87. sheriff majority of six. Under Robert's Rules, ordinary motions are decided by a majority of votes cast and abstentions are not 88. chair counted. Three people voted and three people abstained. Since three votes were cast, and three is a majority of three, the motion is approved. Finally! What a lot of maneuvering we went through — 89. knitter all for this silly proposal of a "pickle festival." The member is reminded that once a vote has been taken and the result announced, no further discussion 90. chair is allowed. There being no further business, this meeting is adjourned. © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. 3. REFERENCE j491 u rassic ParliamentMastering meetings using Robert's Rules Fol low fou r f u nda menta guidelines for successful meetings Gig Harbor, Washington City Council. ©Jurassic Parliament 2018. Robert's Rules of order includes four fundamental guidelines that will create successful meetings. They are easy to say but take some effort to apply, since prevailing culture is often very different. Run your meetings according to these guidelines so your meetings —and your organization —will flourish. I. The person running the meeting is the servant of the group, and the group is the final authority. We are so used to our work situation, where the "boss" is in charge of the "employees," that we often bring the same habits of mind to meetings of nonprofit boards, city councils, and other volunteer organizations. But in a board of directors or a council, all the members have equal standing. They are peers, and the leader is one among equals. The chair has special duties to RUN the meeting, but does not determine the OUTCOME of the meeting. It is the group that must decide what it wishes to do. It is the chair's duty to assist the group in this task. And the group has the ability to overturn a decision or ruling made by the chair. Read about Point of order and Appeal on our website to learn how this is done. www.jurassicr II. All members have equal rights, privileges and obligations. To ensure this, no one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes to do so has spoken once. Every member of a board has an equal right to speak. In practice, however, boards often discuss their affairs in conversational mode. And in conversations, dominant people tend to dominate, and agreeable people tend to let them. This often leads to a few people dominating the discussion, which is not fair and can lead to poor outcomes. Your quiet, introverted members have important insights that need to be heard. If you adopt and apply the rule that no one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes to do so has spoken once, you will find that your meetings take on an entirely different nature —for the better! III. Courtesy and respect are required at all times. In these difficult times, people can be loud, rude and disorderly at meetings. Your chair and your members must insist on courtesy and respect at all times. These are not frills, but vital to the democratic process. No personal remarks, no insulting language, no attacks, no interrupting, no sidebar conversations, no disrespectful body language. If this happens, gently but firmly put a stop to it. Read about inappropriate remarks on our website (local government here and nonprofit boards here). IV. One thing at a time When a group is discussing a certain item, it must stick with that item, or make a conscious decision to set it aside to deal with something else. You can't slip from one topic to another, but must be deliberate in how and when you address each issue. Create a thoughtful agenda, time each item, and follow the agenda with flexible care. Try these four guidelines, which we explain in greater detail in our book, and see what a difference they make to your meetings. Follow four fundamental guidelines for successful meetings @ Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. TERMS OF USE This article is provided for personal use. The user may not modify, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer or sell any information or services contained in this publication or obtained from our website, or use the content of our website for public or commercial purposes, including anytext, images, audio orvideo,withoutthewritten permission of Jurassic Parliament.Jurassic Parliament reserves the right to update our website at any time without notice to you. If you would like to use or quote this material for any purpose other than expressly as authorized herein, contact the Jurassic Parliament office. DISCLAIMER This material is provided for general educational purposes. Jurassic Parliament makes no representation about the suitability of the information contained in the documents and related graphics published as part of these services for any purpose. All such documents and related graphics are provided "as is"without warranty of any kind.Jurassic Parliament hereby disclaims all warranties and conditions with regard to this information, including all warranties and conditions of merchantability, whether express, implied or statutory, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non -infringement. Nothing written here constitutes legal or business advice. Readers with specific questions are advised to seek an appropriate credentialed authority to address their issues. P.O. Box 77553, Seattle, WA 98177 TEL 206.542.8422 I EMAIL info@jurassicparliament.com www. jurassicparliament.com j491 u rassic ParliamentMastering meetings using Robert's Rules Inappropriate Remarks on Local Government