Effective Lodge Meeting Etiquette for the New Mexico Elks Association

New Mexico Elks Association 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 1

Where the rubber meets the road This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 2

Here is where Officers and Committeemen are most visible. Your conduct is under scrutiny by all present. Put your best foot forward at all times. Regular meetings of the Lodge cannot be omitted without request to and approval of your District Deputy. Regular meetings during February (nomination & election of officers) cannot be omitted. Short form rituals for a opening and/or closing a Lodge meeting must be authorized in the By-Laws. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 3

START ON TIME Members expect it and they are entitled to it. Punctuality is a developed habit, practice and perfect it. ALL OFFICERS PRESENT Absences should be infrequent. It is unfair to the other Officers and Lodge members to be absent without good cause 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 4

OPEN & CLOSE IN DUE FORM The short form for opening or closing a Lodge must be approved for use in the Lodge By-Laws. FOLLOW ORDER OF BUSINESS (G.L.S. Sec. 15.020 ) Be systematic cover all points. Exalted Ruler should use notes and be prepared. Have the Secretary prepare an agenda for the meeting Call on Committees by name for reports. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 5

PERFORM GOOD RITUAL You are not required to memorize, but it is highly recommended. Ritual means all Ritual, not just Initiation This is teamwork in action. OBSERVE PROPER DECORUM Dress properly, blue jeans and T-shirts are not appropriate. Address the Exalted Ruler properly; rise and face him/her and address him/her with Exalted Ruler before speaking your piece. Be business-like and dignified. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 6

AVOID DULLNESS Keep the meeting moving Don t allow prolonged and irrelevant debate. Strive for brief and to-the-point comments. A QUORUM MUST BE PRESENT Nine Members, two of whom must be Elected Officers Visiting Members do not count 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 7

BAR & SOCIAL QUARTERS MUST BE CLOSED If facility is leased, lessee must comply with our Laws (G.L.S. Sec. 16.090 Decision 01) There are some exceptions, but not for members. (G.L.S. Sec. 16.090) FOLLOW PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE !! 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 8

Many Lodges mishandle the Good of the Order, Bills against the Lodge, Receipts of the Session, and Treasurers Report. These sections should be conducted as follows. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 9

Good of the Order: This is not the place to discuss Lodge business, committee activities, and the like. Those items belong in Old Business, New Business and Committee Reports. Thanking members, reminders of upcoming activities, meetings, etc. is appropriate. Most Lodges will also run a 50/50 drawing at this time. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 10

Bills Against the Lodge: Read by the Secretary and should include an itemized list of all bills incurred since the last session. Payment of recurring bills (those paid on a regular repeating schedule) does not require Lodge floor approval if there is a provision in the Lodge By-Laws allowing that, but they must be read. Individual bills require specific Lodge floor approval, so they must all be read. A blanket motion to pay them is in order, but any individual bill may be denied as part of the motion 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 11

Receipts of the Session: Read by the Secretary and should include all income received since the last session. That s all. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 12

Treasurers Report: Read by the Treasurer and should be a summary of the account balances, total income and expenses since the beginning of the fiscal year. The Treasurer s report does not include budget performance or projections; that information should be included in the monthly BOD report. That s all. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 13

It is extremely important for committee chairs to attend meetings and give reports. Committees should be called by name for their report. If the Chair is not present, the minutes should note that the committee did not present a report. A good report should contain: What the committee has accomplished since the last report What activities are upcoming Acknowledgement of participants Any requests for expenditures or fund dispersements these should be made in the form of a motion. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 14

To conduct a Lodge Meeting properly, you should know a little something about Parliamentary Procedure. Chair: Rule promptly, with authority Preserve Order Control Debate Restate Motions Put the question (call for a vote) 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 15

Announcing the vote (result) Has tie-break vote Decides all questions of order without debate, but can be over- ruled. All remarks to and through the chair All members rise and address the Exalted Ruler. When recognize by the Exalted Ruler, the member will be at liberty to deliver their remarks. It is highly improper to carry on private conversations or to address another member except through the Chair. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 16

Probably the most important (and basic) rule to remember is this: There must be a seconded motion on the floor before any discussion may take place. Discussing matters without a motion in place is out of order and should be stopped immediately. Motions may be made at any point in the meeting, but they are usually made in the Old Business, New Business, and Reports of Committees sections. One notable exception is the motion to pay the Bills Against the Lodge. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 17

No questions (vote) stated without a motion and second To withdraw a motion requires consent of the second before questions is stated. No debate after question is put (vote is called for) Needless Motions: To accept minutes of previous meeting To accept the Treasure s report To close nominations (Also , no second is required to a nomination) 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 18

Some general provisions: 2/3 Majority required to rescind any previous action 2/3 Majority required to over-rule the Chair (decisions on point of order) Resolutions must be in writing. It may also be necessary to lay over to the next meeting for action. No member to speak more than twice on same subject without permission of Exalted Ruler. This is something to watch for on hotly debated issues. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 19

Following simple parliamentary procedure makes for an orderly conduct of business and avoids the helter-skelter, haphazard approach which usually results in confusion and misunderstandings. The abbreviated version of Robert s Rules of Order available from the Grand Secretary s Office is easy to follow and understand. There is a Powerpoint presentation available on the NMEA website. You don t have to be an expert, but a little study of parliamentary procedure will make your Lodge Meetings go much more smoothly. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 20

Thank you for your attention. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 21

The Order of Business must be as follows, with the exception of items (i) through (q) and (d), which may be transposed with the consent of the Lodge. (a) Opening. (b) Calling roll of Officers. (c) Reading minutes of previous meeting. (d) Initiation (e) Sickness and distress (always in order). (f) Community Activities. (g) Reports of Committees (by seniority). (h) Report of the Fraternal Committee. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 22

(i) Reading communications. (j) Propositions for membership. (k) Balloting on candidates. (l) Unfinished business. (m) New business. (n) Good of the Order. (o) Bills against the Lodge. (p) Receipts of the Lodge. (q) Treasurer s report. (r) Closing. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 23

The lessee of Club Rooms, swimming pool, bowling alley, golf course, parking lot, park, or any other Lodge property must comply with all provisions of our Constitution, Laws of the Order and By-Laws of the Lodge. A Member not in good standing is still an Elk subject to any conditions of his suspension and is still subject to all of the provisions of our Constitution, Laws of the Order and By-Laws. (Grand Forum, Case No. 1053, 2004) 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 24

Section 16.090. All Homes, Clubs, Club Rooms and Social Parlors shall be closed during the hours of all regular and special meetings of the Lodge, except those facilities thereof designated for the use of and then being used only by the non-Member spouses and minor children of the Members of the Lodge, providing the use does not interfere with the proper functioning of Lodge meeting. Any Lodge violating this Section under any pretext whatever shall be liable to a forfeiture of its Charter.. 3/18/2025 New Mexico Elks Association 25