On the Linn County Republican Central Committee, there are times when we have trouble with what things say.
For instance, in the "New Member" handout, there was a document titled:
Roadmap to Victory 2016
2015 - 2016 Plan for the Linn County Republican Central Committee
Start Here:
Organize > Caucus>> Conventions >>>Primary >>>>2016 Election Victory
It was presented as a plan moved by the Executive Committee, and voted on and accepted by the Central Committee.
It is one of three versions I have seen so far.
The problem, however, is that none of them are the same.
The differences seem to occur in the section for the
Membership & Meeting Setup Team.
In the first two versions, the team leader was listed in bold type.
Version 1 said:
Membership & Meeting Setup – Membership records, meeting setup, credentialing for voting (Justin Wasson, Mike Dupree, Deb Dupree)
Version 2 read:
Membership & Meeting Setup – Membership records, meeting setup, credentialing for voting (Mike Dupree, Deb Dupree, Justin Wasson [uncommitted])
Version 3 is the version that was inserted into the yellow folder containing the new member handouts. It read:
Membership & Meeting Setup – Membership attendance records, meeting setup, credentialing for voting
I suppose it does not make a lot of difference in Version 3 that they left off the names of the team members and Team Leader.
But if you are going to present something as an item of business that has been voted upon and passed,
Maybe you should not add and/or omit words.
Because if you do, you run the risk of appearing to be corrupt in your intentions.
We can also see that between the time of the 1st version (the one that was actually voted upon, and passed) and the second, they have evidently "reconsidered" who they wished to be Team Leader.
This attempt to"reconsider" was rejected by the Central Committee, since the Committee had voted for Justin Wasson to be Team Leader.
Then, they made the most interesting discovery.
They informed the Central Committee that in Robert's Rules of Order, it says:
It is the duty of the Secretary to keep a register or roll of the members.
So, by golly, it was, according to them, the SECRETARY who should be the Team Leader.
Notice how they discovered this only after their first attempt to displace Mr. Wasson failed.
This attempt by the Executives to usurp the authority of the Membership & Meeting Setup Team Leader was also soundly rejected by the Central Committee.
Now, we have a mostly NEW Central Committee.
And that might be why our Secretary kept making the claim that he is in charge of the membership records.
Now, I could point out that the Secretary also keeps the record of the minutes of the general meeting, but does not run the meeting.
This, however, is not necessary.
While our By Laws DO say,
IX. RULES OF ORDER Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall prevail unless modified by these by-laws;
Our by-laws, as it should happen, are also pretty specific about the duties of the Secretary.
3. The duties of the Secretary are to keep the minutes of the meetings and read them at the following meeting, unless waived.
Do take note that in our By-Laws, the duties of the Secretary do NOT say:
3. The duties of the Secretary are to keep the minutes of the meetings and read them at the following meeting, unless waived. and any other duties mentioned in Robert's Rules of Order.
So, despite the desires of our Secretary, Mr. Gary Ellis, and the rest of the Executives, the legitimate Team Leader remains the one elected by the Central Committee.
That Team Leader happens to be Mr. Justin Wasson.
To paraphrase the late Justice Scalia, the By-Laws
"Say what they say and don't say what they don't say."
And never should the past be altered to reflect what one should wish it would say.
Updated: Friday, 19 February 2016 1:00 AM CST
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