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Special Rules

These Special Rules of procedure for the USGenWeb Advisory Board (hereinafter referred to as members) and Management will add to or vary from the rules of parliamentary authority indicated in USGenWeb Special Rules, Section II.

I. SUSTAINING/CHANGING THE SPECIAL RULES.

These Special Rules will be sustained by motion/voting when a change in permanent National Coordinator occurs. These rules may be amended or revised by the members in accordance with USGenWeb Bylaws, Article VIII, Advisory Board Procedures.

II. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY.

The parliamentary authority is The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure by Alice Sturgis (current revised and updated edition), modified within USGenWeb Special Rules to adapt to the particular needs of conducting a meeting via an electronic internet mailing list.

III. MEETING SCHEDULE.

The Advisory Board electronic meeting is an USGenWeb official assembly. Meetings convene and adjourn when a change in permanent National Coordinator occurs. Interruptions of meeting business will be through motioned and approved recesses. Meeting minutes will be maintained and prepared for publication at the conclusion of each month.

(Adopted July 26, 2017 (Motion 2016/17-08))
Accurate, concise, and complete minutes are vital and are the responsibility of the Advisory Board Secretary. Ensuring accuracy and approving of minutes is the responsibility of the Advisory Board. Approved minutes can be updated by the Advisory Board. Meeting minutes include any motion and actions taken as a result of a motion; any poll and actions taken as a result of a poll; any official announcement made on Mailing List Board or Mailing List Announcements; and any administrative duty executed by the Presiding Officer in fulfillment of bylaws and rules.

IV. ORDER OF BUSINESS.

Order of Business will be renewed and announced to the assembly at the beginning of each month by the Presiding Officer. The Order of Business will be flexible and may be adapted to cope with immediate business. Members will advise the Presiding Officer of suggested agenda items for future Orders of Business.

V. ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Announcements which do not require the action of the Board are permissible at any time; however, the announcements will be made only by the Presiding Officer or by another member if approved by the Presiding Officer.

VI. GENERAL CONSENT.

To expedite the internet meeting, the Presiding Officer will make every effort to use General Consent provisions of parliamentary procedures. General consent is a way of saving time by avoiding votes on routine or noncontroversial matters.

VII. INFORMAL CONSIDERATION.

The Advisory Board will make full use of the "Informal Consideration" concept. It will normally be conducted on Mailing List USGENWEB-All (ABChat) but other public mailing lists administered by the National Coordinator may be used. This frees members to discuss issues, frame motions, and conduct straw polls without being bound by rules applying to the conduct of business when in formal session. No official voting will be conducted in Informal Consideration.

VIII. CLOSED SESSION/MEETING CONFIDENTIALITY.

A closed session may be called by the Presiding Officer at any time and will be conducted on Mailing List Board-Exec. Discussions in closed session include, but are not limited to, personnel matters, grievances, legal problems and other matters of a highly sensitive nature. Any votes conducted in closed session shall be publicly announced on Mailing List Board. With each change in permanent National Coordinator, the Advisory Board members will be polled to honor the confidentiality of Board-Exec. Honoring confidentiality is not a requirement but those members who do not agree will not be subscribed to Mailing List Board-Exec.

IX. ELECTRONIC RESPONSE TIME.

The Presiding Officer will wait a minimum of:

a. 24 hours before calling for a second on a motion with no second;

b. 12 hours before declaring a motion is not before the members after calling for a second;

c. 24 hours before asking for a vote after calling for "no discussion/discussion" and there is no discussion;

d. 48 hours for voting unless votes reach a quorum and there is evidence of passage or failure of an issue.


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