Can A Board Member just WAlk out of a Meeting?

We have 2-3 member who attend our meetings out of 5 attendees and they are there just to disrupt and to scream and yell. They add nothing to the community but disruptive disgust. Is it permissable for a board member just to walk out of a meeting due to yelling/screaming (threats of lawsuits, etc)?

'We have 2-3 member who attend our meetings out of 5 attendees and they are there just to disrupt and to scream and yell. They add nothing to the community but disruptive disgust. Is it permissable for a board member just to walk out of a meeting due to yelling/screaming (threats of lawsuits, etc)?'

Alex, the quick answer is always 'yes', if it is that disruptive, of course you can always leave. However, maybe some homework can be done so that it isn't the only answer for you.

Are these the same people who disrupt the meeting? Are they coming in together? Is there any legitimacy to their complaints? Are you a Board member yourself? How long has this been going on, and it's been tolerated for so long, why? and by whom? Separating these complainers and keeping track of what their complaints are might be helpful. If griper A has been complaining about landscapers, then put them on the spot and come up with solutions OUTSIDE the meeting and present their ideas at the next meeting. Same with the others. Give them homework to do on their complaints.

If it is yelling over the same issue-we had one with a board member angry because we didn't buy the designer house and turn it into a daycare/meeting area. He and his wife would run the day care and RENT out the top space for living there. No matter how many times he was told that our CCR'S distinctly state NO BUSINESSES can be run out of houses. EVERY meeting he would bring this subject up.--These people have to be blocked with a tough president (we had to eventually have a lawyer present to stop our guy) 'That subject has been discussed and there is no point to going over this subject again.'

Good luck,
Duane

I agree with Susan. It's the BOARD'S meeting....not the MEMBER'S meeting. The screaming, yelling people can be asked to leave. If the person/people are preventing the Board from conducting their meeting they can go. The board can also adjourn the meeting. It's the Board's responsibility to control the meeting. Board meetings are not "free-for-alls". Members are also not to be allowed to speak on topics that are not on the agenda and the Board can state that and move on to the business at hand.

that's what the sgt at arms is for. lacking that, that's what the police are for.

It's the board's meeting. nothing can happen there that the presiding officer doesn't allow, either through action or inaction.

If it is needed, you should hire an off duty officer to come and keep the peace at the meeting. The president should then ask any disruptive party to leave. If they refuse the officer can then arrest them for disturbing the peace. But I suspect that the presence of the officer will tone down the whole meeting a lot.

You can not be held in a meeting against your will. That is known as kidnapping in the US. (Unless said meeting is with a judge who has ordered your presence.)

Times are tough and you hate to spend money that isn't needed. But from the sounds of it the money would be well spent. You should also document the behavior as you could possibly get a court order to prevent the worst offenders from attending meetings in person. While judges don't normally like to infringe on a person's ability to conduct business, they also understand that some people are like cancer and need to be excluded from a group.