Councils If you serve as an elected official on a local government council or board, you should know the types of remarks that are inappropriate during discussion at a meeting. Robert's Rules of Order and the common parliamentary law it is based on require that: ■ Members of a council or board must be courteous to one another. ■ They must speak to the issues, and not to personalities. ■ They must stay on topic, and keep their remarks relevant to the item at issue. / Why are these remarks inappropriate? A list of inappropriate remarks is given below. They are inappropriate because they are considered to be "not germane" (irrelevant) to discussion. We are offering parliamentary information here, and nothing in this paper constitutes legal advice. It is a fact, however, that courts have affirmed the right of councils and boards to define the frame of reference for their discussions, and to require elected members of the council or board to keep their remarks "germane" (relevant). List of inappropriate remarks that are not germane under Robert's Rules of Order i. Personal remarks - remarks that pertain to an individual's appearance, background, ethnicity or other personal aspects, rather than their views on issues. 2. Insults, obscenity, vulgarity and personal attacks. 3. Inflammatory language - remarks that incite high emotions rather than addressing the issues. 4. Criticizing past actions of the group, with two exceptions: a. If the group itself is discussing a past action, it is fine to criticize it. b. If the council member intends to propose to "amend" (change) or to "rescind" (cancel out) the action at the end of his speech, they may criticize it during their speech. 5. Remarks that are not "germane" (relevant) to the discussion. www.jurassicparliament.com / Can members of the public make these inappropriate remarks? These restrictions apply to discussion by the members of the council or board themselves, and not to the public. When citizens or residents offer public comment, they have greater freedom than the elected officials. The council may set time limits for public comment, or require that public comment be limited to a subject under discussion by the council or board. However, any such restrictions must be "viewpoint neutral." Under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, councils may not discriminate in favor of one point of view over another. / Who decides that a remark is inappropriate? The chair of the meeting has the duty of enforcing the rules and should speak up and stop a council member who makes one of these remarks. If the chair neglects to do this, any council member can raise a Point of Order. When that happens, the chair makes a ruling as to whether the remark can be allowed in discussion. Any two council members can challenge the chair's ruling by appealing it. In that case, the council or board will decide, by majority vote, whether the remark can be made. There are no "parliamentary police" —the council itself interprets its own rules, based on its chosen parliamentary authority, and decides what remarks can be allowed in discussion, and what not. The council is the final authority — subject of course to any legal advice you receive from your attorney. Note that Appeals pertaining to language and decorum may not be debated. It is just a straight up/ down vote. Learn more about Point of Order and Appeal in this blog post. / Where can I find the inappropriate remarks in Robert's Rules of Order? You can find the rules about these remarks in Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, iith edition, the only current authorized version of Robert's Rules, on pages xxxiv, 43, and 392-393• Thank you for your interest in running effective meetings using Robert's Rules of Order. Visit our website, www jurassicparliament.com, for much more information on how to do this. Or contact us at info@jurassicparliament.com or 206-542-8422• We look forward to hearing from you! inappropriate Remarks on Local Government Councils © Jurassic Parliament 2017. All rights reserved. TERMS OF USE This article is provided for personal use. The user may not modify, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer or sell any information or services contained in this publication or obtained from our website, or use the content of our website for public or commercial purposes, including anytext, images, audio orvideo,withoutthewritten permission of Jurassic Parliament.Jurassic Parliament reserves the right to update our website at any time without notice to you. If you would like to use or quote this material for any purpose other than expressly as authorized herein, contact the Jurassic Parliament office. DISCLAIMER This material is provided for general educational purposes. Jurassic Parliament makes no representation about the suitability of the information contained in the documents and related graphics published as part of these services for any purpose. All such documents and related graphics are provided "as is"without warranty of any kind.Jurassic Parliament hereby disclaims all warranties and conditions with regard to this information, including all warranties and conditions of merchantability, whether express, implied or statutory, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non -infringement. Nothing written here constitutes legal or business advice. Readers with specific questions are advised to seek an appropriate credentialed authority to address their issues. P.O. Box 77553, Seattle, WA 98177 TEL 206.542.8422 I EMAIL info@jurassicparliament.com