COLORADO PARLIAMENTARIAN

Transcription

1 COLORADO PARLIAMENTARIAN Page 1 Official Publication of the Colorado Association of Parliamentarians Volume XXXIII, Number 3 Winter 2010 Charles F Hefton President, Editor in Chief Pat Simpson. RP, Web Master Letter to the Editor: Membership in NAP You can take the easy way and drop out entirely. Or you can drop your membership with NAP and continue as a Provisional member. Or you can continue with NAP and strive to be an agent of change. When it s Dues time, it can be difficult to be a member of a local unit where you get the immediate benefits of camaraderie, learning, and sharing and a national organization, where the benefits sometimes don t seem as evident. Many of us were dissatisfied with the initial NAP bylaws proposal. What do you do when something like this happens in your own organizations, those in which you participate fully? Do you abandon the organization, grouse about it, or stand up for yourself with rational arguments for your position? I suspect the latter. NAP is no different. You object to their proposals? Voice your concerns at your unit meetings, at CAP meetings, at the District 7 level, at the National level. Colorado s voice becomes stronger with a growing, vital membership. Help us make NAP a better organization. Paula Lasky CAP Membership Committee Chairman DATE: TIME: FEBRUARY 11TH 10A.M -12P.M. PLACE: LCW POST YALE BLVD (I-25 & YALE) DENVER, CO Public Education Workshop March TBA Annual CAP Meeting Saturday April 23, 2010 RON STINSON, National President LCW American Legion Post 1 I-25 & Yale Ave ANNUAL SUMMER INSTITUTE The Ideal Meeting JULY 2011 WHAT S INSIDE PRESIDENT S CORNER 2 MASTHEAD 2 DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES 3 SCHOLARSHIP 4 CALENDAR & STUDY UNITS 8 OFFICERS & COMMITTEE S 8

2 Colorado Parliamentarian WINTER 2010 Page 2 USING RONR TO DEVELOP EXCELLENCE PRESIDENT S CORNER Colin Powell says, If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude. Any one of us can achieve excellence. We do not need to be famous, have money or even be a leader. Being excellent is about being WILLING. Being willing to improve, grow and change. Being willing to improve the quality of what you have to offer. What do you have to offer? What value do you bring to your organization? What do you offer to your peers, family or friends? One of the great benefits of using RONR in excellence to guide us through our meeting is in the use of our time, resources and personnel available to us. To achieve greater use of RONR we need to dedicate, communicate, appreciate, and aspire to excellence. Dedication to excellence is hard work, time consuming, and going the extra mile. The disciplines of learning must take priority. Teaching others what we have discovered will keep fresh the principles of RONR. Communicating is a key to excellence in meetings. Information is giving out; communicating is getting through. says Dr John C Maxwell. Learning the different styles in which people communicate and interact will give value to the view of others. Difficult decisions can be made by maintaining a good spirit and fairness to all concerned. Appreciation for others, the system and the organization is another key in excellence. The values of the members have may differ from yours. You can however, appreciate the person even though you disagree with the views. Holding the integrity of the organization will establish appreciation for your leadership. Lastly, aspiring to have excellence in personal and organizational growth will keep freshness and life sparkling, drawing people to what is happening and then they will want to develop and use these qualities in their life. Excellence - It is well worth the effort. Charles F. Hefton CAP President In Memoriam Myrtle Jean Wash The Colorado Parliamentarian is the official publication of the Colorado Association of Parliamentarians. The CP is published quarterly. The Association does not necessarily endorse statements of opinion. Subscription rate is $5.00 per year. Send check, payable to CAP, along with name and address to the Treasurer. Editor-in-Chief: Charles F Hefton Treasurer: Wanda Sypher, RP articles to Charles@mylifebuilders.com Snail mail address: PO Box Greeley, CO Cell

