Tick Tocker Council and leadership information
Secretary
Secretary Tools
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Roberts Rules
Robert's Rules of Order is the standard for facilitating discussions and group decision-making. Robert's Rules will help your group have better meetings, not make them more difficult. Your group is free to modify them or find another suitable process that encourages
fairness and participation, unless your bylaws state otherwise.
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What a meeting agenda looks like:
A typical order of business meeting might be:
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Welcome
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Approval of minutes (from last meeting)
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President’s report
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Treasurer’s report
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Committee reports
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Unfinished business
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New business
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Announcements (including date and time of the next meeting)
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Adjournment
The Secretary shall:
Attend Officer Training
Know Ticktocker Procedures
Attend Ticktocker Council Meetings
Assist GLAs with reminder and RSVP calls/texting
Take minutes at meetings
In a timely manner, write a thank you note to any guest speaker and/or to any Patroness who hosts a grade level meeting in her home and/or philanthropy as appropriate
Send copy of meeting agenda to absent Ticktockers, if requested to do so
Meeting
Minutes
An orderly, well-run meeting is better for the officers and it’s better for those attending. You’ll get more business done in a shorter time, and everyone will be happier. As for the terms and procedures you find in Robert’s Rules, there are a few fundamentals that you should know
Roberts Rules
Motion
A motion is a formal way to propose something on which the group should vote. The proposer says, “I move that...” and clearly states what is being considered. Someone else “seconds” the motion. Guided by the president, the group discusses the motion until they are ready to vote. Finally, the president asks for an indication of “all those in favor” followed by “those opposed.” There is no need to ask for “abstentions” (those who choose not to vote at all), because abstentions are not counted toward the outcome of the motion.
Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members required to conduct business at a meeting. Usually this number is stated in the group’s bylaws. If a quorum is not indicated in the bylaws, Robert’s Rules of Order sets it at a majority of members.
Minutes
The minutes are the permanent record of the business conducted during a meeting, typically prepared by the group’s secretary. They include details such as the date, time, and location of the meeting, whether a quorum was present, and the presiding officer. Specific motions and their outcomes (but not exact vote counts) are also included in the minutes. Discussion is not documented in the minutes. The minutes for each meeting are presented for the assembly’s approval at the next meeting.
Adjournment
Adjournment is simply a formal way to close a meeting so everyone knows the session has come to an end. The time of adjournment is recorded in the meeting minutes.
Tabling a Motion
If it is clear that a motion cannot or should not be voted upon at the current time, it is typical to postpone (“table”) it until the next meeting. Technically there should be a new motion to table the current motion, but most groups can agree to delay discussion without layers of parliamentary procedure. Often, it helps to appoint a committee or a member to study the issue and report back to other members at the next meeting. This tactic can save time on circular debate, especially when all of the facts aren’t available.
Resources
There are many guides to Robert’s Rules. If you’d like a reference, go with an abridged version such as Webster’s New World Robert’s Rules of Order, Simplified and Applied. Sticking to a few simple rules can make meetings more pleasant for everyone, from the president to first-timers.
SECRETARY ROLE PDF.