Editor–
As a former parliamentarian (and member of the Milk Club), I really enjoyed the account of last night’s meeting of the Milk Club. Consequently, I feel it necessary to comment on a statement attributed to Paul Melbostad:
“’Motion to Reconsider and Commit to the Minutes.’ Melbostad, who is also a lawyer, explained that a vote cast at a meeting where an unrepresentative sample of the club was present can be reconsidered atthe following meeting.”
First of all, membership is determined by a club’s bylaws and my reading of the bylaws makes no distinction between members either representative, or unrepresentative. You join by paying your dues and become a voting member on all issues before the club except endorsements. Eligibility to vote on endorsements is operative at the third regular club meeting after joining. Members are members whether you like how/when/why they joined.
Secondly, any action taken can be “reconsidered” at a subsequent meeting. The motion is called a “Motion to Rescind” and can be made by any party. As a “Motion to Reconsider” can only be made by a party voting on the prevailing side of the question, Mr. Melbostad’s motion to reconsider, from Paul Hogarth’s account, was out of order (I assume as a Leno supporter, Mr. Melbostad voted against an early endorsement). A motion to reconsider is only in order during the pendency of the meeting at which the main motion was entertained. In this case, moving to reconsider the issue of an early endorsement will be out of order at any subsequent meeting.
Mr. Melbostad should have simply stated “let the minutes show I intend to offer a motion to rescind the action authorizing an early endorsement at the next meeting and request the matter be formally agendized.” In that way, the previously noticed motion to rescind would require only a simple majority. If it is not on the agenda and made from the floor at the subsequent meeting, it will require a vote of either two-thirds of those present or a majority of the entire membership, whichever is lesser, for adoption.
The whole Migden-Leno spectacle grows more entertaining in this City where politics is a blood sport. Interestingly, Mr. Hogarth’s article said nothing about the Alice B. Toklas club’s early endorsement of Mark Leno without even considering Senator Migden. At least this way, both candidates will be, democratically, considered.
I would appreciate more balanced coverage of the Migden-Leno race. Perhaps an unbiased reporter should be assigned– it couldn’t hurt Beyond Chron’s credibility on the issue.
Rick Galbreath
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