For the Good of the Order column published in the League’s The Municipality

Download 20 Basic Parliamentary Motions (PDF), a chart created by the League based on Robert’s Rules of Order 11th Edition. 

Making a Motion (PDF) April 2018 

Motions: Amendment (PDF) May 2018

Presiding Officers and Agendas (PDF) June 2018

Discussion Rules for Chairpersons (PDF) July 2018

Discussion Rules for Members (PDF) August 2018

"Ownership" of Motions (PDF) September 2018

To Table or Postpone: What’s the Difference? (PDF) October 2018

On Second Thought: Seconding the Motion (PDF) November 2018

Moving the Previous Question (Closing Debate) (PDF) December 2018

Limiting Debate (PDF) January 2019

Why Robert’s? (PDF) February 2019

Denying Requests and Applications: Do We Always Need a Motion? (PDF) March 2019

Conducting Debate: The Chair’s Role (PDF) April 2019

Majority or Supermajority? Of What? (PDF) May 2019

Rescind and Reconsider: When the Body Might Change its Mind (PDF) June 2019

Bad Meeting Behavior: Painting the Shed Red (PDF) June 2019 article

Taking from the Table and Changing the Agenda (PDF) July 2019

A Few Fundamentals (PDF) August 2019

20 Basic Parliamentary Motions (PDF) September 2019

Why Parliamentary Procedure for My Meeting? (PDF) October 2019

Parliamentary Procedure - Inclusivity (PDF) November 2019

Getting to Good Meetings - the Chair’s Role (PDF) December 2019

Preparation and Techniques to Avoid Meeting Chaos (PDF) January 2020

Nominations (PDF) March 2020 

(We did not publish a For the Good of the Order in February 2020) 

How to Preside - Preparation and Techniques to Avoid Meeting Chaos and Discord (PDF) April 2020

Preparation and Techniques to Avoid Meeting Chaos – The Body’s Duties (PDF) May 2020

Robert’s Rules, Chapters 49-50, Rules for Small Boards (PDF) June 2020 

The Main Motion and Secondary Motions Relating to it (PDF) July 2020

Privileged Motions (PDF) August 2020

RONR 12th Edition – Changes from 11th Edition & Subsidiary Motions (PDF) September 2020

Subsidiary Motions Continued (PDF) October 2020

Incidental Motions (PDF) November 2020

When a Governing Body Wants to Change Its Mind (PDF) December 2020

Robert’s New Rules Are Here! (PDF) February 2021

Electronic Meetings Under the New Robert’s Rules of Order (PDF) April 2021

Consent Agenda (PDF) June 2021    

Download 20 Basic Parliamentary Motions (PDF) August 2021

Use and Misuse of Substitute Amendments (PDF) October 2021

Presiding Officers and Agendas (PDF) December 2021    

Making a Motion (PDF) February 2022

Considering a Main Motion – Debate (PDF) April 2022

Considering a Main Motion – Putting the Question and Announcing the Vote (PDF) June 2022

The Roll Call Vote (PDF) August 2022

Other Methods of Voting (PDF) October 2022 

Bad Meeting Behavior: Painting the Shed Red (PDF) December 2022