Meeting Called to Order

I'm a little rusty on Robert's Rules of Order. Our first executive board meeting with yours truly as presidents hobbled a little as someone prompted me twice to say, "Do I hear a second for that motion?" By the end of the meeting I had that part pretty well mastered. My intention was to shorten the length of the meeting. But forces in universe worked to deter me from my sworn purpose- to shorten the length of the meeting.

In this corner weighing in at- let's leave that part out- former lawyer, abrasive personality and I am sure just a pussy cat inside- is Bill. In that corner the ever zany and affable Shelly and... I shouldn't go on like this. Mild manner Casey brought up the issue of "caps" on class sizes. I will not bore you with all of the details, but only a few of them. It seems that a teacher at El Mo wanted to take three more students than our contract stated that she should have. Essentially she was asking for permission to violate the contract. In actuality there are many ways of phrasing it. The discussion pitted the board member trying to protect the integrity of the contract with those on the other side wishing to make an exception for a teacher who was trying to serve more students.

It wasn't so much the disagreement about the issue itself but the passion with witch it was argued. Bill can argue abrasively. He demeans the other side by his attitude and off handed comment. He has a booming authoritative voice. I made a point about class caps superseding, class size overflow remuneration. He ridiculed the point. He said to Susan, "I have been teaching here for twenty years. I don't know if you have been here longer." The barrage of comments makes one weary to listen. I remember my reaction when he insulted me. "Well, there's a shot to the bough." I wasn't insulted, only mildly amused because I know him. Shelly's appeal was mostly on human terms.

I felt that I had to keep a balance between airing viewpoints and keeping the meeting moving. When Shelley said that she wanted to pass a motion, she also said that there was no wording for the motion. Casey made wording on the spot and we voted - seven in behalf of the motion, two against and one abstention.