Thanks. I just tried to report what happened. I had a sense that it was special as it was happening, but as I reflected on it, the impact of the moment didn't fade in fact it felt even more powerful in retrospect.
Note to those who left: It may have seemed the meeting was adjourned because the Chair said so, but there are actually 2 major problems with that conclusion: 1) The meeting was never called to order and therefore could not possibly be adjourned; 2) The chair did not have the authority to adjourn the meeting without a motion (described in Robert's Rules 8:9) and no motion to adjourn was made.
The February 26th regular meeting occurred after the chair left.
Roberts Rules 47:11 Temporary occupants of the chair. If it is necessary for the president to vacate the chair during a meeting, or if the chair is absent, the chair is occupied temporarily by another
(1) A vice-president. If the president for any reason vacates the chair or is absent, the vice-president or first vice-president takes the chair
Many of the members in the MREC don't know, or choose to ignore, the party rules, the county constitution, and Roberts Rules. This is a common theme in almost every county in the state of Florida.
RPOF County Model Constitution
ARTICLE X: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The latest revision of “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised” shall be constituted as the authority governing the rules of procedure
Some basic Roberts Rules
41:63 Changing an Agenda. When the adoption of a proposed agenda is pending, it is subject to amendment by majority vote.
4:4 Making a Motion. To make a main motion, a member must obtain the floor, as explained above, when no other question is pending and when business of the kind represented by the motion is in order.
Deciphered, it says that if someone makes a motion and during discussion another person makes a completely different motion, the maker of the second motion is out of order. A motion made that pertains to the business at hand is in order, such as amending the agenda prior to it's adoption. Motions can be planned in advance or they can be organic from the floor. This is why we voted against only allowing motions during New Business at our December meeting.
Debate
4:28 ...In the debate, each member has the right to speak twice on the same question on the same day, but cannot make a second speech on the same question so long as any member who has not spoken on that question desires the floor.
Debate should alternate between opposing opinions as described in 3:33
The reason we have governing docs and rules is so that everyone plays by the same set of rules, including the executive board members and chair. If everyone spends just a little time learning the rules by reading, watching videos, or taking courses, meetings would properly function and we could actually get business done. You can also get quick reference sheets (https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71lonOoXkSL.jpg) for free which show the ranking and incidental motions and their properties.
This is fantastic information. As a reminder, I had offered to pay for a parliamentarian to attend these meetings for the very reason you've articulated here--playing by the same set of rules to ensure all voices are respected and heard, and we actually get business done.
April ignored this gift and, in December, decided to bring somebody (I forgot his name) who was presumed to be a parliamentarian because he did an online course. He was unqualified and didn't do his job while my actual registered parliamentarian sat with me as a guest. It was the same parliamentarian who taught a training course for the REC that I had offered. She did a fantastic job training us, and I am confident she would bring order and streamline our meetings even further if called upon.
Eddie Speir has been suckered in by the very people who gave us another of the developer's darlings, Steve Vernon, as well as April Culbreath. So the former secretary got up in front of the room and apologized to Bruce Stamm. Bruce Stamm was the one who packed the REC with all of the people from Lakewood Ranch so that Steve Vernon could defeat me for Chair. The night of the election Stamm in cooperation with Cindy Spray quietly defamed me behind the scenes and it worked. If that was not enough, then Spray and Stamm defamed my wife quietly behind the scenes when she ran for Chair against April Culbreath. Marnie Materese, the former secretary who apologized to Stamm is up to her eyeballs as to what the REC has become. She knew nothing about the REC but just wanted to be an officer in the REC for her personal aggrandizement. She was clearly on Culbreath's side when the REC Board was pressuring Stamm to do the wrong thing. Culbreath is trying to fairly successfully reinvent herself. The people who were behind Vernon and Culbreath knew what they were because they were told. Now they would have us believe they are not culpable for making the REC the "wreck" it has become.
If there is anybody who has earned the right to tell me, "how the cow ate the cabbage." It is Ken Piper. Ken, thank you for your tireless work in educating so many people for so many years about conservative principles and the dangerous warning signs and traps along the way. Your reward has been to be gaslit and held up as a pariah for anybody else who would dare challenge the establishment. I applaud your efforts and I do remember the meeting where April was voted on and your adamant resistence to it (which is all justified now in retrospect). There is nobody that I can think of here in Manatee County who has paid a steeper price for their passionate conservative values than you. And as I walk the line between naivity and hopeful healing, I humbly accept your words and say, "Thank you Ken. It is duly noted, and I have been adequately warned."
Very powerful Eddie. We the people will no longer be ignored!
Thanks. I just tried to report what happened. I had a sense that it was special as it was happening, but as I reflected on it, the impact of the moment didn't fade in fact it felt even more powerful in retrospect.