www. jurassicparliament.com j491 u rassic ParliamentMastering meetings using Robert's Rules Point of Order and Appeal are the heart of democracy In our view, the motions Point of order and Appeal are the heart of our democracy. They provide the mechanism to stop a dictatorial chair who is acting like a "boss." They are essential for every local government body, nonprofit board, and any group that functions on democratic principles. Learn how to use them to ensure that the group is the final authority. In this discussion, whenever we say "member," we mean a voting member of the governing body. / What is a Point of Order? Point of order is a motion that requires the chair to abide by the organization's rules or parliamentary rules, or to require another member to abide by the rules. If an error isn't obvious, the member may have to briefly explain how the rules are being broken. This motion is made by just one member and in most circumstances the motion must be made at the time of the rule violation. When this motion is made it immediately and temporarily stops business until the Point of order is ruled on by the chair, who will either agree with the member and enforce the rules, or may disagree with the member. Once the chair rules that the Point of Order was "well taken" (correct) or "not well taken" (incorrect), the business that was interrupted then continues (unless the chair's ruling is immediately appealed). / How does a member raise a Point of Order? The member who sees a rule violation and wants the rule enforced should call out, "Point of Order!" or stand up and say, "I rise to a Point of Order." If necessary, you may interrupt a speaker, but don't do this lightly! www.jurassicparliament.com ► What happens next with a Point of Order? The chair should say, "State your point." The member then explains the problem. Finally, the chair gives a ruling. ■ If the chair agrees with the Point of Order, the chair says, "The point is well taken" and enforces the rule. ■ If the chair disagrees, the chair says, "The point is not well taken," and moves on with the business at hand. / Can a member raise a Point of Order about the chair's actions? Yes. Everyone in the meeting must follow the rules. If this happens, the chair issues a ruling on their own action. ► Cana member of the public or the audience who is not a member of the body raise a Point of Order? No. Only a member of the body itself can raise a Point of Order. ► Sample script for "Point of Order" Member: Chair, I rise to a Point of Order. Chair: State your point. Member: My esteemed colleague has used the term "cream faced loon" in referring to the mayor of Dinoville. Under Robert's Rules of Order, insults are inappropriate. Chair: The point is well taken, and members will refrain from using this term. / What should members do when they disagree with a ruling by the chair? A member can appeal the chair's ruling (which must be seconded). This tells the chair that two members are in disagreement with the chair's interpretation and want the body to decide it for themselves. The motion must be made immediately. If other business intervenes, then it is too late to appeal the chair's decision or ruling. When the Appeal is made, it immediately and temporarily stops the pending business until a decision is reached on the Appeal. After a vote is taken on the Appeal by the members, the business that was interrupted then continues. ► How is an Appeal conducted? A member stands and without waiting to be recognized, says: "I disagree with the ruling by the chair." The chair must recognize an Appeal, even if worded simply as, "I don't think that's right - I disagree with you." The formal wording is, "I appeal from the decision of the chair." The chair then processes the motion, which may or may not be debatable. Read more about how to process a Motion to Appeal, including a sample script, in this this blog post, "Keep the chair in line using Appeal." Many thanks to Beverly Przybylski, PRP, for providing the original content of this paper. Any errors are, of course, the responsibility of Jurassic Parliament. Point of Order and Appeal are the heart of democracy © Jurassic Parliament 2019. All rights reserved. P.O. Box 77553, Seattle, WA 98177 TEL 206.542.8422 I EMAIL info@jurassicparliament.com www.jurassicparliament.com j491urassic Parliament Mastering meetings using Robert's Rules Essential Guidelines for City Councils ment? 1 ©Cityof5horeline Washington 2o18.All rights reserved. Follow these essential guidelines of parliamentary procedure to take the pain out of your meetings, hold productive discussions, and serve your community better. / BASICS A quorum must be present for business to be done. Usually a quorum means a majority (more than half) of the voting members in office. The chair runs the meeting in the service of the council. He is not the "boss" but serves as a facilitator, helping the council to hold free and fair discussion and make good decisions. ordinarily a councilmember must make a motion before any discussion begins. If there is no second, the motion is not taken up. If a member makes a motion to amend the main motion, it is discussed and voted on before the main motion. After amending a motion, a vote must be taken on the main motion as amended. After discussion, the chair calls for the vote and announces the result. The motion passes when a majority of those voting vote in favor, unless state law or your rules of procedure require a higher vote. This is different from the requirement for a quorum. If someone "calls the question," the chair must take a vote on whether to vote now or continue discussion. It takes a 2/3 vote to cut off discussion. -.A www.jurassicparliament.com / DISCUSSION All members have equal rights, privileges and obligations. This means that discussion is not a conversation, but follows some important rules: • The chair recognizes speakers in turn. • No one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes to do so has spoken once. • Interrupting is not allowed. Councilmembers must be courteous and respectful. They may not make inappropriate remarks such as personal remarks, insulting language, or comments that are irrelevant. If a councilmember breaks the rules, the chair may correct him, or another councilmember may raise a point of order. The chair rules as to whether the point is correct, or not. A councilmember who disagrees with a ruling of the chair may appeal it. If another member seconds the appeal, the council decides. The minority must be provided equal opportunity to debate, even if their views are unpopular. However, the decision of the majority voting at a meeting is the decision of the council as a whole. / PUBLIC INPUT Public hearings and other quasi-judicial proceedings must be run according to the requirements of state law. Public comment sessions offer an opportunity for members of the public to inform the council of their views. We recommend not entering into back -and -forth exchanges. Community forums, one-on-one discussion, feedback forms on the website, surveys etc. are better channels for an exchange of views. Under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the public is not bound by the same rules of decorum and courtesy as the councilmembers. The public should not engage in clapping, booing, hissing or other disruptive actions, since they intimidate speakers, may suppress free speech, and impede the work of the council. Essential Guidelines for City Councils © Jurassic Parliament 2018. All rights reserved. TERMS OF USE This article is provided for personal use. The user may not modify, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer or sell any information or services contained in this publication or obtained from our website, or use the content of our website for public or commercial purposes, including anytext, images, audio orvideo,withoutthewritten permission of Jurassic Parliament.Jurassic Parliament reserves the right to update our website at any time without notice to you. If you would like to use or quote this material for any purpose other than expressly as authorized herein, contact the Jurassic Parliament office. DISCLAIMER This material is provided for general educational purposes. Jurassic Parliament makes no representation about the suitability of the information contained in the documents and related graphics published as part of these services for any purpose. All such documents and related graphics are provided "as is"without warranty of any kind.Jurassic Parliament hereby disclaims all warranties and conditions with regard to this information, including all warranties and conditions of merchantability, whether express, implied or statutory, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non -infringement. Nothing written here constitutes legal or business advice. Readers with specific questions are advised to seek an appropriate credentialed authority to address their issues. P.O. Box 77553, Seattle, WA 98177 TEL 206.542.8422 I EMAIL info@jurassicparliament.com www. jurassicparliament.com j4101assic Parliament Mastering meetings using Robert's Rules CHEAT SHEET LANGUAGE TIPS FOR MEETING MANAGEMENT SITUATION CHAIR CAN SAY Call to order This meeting of the [name of organization] is called to order. Unanimous consent Without objection... If there is no objection... To begin discussion It has been moved and seconded that... Is there any discussion? If there is no second Since there is no second, the motion will not be considered. To end discussion Is there anyfurther discussion? or Are you ready to vote? Process Point of Order 1. Member says, "Point of Order." z. Chair says, "Stateyourpoint" 3. Member explains issue. 4. Chair says, "The point is well taken;' or "The point is not well taken." When someone says "Point of Order" but What rule has been broken? can't explain what they mean Process Point of Information 1. Member says, "Point of Information." z. Chair replies, "Stateyourquestion." 3. Member states question. 4. Chair can respond three ways: / Respond yourself. / Ask someone else to respond. / Say, "We'll get back to you later." When "Point of Information" is misused to What information does the member need in order to decide how to vote? give information If someone is dominating the meeting No one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes to do so has spoken once. Does anyone else wish to speak on this topic? When comments are not germane (relevant) Members will kindly keep their remarks strictly to the topic under discussion. If people are whispering Members will kindly refrain from sidebar conversations. Adjourning the meeting There being no further business, this meeting is adjourned. ■ Strive to be firm, fair and friendly. ■ Use the "third person" to keep things neutral and lessen conflict. ■ Give up on the word but. Always say and. ■ Say kindly, not please, which sounds like pleading. ■ Say very well and move on. ■ Beware of "negativity bias" No frowning, no sarcasm, no eye -rolling. 0 Keep an emotional connection with the members by emphasizing what we have in common.