Does your homeowners association know how to run a meeting? Believe it or not, there is a correct way to conduct a meeting, no matter how small an organization or HOA is. It is important for all board members to know how meetings should go. In doing so, they can facilitate efficient meetings — ones that follow proper procedures.
How to Run a Meeting the Proper Way
Running a meeting is a big part of every organization, homeowners associations included. Without meetings, an HOA would get no business done. Besides, for most associations, holding a meeting is an obligation set forth by state laws, the governing documents, or both.
It is essential to follow Robert’s Rules of Order on how to run a meeting. This way, organization leaders can ensure smooth and effective proceedings.
1. Establish a Quorum
How do you run a meeting? The first thing to do is to establish a quorum. A meeting can’t proceed and conduct business if the organization doesn’t meet the required quorum.
A quorum is the minimum number of members that must be present for a meeting to take place. Quorum requirements vary depending on state laws and the association’s governing documents. Under Robert’s Rules, though, the default quorum is a majority of voting members.
The presiding officer or chair is responsible for establishing a quorum. This person remarks on the quorum at the start of the meeting, and the secretary notes it in the meeting minutes.
If the meeting doesn’t reach a quorum, then it may not proceed. At this point, members may make a motion to adjourn, a motion to adjourn to a later date, or a motion to recess (to wait for more members to show up).
2. Call the Meeting to Order
When it comes to how to lead the meeting, the presiding officer must call the meeting to order. This officially begins the meeting. The presiding officer or chair must say the date, time, and type of meeting they’re having.
3. Read and Approve the Minutes of the Previous Meeting
It’s best to give members a copy of the previous meeting’s minutes in advance. This way, members can review the minutes and identify any errors. The secretary can then correct the errors before the next meeting, which will only consist of making a motion to approve the minutes. This motion is then followed by a simple vote.
4. Present Reports
According to Robert’s Rule of Order meeting procedure, the next part is the presentation of reports. Officers will typically give their reports first if they have one. If one of the reports contains a recommendation, another member should make a motion to adopt the recommendation. A second follows, and then a vote takes place.
If other board members have a report to give, this is when they should give it, too. Committees will also have reports to present sometimes. After the board reports, committee chairs can stand and give their reports to the membership.
To ensure minimal disruption, the presiding officer should know who has a report to present.
5. Address Special Orders
The next step in how to run an effective meeting is to address special orders. Special orders are items on the agenda that should have priority over other things. These orders are urgent or time-specific, so they receive special attention.
Special orders can take the form of new or old items. Old items are those that were left over from a previous meeting. Generally, the meeting should first tackle unfinished special orders before taking on new ones.
6. Tackle Unfinished Business and General Orders
The next part of the meeting is to address unfinished business and general orders. These are items or topics from a previous meeting that were left open. Following the proper order is crucial if you want to know how to run a meeting properly.
The hierarchy for unfinished business is as follows:
- Items that the organization failed to reach in the previous meeting because it adjourned. The order should follow the same order as the agenda for the previous meeting.
- Items that appeared in the unfinished business portion of the previous meeting but failed to reach were listed below.
- Any general order item from the previous meeting. General orders are items a member motioned to postpone to a later date.
7. Discuss New Business
After finishing old business, it only makes sense to discuss new business. The meeting’s agenda should indicate items under the new business category. Any items that the meeting fails to cover can be moved to the unfinished business portion of the next meeting.
8. Adjourn the Meeting
The final step is to adjourn the meeting. To conclude a meeting, the presiding officer or chair asks if anyone has any other business they want to bring up. A motion to adjourn the meeting then occurs if there are no objections. This motion requires a second and a vote to adopt. If it meets both requirements, then the meeting ends.
When you know how to run an efficient meeting, you can keep it concise and adjourn it on time.
How to Run a Meeting Explained
Meetings play an integral role in any organization. Homeowners associations, in particular, use these meetings to discuss and conduct business. Even though annual and board meetings may not occur frequently, they still require proper order. Following Robert’s Rules for running meetings is a good way to ensure efficient and productive meetings.
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