nabo

Delegate's Handbook

Preparation for a Meeting

Meeting documents (agenda, previous minutes, reports, etc) will be posted on the Meetings page prior to each meeting. If you are a new delegate you are strongly encouraged to review the minutes from meetings over the last few years to help you understand meeting discussion and participate in a more meaningful way. You will find these on the Minutes page.

Motions / Debate / Voting

The following was condensed from the Robert's Rules of Order and includes typical rules to manage a board meeting. Readers wanting the last official version should see Robert's Rule of Order Newly Revised, published by Scott, Foresman (known as NONR). This is the 9th Edition of Robert's book.

PROBLEM. Unorganized, meandering discussions that extend on with little or no resolution of the matter at hand.

To read more click on Roberts Rules of Order Quick Reference

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Delegates & Officers learn and implement Robert's Rules of Order. Chairpersons utilize these in their reports were necessary; e.g., the mus chairperson makes a "main motion" to make NABO tournament games to 30 points instead of forty. The main motion now must be seconded by another delegate and if seconded, the debate begins. To pass this motion, 50% + one must vote in favor. See below.

About Motions   Purpose of Motion   To Enact Motion
Main Motion   to take action on behalf of the body   debatable; requires majority vote
Adjourn   end the meeting   not debatable; immediately voted upon and requires majority vote
Call for Orders of the Day   asks to stick to the agenda   not debatable; requires 1/3 majority to sustain
Call to Question   closes debate and forces vote   not debatable; requires 2/3's majority vote
Motion to Limit or Extend Debate   limits or extends debate   not debatable; requires 2/3's majority vote
Point of Order   a question about the process or a particular motion   automatic if granted by President
Point of Information   to ask about the process or particular motion   automatic
Motion to Rescind   to change the results of a vote   requires 2/3's majority vote to reverse results of earlier vote
Motion to Suspend the Rules   suspend formal process for a short period   debatable and requires 2/3's majority vote

About Debate

Each motion that is debated receives up to an initial ten minutes of debate. The member initiating the motion speaks first. The Chair asks for a rebuttal. All members wishing to speak about the motion receive the opportunity to speak before any one member speaks for a second time.

About Voting

There is a simple majority: requires one vote more than half the delegates
Overwhelming majority: requires a 2/3s vote

Election of Officers

The officers of NABO are elected at the annual meeting also known as the NABO convention, which is usually scheduled during the summer months.  Nominations must be done in advance of the annual meeting as nominations from the floor of the annual meeting are not allowed.

The NABO secretary will send a reminder to the NABO delegates three months prior to the annual meeting that nominations for NABO officers are due two months prior to the NABO annual meeting.  Nominations for NABO officers are due to the secretary two months prior to the annual meeting and must include biographical information on the candidate with details on their involvement with NABO and their vision and goals for the organization and for promotion of Basque culture.  The secretary will then send out all the information on the nominees for the NABO officers to the NABO delegates. [Minutes - 2/13/2016]

Hosting a NABO meeting

Since its inception in 1973, NABO has held three meetings a year. These meetings in practice have broken down this way:

The meeting begins at 8am and usually the host provides a light breakfast of donuts, coffee, juice, etc. Sometimes it is necessary to continue the meeting after lunch, but every effort is made to conclude the meeting before lunch so that delegates are not burned out. Additional work as necessary is then done in focus (advisory) groups. If the host is able, a lunch is provided the delegates.

Attendance varies. Each NABO member club/organization has two voting delegates that are asked to attend these tri-annual meetings.

If your NABO club/organization would like to consider hosting one of NABO's meetings the following are required:

What would be nice but not essential would be:

Hosting a NABO Convention

Beginning in 1979 clubs have hosted an annual NABO Convention in conjunction with their festival/picnic. We pick a spot once a year and make this the place to huddle to visit with old friends and make new ones, gather our various dance groups & klikas, etc. It also represents an opportunity to celebrate our collective Basque-American community.

The meeting requirements were posted above. In addition to that, NABO would like to suggest the following to host clubs:


Meeting Agenda

The NABO Secretary sends out the agenda for the next meeting one month prior. Generally, the meeting runs according to that agenda but expect some last minute adjustments.
The morning session will be primarily for committee reports, at which time the chairperson can take questions on the previous report sent out to delegates.

The post-lunch session is primarily for committee work.

Chairperson reports

At the triannual NABO meetings, a chairperson from each will present a succinct report that covers the following three areas:

 

 

 

WWII Veterans Memorial

 

Donate

 

Foku Musikala

 

Ateak ireki

 

NABO Euskara

 

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