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  • Someone asked:
    on June 16, 2026 2:19 am
    Can a person serve as the president at one level of an organization and the treasurer at a different level in the same organization?
    • Kirby Glad, PRP replied:
      on June 16, 2026 3:01 am
      There is no rule in parliamentary law that prevents this, so long as the person is not accounting for their own expense authorizations. So you would look at the bylaws for any rule prohibiting this. If you have a more specific question you can write me at kirby@cerenimbus.com
  • Someone asked:
    on May 28, 2026 5:53 pm
    What makes a motion “out of order”?
    • Kirby Glad, PRP replied:
      on June 16, 2026 2:59 am
      A motion can be out of order for several reasons - here are the major ones: A motion is out of order if it: 1. conflicts with the law, the organization bylaws, or other rules 2. is ambiguous or doesn't clearly state a matter to be decided 3. conflicts with a motion previously adopted which has continuing force 4. is made at a time when another motion of a higher rank is pending, or is not made at the appropriate time for that class of motion. If you have a more specific question you can write me at kirby@cerenimbus.com
  • Someone asked:
    on March 27, 2026 9:24 pm
    Per RONR, when a quorum is undefined in our group's governing documents (Constitution or Bylaws), how many people must be present for a vote of a convention of delegates to be binding? Grok states, "According to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), when an organization's governing documents (such as bylaws) do not define a quorum, the default rule is that a quorum consists of a majority of the entire membership (more than half of all members entitled to vote)." Grok references Wikipedia: "In the absence of such a provision, a quorum is an assembly whose membership can be determined is a majority of the entire membership" which putatively refers to RONR, though no page number is provided. This response in a forum sems consistent: https://robertsrules.forumflash.com/topic/31673-quorum-nothing-in-bylaws Yet I also know from an authoritative source that "a quorum is the majority of delegates that actually show up". Can you help rectify these apparent contradictions? Thanks much.
    • Kirby Glad, PRP replied:
      on March 28, 2026 6:43 am
      First, there is no contradiction. Grok is not Robert's Rules. Wikipedia is not Robert's Rules. These are only summaries of people's comments about Robert's Rules from the internet, which is full of garbage posted by ignorant people. There is no need to explain differences between the actual rules and internet garbage. Second, as often happens with AI, you are not getting and answer to the question you asked, you are getting an answer about a different question. Your question is about a quorum for a CONVENTION. The AI answer is about a regular meeting of an organization, where the quorum is indeed a majority of the membership. But a quorum for a CONVENTION is a majority of the delegates who showed up. Here is the actual rule. From RONR (12th ed.) 3:4 In the meetings of a convention, unless the bylaws of the organization provide otherwise, the quorum is a majority of the delegates who have been registered at the convention as in attendance, . . . Parliamentarian beats AI every time.
  • Someone asked:
    on February 8, 2026 8:47 pm
    Do appointed officers have to be sworn in to the position.
    • Kirby Glad, PRP replied:
      on February 8, 2026 10:04 pm
      There is no requirement under Robert's Rules to be "sworn in". If an organization wants its officers to take an "oath of office" or some such, that should be provided in the bylaws.
  • Someone asked:
    on December 23, 2025 4:41 pm
    Can you concurrently move a motion and ask that it be placed first on the agenda?
    • Kirby Glad, PRP replied:
      on December 23, 2025 5:01 pm
      The question in nonsensical because you don't make a motion and THEN put it on the agenda. If you want to adopt an agenda you put the topic on the agenda and then when the item comes up you make the motion. Adopting an agenda is not required for regular meetings and generally is a time waste of time. This podcast explains why: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/parliamentarian/episodes/Why-you-dont-adopt-an-agenda-under-Roberts-Rules-e2e0o86 Just wait until New Business, get recognized, then make your motion.
  • Someone asked:
    on December 18, 2025 3:25 pm
    The body of a Council voted to host a holiday party at their November meeting for December 19th. On December 18th, the chair canceled the event with no notice. Is this permissible?
    • Kirby Glad, PRP replied:
      on December 18, 2025 3:40 pm
      No. Unless your bylaws extend this power to the chair, the chair has no authority to cancel a meeting that has been called by the body. Even if it was just a party with no meeting, generally the duty of the officers is to implement the decisions made by the body.
  • Someone asked:
    on November 13, 2025 3:48 am
    Our bylaws state 'If a vacancy occurs during the first year of a two year term, the membership shall elect someone for the remaining period at the next General meeting in order to maintain the alternating year schedule. If it occurs after that time, the President shall appoint a Member to serve until the next election.' I am currently VP and our President resigned in less than half his term. We will elect a President at our next general meeting. I am running and will most likely be the only nominee and will probably win. That leaves the VP position open. The President vote will occur in the general meeting. But how do we handle the VP? It is 3 days away and I don't have time to find candidates. Can we pend the vote on VP???
    • Kirby Glad, PRP replied:
      on November 13, 2025 4:50 am
      There is no vacancy in the VP position now, unless you resign now. If you are elected at the meeting the VP Vacancy will occur at that meeting, which I assume would be after the first year of the term, and the President can appoint.
  • Someone asked:
    on October 9, 2025 10:54 pm
    Can a resolution call for censure of a member without a trial
    • Kirby Glad, PRP replied:
      on November 6, 2025 5:12 am
      It is possible to adopt a motion of censure without formal disciplinary procedures unless your bylaws provide otherwise. A penalty greater than that, such as expulsion, or removal from office, will require a disciplinary process including a trial.
  • Someone asked:
    on August 27, 2025 4:12 pm
    We have a board member who continually used social media to "incorrectly" report on board business and yes business discussed in executive session, under the pretext that he is for "full" transparency. Most of what he posts is used to create anger and hostility in the HOA community as he has garnered some followers. what as a board can we do to do his fiduciary responsibilities? He outwardly says he will disrupt and won't back down when he feels he is right. (He does this with purpose). What are our options? Thank You.
    • Kirby Glad, PRP replied:
      on August 30, 2025 5:41 am
      This depends heavily on your bylaws. Robert's rules provides for removal of a board member for cause (and disclosure of the discussion of an executive session would constitute cause) but that would require a 2/3 vote of whatever body elects the board members. Some bylaws provide for other methods of removing board members, with or without cause. If you want to send your bylaws to kirby@parliamentarian.com I can provide further information, or suggest changes to your bylaws.
  • Someone asked:
    on August 17, 2025 1:35 am
    After a meeting is brought to order, and the roll has been taken, if a member is absent during roll call, and later arrives at the meeting, are they permitted to vote on any business?
    • Kirby Glad, PRP replied:
      on August 30, 2025 5:37 am
      Unless your bylaws have a specific requirement that you must be present during role call in order to vote, a member can participate fully in the meeting regardless of arrival time.