BC 1991 03 04 - Laserfiche WebLink

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70 at any time, thus interrupting substantive deliberations. In view of the small number of members and the available procedures to limit debate, this rule allows debate and amendment of the motion to adjourn but allows this motion only when action on a pending matter is over. The motion to defer consideration or to postpone to a certain time and day may be used if the board wants to adjourn before completing action on a matter. 2. To Recess. Comment: PRO does not allow debate on this motion, but since the number of members is small and procedures to limit debate are available, this rules allows debate on the motion. As in PRO, the motion is in order at any time. Note that under Rule 12, the chair also has the power to call a brief recess. To Call to Follow the Agenda. The motion must be made at the first reasonable opportunity or it is waived. Gomment: This motion differs from the call for the order of the day in PRO: it may be debated and must be made when an item of business deviating from the agenda is proposed, or the right to insist on following the agenda is waived for that item. 4. To Suspend the Rules. The motion requires a simple majority vote. Comment: This motion is like the one in PRO except that it is debatable and amendable, and the number of necessary votes depends on the number of members in attendance providing that there is at least a quorum. Thus if there are five members present, at least three members must vote for the motion; if only three members are at a particular meeting, at least two must vote for the motion in order to adopt it. It is in order when the board wishes to something it may legally do but cannot without violating its own rules. The procedure will pose some problems for a three-member board, as manipulating the rule to prevent one member from participating in deliberations is possible. Frequent use of the motion to prevent one member from 'presenting proposals or from speaking on an issue is of doubtful legality. A three-member board may decide to require a unanimous vote to suspend the rules. 5. To Divide a Complex Motion and Consider It by Paragraph. Comment: This motion is like the division of a question and consideration by paragraph in PRO except that it is debatable. To Defer Consideration. A substantive motion whose consideration has been deferred expires one hundred (100) days thereafter, unless a motion to revive consideration is adopted. Comment: This motion, which replaces the motion to lay on the table in RKO, was renamed to avoid confusion. It allows the board temporarily to defer consideration of a proposal. It differs from PRO in that it may be debated and amended, and in that a deferred motion dies if not taken up by the board (via a motion to revive consideration) within one hundred (100) days of the vote deferring consideration (in PRO a motion laid on the table dies at the end of that particular session of the assembly). One hundred (100) days is the suggested time for deferring consideration because it is also the time within which a proposed ordinance must be enacted (see Rule 2S). To Call the Previous Question. The motion is not in order until every member has had one opportunity to speak. Comment: This motion differs from the one in PRO. The PRO motion is always in order, is not debatable or amendable, and requires a two-thirds vote for adoption. Thus, it may compel an immediate vote on a proposal without any debate on the issue. Such a device may be necessary to preserve efficiency in a large assembly, but with