Website of the IPAR AMERIKETAKO EUSKAL ELKARTEAK
 North American Basque Organizations
  A federation of organizations to sustain BASQUE culture
 
 


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  Izan ziralako, gara, eta garalako izango dira  
"Because they were, we are, and because we are they will be"
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Eguberri eta
Urte Berri On!

Merry Christmas &
Happy New Year!

Feliz Navidad y
Prospero A
ño Nuevo!

Joyeux No
ël et
Bonne Ann
ée




 

 

 

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."  

Motions / Debate / Voting

The 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.

 
 About Motions
 
Purpose of Motion
 
To Enact Motion
Main Motion to take action on behalf of the body debatable; requires majority vote
Adjourn end the meeting not debatable; immediately voted upon and requires majority vote
Call for Orders of the Day asks to stick to the agenda not debatable; requires 1/3 majority to sustain
Call to Question closes debate and forces vote not debatable; requires 2/3's majority vote
Motion to Limit or Extend Debate limits or extends debate not debatable; requires 2/3's majority vote
Point of Order is a question about the process or a particular motion automatic if granted by President
Point of Information to ask about the process or particular motion automatic
Motion to Rescind to change the results of a vote requires 2/3's majority vote to reverse results of earlier vote
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

 

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

 

Hosting a NABO Convention


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:

  • 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.
  • 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.

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.
 

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.
 

 

Recreate + Educate = Perpetuate


naBASQUE.org is the website of the North American Basque Organizations, Inc. (N.A.B.O.) a federation of organizations for the promotion of Basque culture. Helping to make this website possible is the Basque Autonomous Government of Euskadi.  Please send inquiries to info@naBASQUE.org  For links to all our pages on this website click on SITEMAP