Board Operating Procedures

I. Developing Board Meeting Agenda

A. Placing an Item on Agenda

1. The Board Chair, President, or Executive Office Manager may place items on the agenda for presentation to the Board.

2. Board Members must request to the Board Chair or President, ten calendar days before the Board meeting, any item they wish to have considered for placement on the agenda.

3. The Board Chair or President shall ensure that any topics the Board Members have requested be addressed are either on that agenda or are scheduled for deliberation at a subsequent meeting to occur no later than the next regularly scheduled Board Meeting.

4. In accordance with Texas Open Meeting laws, no Board Member can place an item on the agenda less than 72 hours in advance, except in an emergency as defined by the Texas Government Code.

B. Items that cannot be placed on the TSRT Board Agenda

1. All discussion of personnel issues must be conducted in an Executive Session unless specifically required by the Texas Open Meeting Act.

2. Any item that violates the right to privacy, as defined by the Texas Open Meeting Act and the Texas Open Records Act, cannot be placed on the agenda.

C. The Use of Consent Agenda

1. The following items can be placed under the consent agenda:

a. Routine items

b. Annual reviews of board member positions

c. Budget amendments from Budget Committee Chair/Board Chair

d. Financial information from Budget Committee Chair/Board Chair

e. Minutes of regular board meetings

f. Guidebook and Standing Rules Updates from Board Chair

g. Updates of board policy from Board Chair

h. Board Member reports

I. Committee Chair reports

2. If requested by a Board member, an item under consent agenda shall be withdrawn for separate discussion and voted upon immediately.

II. Member Conduct During Board Meetings

A. Persons addressing the Board in Open Forum

1. A person may address the Board on an agenda item if the Board Chair and President have been contacted 14 days prior to the meeting. A written request should be sent to the attention of both the Board Chair and President regarding the agenda item.

2. No presentation shall exceed three minutes.

3. Delegations of more than five persons shall appoint one person to present their views before the Board.

4. The Board President, when necessary, may direct the Executive Office Manager to investigate items and report to the Board through transmittal or at a designated meeting.

5. The Board shall not respond to or comment on persons comments, but will take all comments under advisement.

6. The Board shall not allow negative comments in public session about individual employees.

B. Discussions

1. Each member will conduct himself/herself according to standards outline in Roberts Rules of Order, except as superseded by other items in this document.

2. The Board President must recognize a Board member before he/she may comment on a motion.

3. The Board President will see that each person has an opportunity to talk and that the discussion is succinct.

C. Public Hearings

1. The Board is assembled only to gather information.

2. The Board will not answer questions or get into dialogue except with ASRT Legal Council in the case of an employee hearing.

3. Rules of the public hearing will be strictly adhered to:

• The Board will limit response to three minutes per testifier
• The Board will accept written (signed) or oral testimony
• The Board will not allow duplicate testimony
• The Board will not allow derogatory comments

D. Voting

1. All Board Members will vote on all action items, except when there is a legal conflict of interest.

III. Board Member Requests for Information or Reports

A. Board members may request routine information regarding agenda items at any time prior to a Board meeting.

B. Non-routine requests may be made to the Board Chair at any time. The Board Chair response will be communicated to all members at the same time.

C. Requests for reports requiring research must be made in the form of common consent by the Board members present at a regular Board meeting.

IV. Member Request/Complaint

A. Board members will not report frivolous or unsubstantiated rumors to the Board Chair/Board President.

B. Complaints will be reviewed by the entire TSRT Board and Officers

C. The member complaining should be directed to the appropriate person in the chain of command.

D. Remind the member of due process and that the Board member must remain impartial in case the situation goes before the Board.

E. Board members shall refer complaints about employees to the TSRT Board Chair.

V. Communications

A. Board Chair and Board President shall be in contact with the Executive Office Manager on a regular basis.

B. Information sent to any Board member will be distributed to all Board members and filed in the TSRT Executive Office.

C. Board will keep the Executive Office informed via telephone calls, personal visits, email, or voice mail.

D. Board will communicate with the TSRT membership through regular Board meetings, email, telephone, social media, and quarterly publications.

E. No member shall communicate with 3 or more Board members regarding organization matters through email, conference call, or letter without going through the TSRT Board Chair. Doing so would constitute a private meeting to reach a decision.

VI. Role and Authority of Board Member and/or Board Officer

A. No Board member or officer has authority outside the Board meeting.

B. No Board member can direct employees in regard to performance of duties. The Board Chair address employees.

C. The Board President shall preside at all Board meetings, appoint committees, and call special meetings.

D. The Vice President shall act in capacity of President in the absence of the President.

E. The Executive Office Manager shall keep an accurate record of proceedings of Board meetings. The Vice President will also keep a record of proceedings to access accurate records. This second record will be filed with the Executive Office two weeks post meeting date. The Executive Office Manager will send all notices of Board meetings to its members. Act in role of President in the absence of the President and Vice President.

VII. Role of Board in Executive Session

A. Board can only discuss those items listed on the Executive Session agenda and as limited by law.

B. Board must vote in public session.

C. Discussion during Executive Session must remain confidential. Violations of Executive Session confidentiality may result in admonishment by the Board Chair.

D. On issues before the Board, the Board President shall be the official spokesperson for the Board.

E. All Board members who receive calls should refer them to the Board Chair or the Board President, as appropriate.

F. When Board members are asked for their personal opinion, they may express their opinions, but must make clear that it is the Board member’s personal opinion. It is best to not say anything and allow the Board Chair or the Board President handle issues.

G. Board members will not contact membership regarding issues in question. This will be handled by the Board Chair, Board President, or the Executive Office under direction of the two most executive positions in the organization.

H. TSRT encourages input; however, anonymous calls, letters, or emails will not receive Board attention, discussion, or response and will not result in directives to the TSRT organization.

I. A signed letter or email will be forwarded to the TSRT board Chair or President depending on the nature of the letter or email. All matters regarding Budget, Bylaws, Guidebook, Standing Rules, Election and Employees will be addressed by the Board Chair. The actions of members and committees will be addressed by the President.

VIII. Review of Board Operation Procedures and Code of Conduct

A. These documents will be reviewed and updated annually and will be a part of the TSRT Executive Office Manual.

B. The review will be handled by the TSRT Board Chair.