Orange County NC Website
18 19 <br /> 1. To rule on points of parliamentary procedure, including the <br /> right to rule out of order any motion patently offered for ob- <br /> structive or dilatory purposes; <br /> 2. To determine whether a speaker has gone beyond reasonable <br /> standards of courtesy in his or her remarks and to entertain <br /> and rule on objections from other members on this ground; <br /> 3. To entertain and answer questions of parliamentary law or <br /> procedure; <br /> 4. To call a brief recess at any time; <br /> 5. To adjourn in an emergency. <br /> A decision by the presiding officer under any of the first three <br /> powers listed above may be appealed to the board upon motion <br /> of any member. Such a motion is in order immediately after a <br /> decision under those powers is announced and at no other time. <br /> The member making the motion need not be recognized by the <br /> presiding officer, and the motion, if timely made, may not be <br /> ruled out of order. <br /> Comment:The chair normally presides at board meetings.In his <br /> or her absence,the vice-chair,if there is one, presides. If there is <br /> no vice-chair, or if both the chair and vice-chair are absent, the <br /> board typically selects a temporary presiding officer. <br /> The board may choose whether the chair always votes or votes <br /> only to break a tie. Someone who is temporarily presiding in <br /> the chair's place is still a full member of the board and thus <br /> entitled to make motions and to vote. <br /> The chair or anyone presiding in the chair's place has substan- <br /> tial procedural powers, but those powers are not absolute. <br /> Under this rule and Rule 15, any board member is entitled to <br /> make a motion to appeal to the other members concerning the <br /> presiding officer's decisions on motions, decorum in debate <br /> and most other procedural matters. <br /> There are two exceptions to this right of appeal. A chair or <br /> other presiding officer may adjourn without the board's vote or <br /> appeal in an emergency, and he or she may also call a brief <br /> recess without a vote at any time,when necessary to"clear the <br /> air" and thus reduce friction among the members. <br /> Rule 12. Presiding Officer when the Chair is in Active Debate. <br /> If the chair wishes to become actively engaged in debate on a <br />