2011_1109_Ethics Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• � � � � � •� � � . � � � S' le Parli Proc es for the 21st he rules of procedure at iY�eting,s should be siir�ple en«.igh for inast people to undersrai�. Unfort�.uritel3, that hasrit always Ueen the case. Virtu ally all clubs, associations, Uoards, coi.ur cils and Uodies follow a set of rules, Ro&�l's �rles ofO�zle�; wi�ich are errr Uodied in a small but compl� book Virt�.ially no one I know has act�.ially read this book caver to cover. �brse yet, the book was written for another tiiY� and rx.uPose. If you are ri.uining the British ParliaiY�it, Ro&�i's Idi�les of Q^de�^ is a dandy and quite use- ful handbook On tl�e other hand, if yoiire runcung a iY�eting of a five- iY�nUer Uody with a few rr�iY�s of the public in attei�ance, a sirnplified. version of the rules of parliacr�nrary procedi.ire is in order. I�ice, the birrh of "RosenUergs Rules of Order." This publication covers the rules of parliair�nrary pr«�cji.�re laased on my 20 yeats of ea�perience cl�airing iY�eting,s in state and local g�erntY�i� lhese rules have b�n siir�plified and sliiYnY�. down for 21st �nnny iY�etii�g,s, yet tl�ey rerain the basic tenets of order to wi�ich � are acc�.istoiY�. "RosenUergs Rules of Order" are su� portod by the following four principles: L Rules sli«�ld estaUlisli oi� 1he � fust rx.upose of the rules of parlia iY�irary procecji.ire is to esrablish a fiaiYx.�wrk for the orderly condi.ic-t of iY�eting,s. 2 Rules sli«�d be clear. Simple rules lead to wicier uncieisranding and pRrricipazion. Compl� rules c�eate ttiw classes: those who undeisrand and pRrricipate and those � do not fiilly undeisrand and do not fiilly pRrricipate. 3. Rules sli«�d be � fiie�icll3: That is, the rules iYa.tist be sirnple enoi.igh that cirizeils f�l tl�ey l�ave b�n able to participate in the process. /� Rules sli«�d e��foire tl�e will of die majoritywi�ile piotectiug die iiglits of die uii�ity.lhe ulriiYrxte rx.upose of the rules of procedi.ire is to encoi.uage disatission and to facili- tate dec�sion-iYrr�king by the Uody. In a derr�r-acy, the maj oriry rules. The rules rraast enable the majoriry to express itself and fashion a res�.dt, wi�ile perrrritting the rrrinoriry to also express itself (but not dominate) and fixlly pRrticipate in the pro�ss. The Chairperson SFwuldTake a Back Seait D�.ring Discussiais Wi�ile all rr�mbers of the goveming Uociy should know and understand tl�e rules of parliair�ntary proc�cji.�re, it is the chaii�son (chair) wiio is clrirgod. with applying the rules of condi.ict. The chair should be �11 versed in rhose There are exceptions to the general rule of free and open debate on rrx�tions. The exceptions all apply when th�re is a desi re to rrnve on. by r�e ��g rules, becai.tise the chair, for all intents and pi.uposcs, iYr�akes the final ruling on the rules. In iact, all docisions by the chair are final unless �erri.ded by rhe g�'errung t�ociy itself. Becaiise the chair conci�icts the iY�etin� it is coiYnYnn courtesy for the chair to take a less active role r.lrin other rr�rrr bers of the Uociy in debates and discus- sions.11�is does not iY�an that tl�e chair should not pRrticipate in the deUate or discussion. On the contrary, as a iY�Yr ber of the bociy, the cl�air has fixll rights to participate in deUates, diswssions and dec�sion iYr�aking. The cl�air should, ho�ver, strive to be the last to speak at the disaassion and debate srage, and should not iYr�ake or second a rmrion Lu�less he or she is convinced that no other rr�mber of the Uody will do so. The Basic Forrr�rt for an Ager�cJa Item Discussion FioriY�l iY�ear�g,s noiiY�lly have a written, publishod agenda; infom�al iY�erii�g,s may have only an oral or understood agenda. In either case, the iY�eting is g�emed by rhe agenda and the agenda constitutes the Uodys agr�d-upon roacj iYr�ap for the iY�eting. At� each agenda item can be handled by the chair in the following basic foriYrxt. Fiist, the cl�air sl�.dd clearly annotui� the agenda item m.unUer and should clearly srate wi�at the subject is.lhe chair should then ann«.uice the foiiYrxt that will be follo�. Saoond, following that agenda foiiYr�at, the chair sl�.dd invite the appropriate �1e ro �rt on tt-� �r� ��t�� any rocoiYnY�idarion tl�ey mght have. The appropriate person may be the chair, a iY�nber of the goveming Uody, ,,,��t��.� 1