Author: Woodsworth Housing Co-op

Here is some information about co-op member meetings, based on the co-op bylaws.

The Occupancy Bylaw says that members must attend all general members’ meetings. Woodsworth usually has about four general meetings a year – the AGM for the audited statements and elections (usually in November), the budget and housing charge approval (usually in May), usually a separate meeting to vote on the capital budget for the new fiscal year, and usually another meeting for proposals, bylaws and policies and other items of concern to the Board and the co-op. (Woodsworth’s fiscal year runs from August 1 – July 31.)

The agenda:

Members must approve the agenda at the meeting. The agenda can only include things referred to in the notice of the meeting or a proposed agenda sent out with the notice. Members can vote only on things referred to in the notice of the meeting or a proposed agenda sent out with the notice. However they can discuss other business without voting.

If a member wants to add something to a general members’ meeting agenda, they must send a written request to the Board at least 15 days before the meeting. The board has to put the item on the proposed agenda for the next members’ meeting. Anything added to the proposed agenda has to be within the powers of the members as stated in section 6.1 of the Organizational By-law (Co-op Act Requirements).

How meetings operate:

Woodsworth has adopted updated rules of order explaining about motions, speaking, amendments, voting, procedural motions and interruptions. It was approved by members with a 2/3 majority vote as an attachment to the Organizational Bylaw. It is very similar to the version adopted in 1979, but has been updated to deal with Zoom meetings.

The chair makes sure that meetings run smoothly, that members have a chance to discuss every item on the agenda fully and fairly, and that the meeting comes to a clear conclusion.

Speaking on a motion:  

Members can discuss a motion after it has been moved and seconded. “The chair controls the discussion” in order to reach that objective. Members can ask questions relating to the motion or speak for or against the motion. The chair or the member who moved the motion can answer the questions.

If you disagree with the motion, you can speak against the motion, ask the mover and seconder to withdraw the main motion, or persuade the members to defeat the main motion so a different motion can be moved.

Members can also propose an amendment, but it can’t be unrelated to the motion or be contrary to the meaning of the motion, in the opinion of the chair. If the amendment is legal, the members will discuss the amendment and then vote on it. If it is approved, it is incorporated into the main motion, However, if the amendment is acceptable to the mover and seconder of the motion, the “friendly” amendment doesn’t need discussion or a vote and is simply incorporated into the main motion. Whichever is the case, the discussion goes back to discussing the main motion after dealing with the proposed amendment.

The rules of order say that each speaker speaks for 3 minutes or less. The chair can set a longer or shorter time limit. Members can speak more than once on an item only after all others who want to speak have done so. The chair can make exceptions.

You can read the full rules of order on the website:
https://www.woodsworthcoop.ca/index.php/rules-of-order/

Conflict of interest:

Woodsworth’s conflict of interest rules are also in our governance bylaw, the Organizational Bylaw. People who make decisions on behalf of the co-op should make the decisions in the best interests of the co- op, not in their personal interests. This includes directors, officers, committee members and staff.

But the bylaw also says that at members’ meetings, all members can discuss and vote as they wish, even if they have a conflict of interest. Members are encouraged to declare the conflict of interest before taking part in the discussion.  Members should try to act in the best interests of the co-op as a whole.

Quorum:

Quorum means the minimum number of voting members who must be present at the meeting to have a legal meeting. Woodsworth’s quorum for general members’ meetings is sixty (60) members.
When meetings are held electronically or have electronic participation, those members are considered to be present at the meeting for all purposes including quorum.

A quorum must be present at the beginning of the meeting and at the time of any vote. Without a quorum, anything done has no official status. See the Organizational Bylaw for details about continuing meetings to another date when no quorum “arrives”.

Using Zoom:  

At the last GMM, the co-op  used Zoom voting on main motions for those online. It speeds things up, members are clear about the actual motion, and it means more accurate minutes. Of course, the specific motion is often in the meeting package as well. However, as mentioned, motions can be amended at the meeting. The Zoom poll should be amended to reflect any changes before the vote.

The Penthouse:

The money spent on upgrading the technology in the Penthouse seems well spent, based on the last GMM. It went very smoothly. Those at home could hear speakers in the Penthouse just fine, and those in the Penthouse could hear as well. Of course, the room doesn’t hold all of our members, according to the Fire Code, just 88.