3 Colorado Parliamentarian WINTER 2010 Page 3 EDUCATIONAL ARTICLE DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES In most societies, we expect and require members to be of honorable character and reputation. Some organizations such as the National Association of Parliamentarians have particular codes of ethics to enforce. Although most societies seldom have occasion to discipline members, it is their ultimate right to make and enforce their own rules. Also, a society has the right to require members to refrain from acts that would hurt the good name of the organization. Formal disciplinary procedures are a drastic step that should be reserved for very serious offenses. It is usually in the best interest of the organization to come to a satisfactory solution quietly and informally. Conduct subject to disciplinary action fall into two categories: 1. Offenses occurring in a meeting 2. Offenses occurring outside a meeting. Offenses occurring in a meeting All persons (members or non-members) in a meeting have an obligation to obey legitimate orders of the presiding officer. Misconduct in a meeting may be classified as slight, serious, and grave. Slight offenses include addressing another member instead of the chair, a single instance failing to confine remarks to the pending question, and actions that disturb the assembly such as whispering or walking about. Serious offenses include a member repeatedly questioning the motives of other members or a member persistently speaking on irrelevant matters in debate. Obstinate or grave breaches occur when a member ignores repeated warnings. Slight breaches are usually handled by the chair pointing out the fault and advising the member to avoid it. In the case of a serious breach the chair or a member with or without warning calls the member to order. Grave breaches involve the chair, after repeated warnings, names the offender which amounts to preferring charges. The declaration made by the chair in naming a member is addressed to the offender by name and in the second person and is entered in the minutes. Proper disciplinary procedures can be taken while the disorderly member continues to speak and is entered in the minutes. Following the naming of the offender a member can move to order a penalty or the chair can ask What penalty shall be imposed on the member? Offenses occurring outside a meeting If improper conduct by a member of a society occurs elsewhere than at a meeting, the members generally have no first-hand knowledge of the case. Therefore, if disciplinary action is to be taken, charges must be preferred and a formal trial held before the assembly of the society, or before a committee - standing or special - which should be required to report its findings and recommendations to the assembly for action. Bylaws and Disciplinary Procedures In most professional and some other organizations, particular aspects of discipline are of special importance. Attention of these matters is simplified by providing in the bylaws for a committee on discipline and/or an article on disciplinary procedure. At the local level provisions in the bylaws are generally unnecessary if the

4 Colorado Parliamentarian WINTER 2010 Page 4 parliamentary authority is complete on the subject of discipline and the procedure to follow. Most ordinary societies should never have to hold a formal trial and their bylaws should not be encumbered with clauses on discipline Resignation and removal of officers. (4) Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, the board of directors may remove any officer at any time with or without cause. The bylaws or the board of directors may make provisions for the removal of officers by other officers or by the voting members. Misconduct or Dereliction of Duty in Office If the regular presiding officer fails to perform the duties of the chair properly in a meeting a motion can be made to censure him. The motion can be put by the member after a second is received. If the chair does not state or rule out of order a motion made in good faith the member should raise a Point of Order and from the chair s decision he can Appeal. If the chair ignores the Point of Order the member repeats the motion and if it is seconded the member can put the motion himself standing in his place. If the occupant of the chair is not the regular presiding officer and does not perform the duties of the chair properly a motion can be made to declare the chair vacant and proceed to elect a new chairperson. Except as the bylaws may provide otherwise, any regularly elected officer of a permanent society can be deposed from office for cause - as follows: If the bylaws provide that officers shall serve "for years or until their successors are elected," the election of the officer in question can be rescinded and a successor can be elected for the remainder of the term. The vote required for removing the offender from office in such a case is the same as for any other motion to Rescind. If, however, the bylaws provide that officers shall serve only a fixed term, such as "for two years" or if they provide that officers shall serve "for years and until their successors are elected," an officer can be deposed from office only by following the procedures for a formal trial. Member Education Committee by Mary Bahde, PRP, 10/10 SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE... From the Profession Parliamentary Research Unit to help you reach your goal of becoming a registered parliamentarian. Financial assistance will be provided to members successfully passing the registered exam. Members need only file an application for reimbursement prior to taking the exam. Member will be reimbursed after passing the exam. Expenses covered in the scholarship include: 1. up to $150 preparation costs upon receipt from RP instructor; 2. cost of exam; 3. first year membership dues to NAP and CAP as a registered parliamentarian; 4. first year courtesy membership in PPRU. Contact PPRU president MaryAnne Tebedo, PRP to obtain your application. Mary Bahde, PRP Secretary, PPRU