I think the most powerful part was before anything of importance started a prayer broke out. True divine intervention.
Thank you for putting this out Eddie!
Note to those who left: It may have seemed the meeting was adjourned because the Chair said so, but there are actually 2 major problems with that conclusion: 1) The meeting was never called to order and therefore could not possibly be adjourned; 2) The chair did not have the authority to adjourn the meeting without a motion (described in Robert's Rules 8:9) and no motion to adjourn was made.
The February 26th regular meeting occurred after the chair left.
Roberts Rules 47:11 Temporary occupants of the chair. If it is necessary for the president to vacate the chair during a meeting, or if the chair is absent, the chair is occupied temporarily by another
(1) A vice-president. If the president for any reason vacates the chair or is absent, the vice-president or first vice-president takes the chair
Many of the members in the MREC don't know, or choose to ignore, the party rules, the county constitution, and Roberts Rules. This is a common theme in almost every county in the state of Florida.
RPOF County Model Constitution
ARTICLE X: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The latest revision of “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised” shall be constituted as the authority governing the rules of procedure
Some basic Roberts Rules
41:63 Changing an Agenda. When the adoption of a proposed agenda is pending, it is subject to amendment by majority vote.
4:4 Making a Motion. To make a main motion, a member must obtain the floor, as explained above, when no other question is pending and when business of the kind represented by the motion is in order.
Deciphered, it says that if someone makes a motion and during discussion another person makes a completely different motion, the maker of the second motion is out of order. A motion made that pertains to the business at hand is in order, such as amending the agenda prior to it's adoption. Motions can be planned in advance or they can be organic from the floor. This is why we voted against only allowing motions during New Business at our December meeting.
Debate
4:28 ...In the debate, each member has the right to speak twice on the same question on the same day, but cannot make a second speech on the same question so long as any member who has not spoken on that question desires the floor.
Debate should alternate between opposing opinions as described in 3:33
The reason we have governing docs and rules is so that everyone plays by the same set of rules, including the executive board members and chair. If everyone spends just a little time learning the rules by reading, watching videos, or taking courses, meetings would properly function and we could actually get business done. You can also get quick reference sheets (https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71lonOoXkSL.jpg) for free which show the ranking and incidental motions and their properties.
This is fantastic information. As a reminder, I had offered to pay for a parliamentarian to attend these meetings for the very reason you've articulated here--playing by the same set of rules to ensure all voices are respected and heard, and we actually get business done.
April ignored this gift and, in December, decided to bring somebody (I forgot his name) who was presumed to be a parliamentarian because he did an online course. He was unqualified and didn't do his job while my actual registered parliamentarian sat with me as a guest. It was the same parliamentarian who taught a training course for the REC that I had offered. She did a fantastic job training us, and I am confident she would bring order and streamline our meetings even further if called upon.
The offer still stands.
Thanks Eddie, well said. May God bless you and give you wisdom and guidance for your campaign.
Masterfully Said! 🇺🇸
Eddie Speir has been suckered in by the very people who gave us another of the developer's darlings, Steve Vernon, as well as April Culbreath. So the former secretary got up in front of the room and apologized to Bruce Stamm. Bruce Stamm was the one who packed the REC with all of the people from Lakewood Ranch so that Steve Vernon could defeat me for Chair. The night of the election Stamm in cooperation with Cindy Spray quietly defamed me behind the scenes and it worked. If that was not enough, then Spray and Stamm defamed my wife quietly behind the scenes when she ran for Chair against April Culbreath. Marnie Materese, the former secretary who apologized to Stamm is up to her eyeballs as to what the REC has become. She knew nothing about the REC but just wanted to be an officer in the REC for her personal aggrandizement. She was clearly on Culbreath's side when the REC Board was pressuring Stamm to do the wrong thing. Culbreath is trying to fairly successfully reinvent herself. The people who were behind Vernon and Culbreath knew what they were because they were told. Now they would have us believe they are not culpable for making the REC the "wreck" it has become.
If there is anybody who has earned the right to tell me, "how the cow ate the cabbage." It is Ken Piper. Ken, thank you for your tireless work in educating so many people for so many years about conservative principles and the dangerous warning signs and traps along the way. Your reward has been to be gaslit and held up as a pariah for anybody else who would dare challenge the establishment. I applaud your efforts and I do remember the meeting where April was voted on and your adamant resistence to it (which is all justified now in retrospect). There is nobody that I can think of here in Manatee County who has paid a steeper price for their passionate conservative values than you. And as I walk the line between naivity and hopeful healing, I humbly accept your words and say, "Thank you Ken. It is duly noted, and I have been adequately warned."