Three simple meeting rules for fair and democratic Arlington Heights' Board decisions

Letter to Village President Hayes after Board-of-Trustees meeting on 2/1/2021:

Dear Village President Hayes,

Re:    Driven Car Wash 2100 S. Arlington Heights Rd./Sign Variation DC#20-049, (New Business item A.)

Date: Arlington Heights' Village Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting on Monday, February 1, 2021

Please consider the following parliamentary procedure rules as they pertain to the above captioned meeting and is directed to in the Arlington Heights' Municipal Code (AHMC) and Robert's Rules of Order (RONR). As we have discussed, following these simple meeting rules will ensure a fair and democratic (small d) decision process, that includes all of the BOT voting members. (1), (2), (3), (4).

1) The Main Motion belongs to the assembly, not the motion-maker. (5), (6)

Once a main motion has been moved, seconded, and the presiding officer promptly calls for debate that motion is now formally on the floor and belongs exclusively to the assembly, not the motion-maker, seconder, or anyone else. A main motion that belongs to the assembly must be managed by the assembly and disposed of through proper procedure such as voting on the motion itself or by voting on an amendment to that motion.

Allowing the motion-maker to approve of any changes to the main motion excludes the other Board members' vote on those changes. Putting the motion-maker in charge of the main motion always begs the questions: What if he or she does not agree to change the main motion? How is it democratically feasible for the main motion to be managed by one board member over the votes of the entire assembly?

Allowing the main motion to belong to its motion-maker is the single most re-occurring meeting procedure infraction at the Village Board and at Commission meetings. This also occurred at the BOT meeting on 2/1, above.

2) Moving to amend the main motion is the only proper way to change the main motion  (7), (8), (9).

Once a motion is on the floor the only way to change it, that will include all voting members, is through the amending process. A trustee moves to amend the main motion and it is seconded. Discussion is now on the proposed amendment to the main motion. If the amendment passes, the main motion is considered as amended. If the amendment fails, then the original main motion is considered by the BOT.

An amendment to the main motion was on the floor at the meeting on Monday. However, that amendment was never allowed to be voted on by the BOT. Instead, the motion-maker was allowed to change the main motion, (which was different than what was in the amendment), and without the vote of the entire board. 

3) A voting member is out-of-order to interrupt and request a meeting procedural change  (10), (11)

A voting member is not allowed to interrupt and request an out-of-order procedural change. In this case on Monday, the request was to discontinue the amendment already in process and instead to ask the motion-maker for any changes. This request should have been quickly denied, but instead it was allowed and the amendment on the floor was never voted upon.

Finally, by following these simple parliamentary rules above would go a long way to advancing democracy at all Village meetings. Also, please consider providing a parliamentary procedure training program for all Village presiding officers and all voting members. This would ensure that fair and democratic (small d) decisions are consistently being made throughout all Village meetings. Trustees and Commissioners that utilize all available parliamentary tools are better equipped to more fairly represent Arlington Heights' residents. (Please see trailing Addendum)

Please accept my comments as constructive and in an attempt to assist you, to the best of my ability, with every effort to be accurate in reference and interpretation.  Thank you for your attention to this matter and I look forward to your comments.

Thank you in advance.

Member National Association of Parliamentarians 

Marjan Suburban Parliamentary Unit

                                                                                                   Addendum:

                                                                     Recommended Reading and Seminars:

• Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised, 11^th Edition, (RONR), Copyright 2011, by: Henry M. Robert III, 669 pages, ISBN 978-0-306-82020       Amazon: $14.72

• Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised IN BRIEF, Copyright 2011, by: Henry M. Robert III, 176 pages, ISBN 978-0-306-82019-9                        Amazon: $5.09

• The National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP) can offer seminars conducted by certified parliamentarians.

 

The Village should consider reimbursing all presiding officers and voting members to purchase the above books or to attend an NAP seminar on using Robert's Rules of Order.

                                                                     Cited References

1. AHMC  Section 6-112, Proceedings, Rule (a).
   
2. AHMC, Section 2-206, Rules of Procedure and Rule #1. 
   
3. RONR  11^th Edition, The Handling of a Motion, p.32 to p 42.
   
4. Village of Arlington Heights' website: vah.com BOT meeting 'VIDEO' New Business item A. 2/1/21
5. RONR   11th Edition, The Handling of a Motion, p. 32 through p.33 'How a Motion is Brought Before the Assembly'.
6. RONR: 11^th Edition, The Making of a Motion, p. 34, line 32 through 3
7. AHMC  Section 2-206, Rules of Procedure, Rule #6.
   
8. AHMC, Section 2-206, Rules of Procedure, Rule #6-6, 'To Amend'.
   
9. RONR  11^th Edition, Section 6, Subsidiary Motions, Chapter 12, Amend, p.130 to p.133.
   
10. RONR 11th Edition, Rules Governing the Assignment of the Floor, p.376-385
11. RONR 11th Edition, Incidental Motions, Point of Order, p.70.