Purpose of Special Meeting - May 2010 

Q:Our organization’s bylaws specify that a special meeting can be called at any time by the President or by the majority of the Board. The president called the special meeting and the secretary sent notice to the members with the topics of four specific items to be discussed at the special meeting. Can any member make a motion regarding different issue at that special meeting?

 A:No. According to RONR p.89, a special meeting is a separate session of an organization held at a time different from that of any regular meeting, and convened only to consider one or more items of business specified in the call of the meeting. The reason for special meetings is to deal with important matters that may arise between regular meetings and that urgently require action by the organization before the next meeting.