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INTRODUCTION These rules of procedures were designed for North Carolina boards of county I commissioners. Essentially, the rules are a modification of Robert's Rules of Order (revised edition). Robert's Rules is intended to guide the deliberations of a large legislative body; consequently, it is not alway~ ~ippropfiate for a small governing board, I which can afford to proceed with much less formality. Another valuable resource consulted for this revision of the rules waa Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedura Mason's Menus/is intended primarily for state legislatures, but ils extensive discussion of the basic principles of parliamentary law and procedure is valuable for local governing I boards ns well. i North Carolina law (N,C, Gen. Stat. § 153A-41) permits a board of county commissioners to adopt its own rules of procedure if these conform to 'generally accepted principles of parliamentary procedure" and do not conflict with applicable law. I Mason's Manual suggests that parliamentary law affecting the work of a board of county commissioners can be summarized in ten basic principles: 1. The board can act only when it has authority or jurisdiction to act. A I corollary of this principle that the board's action, to be valid, must not any is violate applicable law or constitutional provision. This is simply another manifestation of the familiar legal doctrine that a unit of local government has only those powers conferred I on by or necessarily implied by some specific grant power. it law of 2. The board must meet in order to act. Under North Carolina law, the powers i conferred on the governing board are exercised by the county board of county commissioners aa a group, not by its individual members. Therefore, the group must meet in order to'act. I 3. All board members must receive proper notice of meeti,~gs. Since all members are equally entitled to participate in board meetings, each member must be properly I notified of the place, time, and purpose of meetings. 4. The board may act only with a quorum. I 5. There must be a question before the board on which it can decide. Except when electing their ox~m officers or balloting for appointments, legislative bodies proceed I by voting yes or no on specific proposals put forward by one or more members. Each member has the fight to know at all times the question before the board and the effect of a yes or no vote on thal question. I 6. There must be opportunity for debate. The very nature of a deliberative body involves members sharing information and opinions about matters before the board. I 7. Question~ must be decided by vote. Legislative bodies do not deride matters by discns~ing until a consensus emerges. ! I