5 Colorado Parliamentarian WINTER 2010 Page 5 PARLIAMENTARY STUDY UNITS The study units offer informal study of parliamentary procedures in small groups allowing for maximum participation. Learning in all study units is hands on and led by qualified knowledgeable instructors. Boulder Unit 4 th Monday 7:00 p.m. Masonic Lodge, Boulder Ella Travis etravis1@comcast.net Colorado Springs Unit 4 th Tuesday 9:30 a.m. Falcon Police Station, 7850 Goddard Street Colorado Springs, CO Mary Mills, RP marymac6060@msn.com Colorado Beta Gaveliers Unit 2 nd Tuesday 10:15 a.m. Englewood Public Library 1000 Englewood Parkway, Englewood Norma Beasley, President beasley492@hotmail.com Colorado Gamma Gaveliers Unit 3 rd Tuesday 9:30 a.m. Denver District 2 Police Station 39th and Holly, Denver, CO Roxanne Garlington, President roxanneg@juno.com Colorado Omega Gaveliers Unit 3 rd Monday 7:00 P.M. Leyden Chiles Wickersham American Legion Post 1, 5400 East Yale Ave, Denver, CO Alice Langley langleyakkj@netzero.net Greeley Unit 3 rd Monday 11:00 A.M. to 12:30 p.m. Cache Bank & Trust 4601 W 20th St., Greeley Janie Lichtfuss, RP janiekipp@earthlink.net Professional Parliamentary Research Unit 5 th Tuesday or Thursday 11:00 a.m. Village Inn West, Castle Rock MaryAnne Tebedo, RPRP matebedo@q.com September 23-27, 2011 NAP Biennial Convention, Bayfront Hilton Hotel St. Petersburg, FL C A L E N D A R CAP MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS NOVEMBER 13, 2011 FALL MEETING CAP BOARD MEETINGS February 12, p.m Public Education Workshop March - TBA Colorado Parliamentarian Deadlines Summer Issue June 7, 2010 Fall Issue October 12, 2010 Winter Issue January 18, 2011 Spring Issue March 17, 2011 Bylaw Amendment Deadline January 2011 Colorado Association of Parliamentarians Nominating Committee Deadline January 17, 2011 Supplies Mary Bahde, PRP OFFICERS AND STANDING Youth..MaryAnn Tebedo, PRP Historian... Janie Lichtfuss, RP COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Editor of CP.Charles Hefton President....Charles Hefton Parliamentarian...Louis Fasulo, RPRP Vice President.Patricia Simpson, RP SPECIAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Secretary...Cheryl Oleyar, RP Treasurer.Wanda Sypher, RP Yearbook.Donna Thompson, PRP Assistant Treasurer...Linda Gerwatowski Nominating...Joyce Teter, PRP COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN: Budget & Finance..Wanda Sypher, RP...Linda Gerwatowski Member Education. Donna Thompson, PRP Bylaws...Gloette Hess, PRP Membership....Susan Cameron Communications & Marketing.Gayla Stone, PRP Planning & Development..Pat Simpson, RP Public Education...Lola Fehr, RP To receive the Colorado Parliamentarian electronically, please Charles@mylifebuilders.com with your address.

6 Charles Hefton, Editor PO Box Greeley, CO FIRST CLASS