Meeting Conduct

Guidelines of Conduct for SF Bay Chapter ExCom Meetings

(Adopted by Executive Committee January 1992; revised 10/92, 1/93, 1/95, 2/96, 1/01, 3/02, 12/04, 11/05, 12/05)

Standing Rules

  1. Respect each person. Be courteous.
  2. Share responsibility.
  3. Criticize only ideas, not people.
  4. Keep an open mind.
  5. Avoid activities that interfere with concentration on meeting.
  6. Listen constructively.
  7. Be on time and stay until the end.
  8. Stay on topic.
  9. Read all materials provided in advance of the meeting.
  10. Try to vote on all matters that come up unless a conflict of interest exists or the member believes the Club should not take a position on the matter.
  11. Sierra Club members speaking publicly or to the media should avoid personal criticisms or statements damaging to the Sierra Club.
  12. Avoid delivering long and detailed memos to ExCom at the last minute.
  13. To the extent feasible, agendas will be set to give those non-ExCom members who wish to speak on only one item a chance to speak early in the meeting.
  14. When a resolution is being discussed, non-ExCom members will give their input before ExCom members begin debate. (This does not preclude non-ExCom members from speaking later if called upon.)
  15. Except for the main presenters, a speaker’s remarks should be limited to no more than two minutes when expressing his or her views.
  16. People may not speak for a second time on the same motion until other members who have not yet spoken get a chance to do so.
  17. When a motion is being discussed, state at the outset of your remarks whether you are speaking in favor of the motion, if you are speaking in opposition to the motion or if you are suggesting an amendment to the motion.
  18. A time monitor may be appointed at the beginning of each meeting.
  19. The above Guidelines apply not just to the San Francisco Bay Chapter Executive Committee itself. All participants in the San Francisco Bay Chapter should try to follow the above Guidelines of Conduct.

Starting and End Times

  1. Meetings will start promptly at 7:00 PM.
  2. No meeting will go past 10:15 pm unless a vote is taken by the ExCom before 10:15 and a majority agrees to extend the meeting. A new, realistic ending time will be set when the vote is taken.

Procedures

  1. Anyone who wants an item placed on the agenda will contact the Chair or the Chair's designee, preferably in writing, at least seven days in advance of the meeting (or as indicated by the Chair) and will estimate the amount of time needed for that item. If no time estimate is given, no more than 15 minutes will be allowed for that item. The person must also identify any other persons who will come to the meeting to speak on the subject. If the item is an action item, the proposed resolution and any appropriate supporting materials should be in writing.
  2. When it is not possible to meet the deadline for the mailed-out agenda, the Chair or the Chair's designee should still be notified of items as soon as possible, and all resolutions and supporting materials still must be presented in writing to all ExCom members at least two days in advance. (A first-come, first-served policy will be used, if necessary.)
  3. Only in emergencies may items be added to the agenda after the printed agenda has been mailed out. An emergency is a situation in which the matter could not have been known about any sooner and in which action on the item cannot be postponed. It can be added to the agenda only if a motion to do so is made and seconded at the meeting. Time must be budgeted within the three-hour time limit for the meeting.
  4. Any action items should have already been discussed by a relevant committee or task force. (The buck stops at ExCom; it’s not supposed to start there.)
  5. Informational presentations will be allowed at meetings only with the advance permission of the Chair.

Conservation Committee Consent Calendar

Non-controversial resolutions and monetary items costing less than $500 each approved at a Conservation Committee meeting should be placed on a consent calendar by the Conservation Committee for ExCom approval in a single motion. Items may be pulled from the consent calendar by a vote of 3 members of the ExCom. A vote will be taken with no discussion or debate. Total Conservation Committee expenditures per quarter should not exceed 25% of the annual amount budgeted and should be allocated according to priorities agreed upon by the ExCom.

Procedures for Voting by Telephone or Email

Phone or email messages are discouraged. A phone or email poll may be conducted on a motion only if that motion has already been discussed at a meeting and when a specific authorization has been made to complete the voting by telephone. Exception: In an emergency, a phone or e-mail poll may be taken on a new item if:

  • At least two ExCom members (a mover and seconder) request it;
  • The Chair, in his or her discretion, approves (The chair should not approve if the item is controversial or if incomplete information is available.);
  • The relevant group and/or issue committee chair has been consulted; and
  • A written memo including arguments for and against is mailed or otherwise delivered to all ExCom members.

Votes are to be conveyed directly to the ExCom Chair or the Chair’s designee by phone, on an answering machine or by email. The result of the vote shall be announced at the next meeting and recorded in the Minutes.

Use of Club Members' Names

  1. Except under exceptional circumstances, no Chapter publication is to identify any Chapter volunteer in a negative way without that individual’s specific voluntary consent. This policy does not apply to candidate statements in Chapter elections.
  2. Any Chapter member must first obtain the permission of any other chapter member before publicly using that member’s name in any Club publication.