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GIDALIBURU:
NABO Delegates Handbook |
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
> Make NABO meetings more efficient, productive and enjoyable by
streamlining reports and following Robert's Rules of Order (see below)
> Make NABO more effective by having more delegates serve on active committees.
> Channel NABO resources to produce a cohesive plan for the future
> Get NABO out of the shadows to where people see what it is about &
what it is doing
REQUEST OF READER
If
you can think of a better way of realizing these objectives (or
add/subtract objectives) while reducing the number of people who
might be offended/ opposed, please send your recommendations to
info@nabasques.org
As the saying goes, "two heads
are better than one."
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Motions / Debate / Voting |
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following was condensed from the Robert's Rules of Order and
includes typical rules to manage a board meeting. Readers
wanting the last official version should see Robert's Rule of
Order Newly Revised, published by Scott, Foresman (known as NONR).
This is the 9th Edition of Robert's book.
PROBLEM.
Unorganized, meandering discussions that extend on
with little or no resolution of the matter at hand.
To read
more click on Roberts
Rules of Order
POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Delegates & Officers learn and
implement Robert's Rules of Order. Chairpersons utilize
these in their reports were necessary; e.g., the mus chairperson
makes a "main motion" to make NABO tournament games to 30 points
instead of forty. The main motion now must be seconded by
another delegate and if seconded, the debate begins. To
pass this motion, 50% + one must vote in favor. See below.
> All motions must be seconded and adopted by a majority
(50+%) vote
unless otherwise noted.
> All motions may be debated unless otherwise noted.
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About Motions
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Purpose of Motion
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To Enact Motion
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Main Motion |
to
take action on behalf of the body |
debatable; requires majority vote |
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Adjourn |
end the meeting |
not debatable; immediately voted upon and requires
majority vote |
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Call for Orders of the Day |
asks to stick to the agenda |
not debatable; requires 1/3 majority to sustain |
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Call to Question |
closes debate and forces vote |
not debatable; requires 2/3's majority vote |
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Motion to Limit or Extend Debate |
limits or extends debate |
not debatable; requires 2/3's majority vote |
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Point of Order |
is
a question about the process or a particular motion |
automatic if granted by President |
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Point of Information |
to
ask about the process or particular motion |
automatic |
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Motion to Rescind |
to
change the results of a vote |
requires 2/3's majority vote to reverse results of
earlier vote |
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Motion to Suspend the Rules |
suspend formal process for a short period |
debatable and requires 2/3's majority vote |
About Debate
Each motion that is debated receives up to an initial ten minutes of debate. The
member initiating the motion speaks first. The Chair asks for a
rebuttal. All members wishing to speak about the motion receive
the opportunity to speak before any one member speaks for a
second time.
About Voting
There is a simple majority: requires one vote more than half the
delegates
Overwhelming majority: requires a 2/3s vote
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Hosting a NABO meeting |
Since its
inception in 1973, NABO has held three meetings a year.
Click on
NABO meeting for a look at some photos of previous meetings.
These meetings in practice have broken down this way:
>
Winter meeting: usually in February or March
> Convention meeting:
summer in conjunction with a club's
festival
> Fall meeting: usually in October or November
The
meeting begins at 8am and usually the host provides a light
breakfast of donuts, coffee, juice, etc. Sometimes it
is necessary to continue the meeting after lunch, but every
effort is made to conclude the meeting before lunch so that
delegates are not burned out. Additional work as necessary
is then done in focus (advisory) groups. If the host is
able, a lunch is provided the delegates.
Attendance varies. Each NABO
member club/organization has two voting delegates that are asked
to attend these tri-annual meetings.
If your
NABO club/organization would like to consider hosting one of
NABO's meetings the following are required:
- A well
lighted room with seating & tables for approximately 60
people that is relatively quiet
- Morning
snacks; e.g., donuts & coffee, fruit, etc.
- Two
months before sending out accommodation information for
local hotels and directions to the meeting place
What would be
nice but not essential would be:
- for the host
to provide the lunch for delegates and no-host bar
- perhaps an
event that evening that the club is having
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Hosting a NABO Convention |
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Beginning in 1979
clubs have hosted an annual NABO Convention in conjunction with
their festival/picnic. We pick a spot once a year and make
this the place to huddle to visit with old friends and make new
ones, gather our various dance groups & klikas, etc. It
also represents an opportunity to celebrate our collective
Basque-American community.
The meeting
requirements were posted above. In addition to that, NABO
would like to suggest the following to host clubs:
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Prepare a report to the delegates for at least one meeting
before (preferrably two meetings prior) your Convention
event
- NABO
suffers from an identity crisis of sorts; i.e., most Basques
do not know of its existence and if they do they know little
or nothing about what NABO does. Consequently, it is
requested that each host club set aside some time in a
prominent setting to announce about NABO.
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Generally all the dance groups, choirs & klikas of member
clubs are extended an automatic invitation with the
understanding that each group must pay its own
transportation and lodging. Some clubs have tried to
at least provide the performers with complimentary entrance
passes (if applicable) and meal tickets.
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Meeting Agenda |
| The NABO Secretary sends out the agenda for the next meeting one
month prior. Generally, the meeting runs according to that
agenda but expect some last minute adjustments.
The morning session
will be primarily for committee reports, at which time the
chairperson can take questions on the previous report sent out
to delegates.
The post-lunch
session is primarily for committee work.
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Chairperson reports |
At the
triannual NABO meetings, a chairperson from each will present a
succinct report that covers the following three areas:
- What
the committee accomplished/what was done since the last
meeting
- What
the committee aims to accomplish by the next meeting
- What
(if any) motions need to be raised and voted upon by the
delegates
A committee
report should be made available to the NABO Secretary who will
then forward it to everyone on her NABO email list. The
meeting is not the first opportunity that delegates will have to
hear about these matters.
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