Committee chair problem

Tizliz In my litigious country you would have sued for wrongful accusations.Probably made a fair old stash,too !

I was treasurer of a committee that rarely met, didn't publish minutes and most members were on it in name only. I resigned after being accused of theft - had moved the money to a savings account (in the club's name). The chairman knew but no meetings to discuss this until AGM when the secretary just looked at the bank statement for the main a/c and blew his top.

As I didn't get to explain some people spread the word and my name was mud. Could still be but I don't mix with them anymore.

Never again will I be on a committee

Well someone has to run all the groups that other people benefit from but do not contribute to.

I have been on various committees for over 60 years and most have run efficiently and well.

I did walk away from one because it was disorganised and only succeeded by driving to the Chairman's house after dark and leaving all my papers in a box on her doorstep. One we had, successively Treasurers, who thought that because they had the cheque book they effectively ran the society. They both resigned and once when I was Treasurer of another society I resigned when they decided to take on obligations I had advised them they could not meet. I did not make any kind of fuss. Just said advised them that I could not remain Treasurer of a Society that took on commitments it could not meet. Fortunately they later had second thoughts about the scheme and it did not go ahead.

But I have never been on one of those cliquey, prima donna committees so many people write about all the time. Most of the time, the committees I have been on have worked happily and effectively

Oreo and Shelflife. I do agree with you both. I avoid committees now. I have no further yearning to be on them. In my experience, those who Chair can be like your Chair in this instance. If you are brave, I would call the Chair out over their behaviour, at the next meeting (very brave). So, I would ask to place an item about it on the next meeting's Agenda, as that is diplomatic..or, you could raise it under AOB? ( That is a bit more like an ambush though.) By all means discuss it with the other committee members. I would try to be both diplomatic but firm. If the worst comes to the worst, and it becomes too unpleasant, you could just resign. Good luck!!

I am assuming that the Chairman did not attend the meeting when a decision was taken of which he subsequently disapproved, and altered without consultation?

I am pretty sure he is exceeding his authority and his decision must be challenged, otherwise he will continue to overrule.

It is my firm belief that a large percentage of people have no idea how a committee works or how to run a meeting

Well its just as well other people step up then Estrellita

I don't do commitees.

Geordiegirl1

She said there had been no vote. So rather sticky ground from thé off!

This is why we always had a vote on everything.

However the fact that, officially there was no vote does not give the Chairman the right to make unilateral decisions. The decision must just be sent back to the committee for a vote to be taken.

Is this work, volunteering or pleasure please?

She said there had been no vote. So rather sticky ground from thé off!

I was on a committee, on and off for 30 years. In all that time we only had 2 difficult occasions when the Treasurer tried to run the committtee by holding the purse strings, we worked amicably together and the society flourished and grew.

I'm on the board of a small charity. We do a great job on very little funding. Our chair is a stickler for procedure and that works. It's fair and transparent. However, I suspect that if/when we all leave the board the charity will fold.
The world is run by those who turn up.

In the ones that folded, there were always some plusses, as well as minuses.

I know of some that fold.

The world did not cave in.

The fact is that organisations will fold if people do not come forward to sit on committees. We don’t exist for the sake of the Committee.

Thank you Cabbie21 for reminding me how dire committee work is. I was involved in one or another committee all my working life and then for 10 years in retirement. I am tempted now an again to get 'involved' in voluntary work but it did almost drive me mad on occasion. Good Luck with your Chair.

I'm a committee member of a charitable organisation. Only last week at meeting, no previous minutes approved, no sight of AGM minutes and no Agenda for current meeting. Subject was raised by a committee member who was basically telling others what they wanted and that was that. No vote, Chair just gave way on it all. This was Friday, work on project to be started on Monday! I and another two members were of the same mind, not a committe, a collusion of two members to get what they wanted. Going to resign as is one of the other two discontented members. Some people do not understsnd the role of a committee, the seem to think anything that's raised is approved especially if their suggestion.

A committee runs our estate so they effectively control the level of service charge. This has resulted in ever rising costs and money being spent on things which many of us do not support. The problem is that most do not want to give their time to this sort of task, and those who do are often the more well-off members of the community with the time to spare.
I agree with others, serving on a committee is not my idea of how I want to spend my life, so what is the solution?

theres more to life

Sounds like the Committee I was on . The best thing I did, was resign.

Plenty like that in my opinion.
Rife situation.

winterwhite

Presumably the Chair was present at the meeting that reached the decision? Did he speak against it then?

IMO if the Chair felt in retrospect that the decision was wrong another meeting should have been called to re-discuss it.

The situation you describe is so unusual I’d be surprised if any constitution covers it.

Correct. What a sneaky Chair!

Jaxjacky

Are there others who feel the same?
Personally I would check the constitution, then challenge them quoting that.

Absolutely!!

Cabbie21

Checked the Constitution and Rules and there is no clarification, other than that in the case of a tied vote the Chair has the casting vote. There was no actual vote.
This particular decision was actually made two meetings ago and reinforced at last week’s meeting.

If there was no vote with a motion proposal and show of hands for and against then the Chair is wrong to instigate! The committee could propose a vote of no confidence in the Chair………that’ll sort it out!