BDDE: Rules Of Order

Under By-law No.I, Section III, subsections 1-2 and 7-10* of the Board of School Trustees (the “Board”): 

• “The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Board.  In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson, or in the absence of both the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, some member of the Board to be appointed by the Board shall preside.” 
• Should the Chairperson, during any meeting of the Board, desire to leave the chair for the purpose of taking part in debate or for any other reason acceptable to a majority of the trustees present, he/she shall call on the Vice-Chairperson to fill his/her place until he/she resumes the Chair or, in the absence of the Vice-Chairperson, on some other member of the Board.  Any member occupying the Chair temporarily shall discharge all the duties and enjoy the rights of the Chairperson.” 
• “When the Chairperson or other presiding officer is called on to decide a point of order or practice, he/she shall give his/her decision and state the rule applicable to the case.  An appeal of the ruling of the Chairperson shall be seconded and shall be decided by a majority of the members of the Board present.  When the ruling of the Chairperson is appealed, he/she shall, without debate, put the question in the following words: "Shall the ruling of the Chair be sustained?" and he/she shall have the right to state his/her reasons for the decision given.” 
• “No trustee shall leave the Board meeting before the close of the session without notifying the Chairperson.” 
• “Under the order of "Enquiries," questions may be put to the Chairperson, or through him/her to any member or officials of the Board, relating to any matter connected with the business of the Board.”

*By-law No. 1, Section III, subsection 3 filed under BDDB; By-law No. 1, Section III, subsections 4, 5 and 6 under BDDF

• “No question once decided by the Board shall be reconsidered or rescinded during the same calendar year in which the said question was decided unless: 
  • By order of the majority of the votes of the members present and voting, and 
  • The motion for any such reconsideration or rescission is brought by a trustee who voted on the prevailing side when the motion was first adopted or rejected. 
• Provided however that nothing in this section shall be construed as depriving any trustee who was not a trustee at the time a decision was reached on a resolution from moving the reconsideration or rescission of such resolution in the same calendar year.” 

When the By-laws quoted above, or the other By-laws and policies of the Board, do not resolve a specific question of parliamentary procedure, the Board's By-law No. 1, Section VI, subsection 3 provides the following: 

• “The rules and procedures included in "Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised" shall govern, so far as applicable, in all cases not specifically provided for...” 

Note: Since all By-laws of the Board have been filed in this manual according to topic, various sections may be found under various codes.  However, the complete text of the By-laws of the Board are available from the Office of the Secretary-Treasurer (see also various subcodes of BD School Board Meetings for rules of order pertaining to the conduct of Board meetings).

DMT Responsibility: S-T