Earlier this year when Bob Correia joined this School Committee, the committee members had a discussion at their regular meeting about Robert's Rules of Order and agreed that they would use that source as guiding in their parliamentary procedures.
At a recent School Committee meeting, Kevin Aguiar tried to make an amendment to a motion using Robert's Rules of Order. Bob didn't appear to like this, as it would have delayed something he was trying to push through - this is when Bob decided to change the rules to use "tradition" rather than the previously agreed upon Robert's Rules of Order "because that is the prerogative of the chair." This is clear and egregious evidence that Bob changes the rules as he goes to favor his position.
UPDATE
Thirdmate at HMS Impossible posted a great blog discussing this topic in more detail
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This was an issue when Mayor Correia joined the School Committee. Historically, in order to amend a motion, the original make of the motion had to consent to the amendment.
However, I recall either Cadime or Aguiar challenging that and they even brought a copy of Robert's Rules of Order. The School Committee was recessed so that Attorney Assad could review the provision of Robert's Rules of Order.
Attorney Assad then gave the opinion that once a motion is made, it belongs to the committee as a whole, and any member could amend a motion without the consent of the original maker of the motion.
The members of the School Committee were inattentive because they weren't following their own rules. But once that discrepancy was found, then the Committee should proceed by following the established rules of order.
This needs to be clarified, will amendments to motions be made under Robert's Rules of Order or tradition?
Thanks for the input. I wish I had a clip of the original meeting where they opted to use Robert's Rules of Order.
I absolutely agree that this needs to be clarified because, as it stands now, Bob will likely apply the procedure that most favors him on a case by case basis.
Give Aguiar credit, he does not seem to be bullied like some of the others.
I'll admit that I was never a fan of Aguiar but I am very impressed (and surprised) that he stood up to Bob. I hope he continues to do so as needed.
The same credit is due to Cadime in this aspect. I have always found him to be antogonistic just for the hell of it - but his input is actually warranted for the most part now and he is also growing on me.
Wow, Aguiar standing up to Bob, who would've thought?
I like how the Mayor says the amendment requires the approval of the original maker of the motion, then Mark Costa says he would be against the amendment, and then Bob decides to place the amendment up to a vote of the full committee.
It's very difficult to have confidence in the School Committee when they don't even know their own procedure to do something as simple as amending a motion.
I just think the whole thing is a cluster frack. I think Bob is bending the rules to fit his own design. We saw this when he blatantly ignored the will of the people, encoded in both City ordinance and State law.
The people get the government they deserve.
Bob-o is a NUTCASE. I'm pretty sure I can see steam coming out of his eyeballs and then I thought his head was going to explode when Aguiar interrupted him, which is the only thing that could have made this video more entertaining!
"The Chair always has the prerogative to follow Robert's Rules of Order or following tradition."
Sounds to me like the quote from George Orwell's Animal Farm that "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others."
Thanks, Shamrock. Great site.
I'm always thrilled by the antics of the loose cabal who've been "in power" these past 30 years. I've worked for them, around them, and in spite of them. Stockholm Syndrome leads me to chroniclers like you.
That said: I am completely in agreement with Puck. The Chair would've blowed up real good.
It's pretty simple, it's Robert's Rules of Order when it suits Mayor Correia and when it doesn't he goes with tradition. Shouldn't everyone be playing by the same rules? No, Mayor Correia gets to decide what rules everyone gets to play by at any given time because he is the Chair. Hmm, I seem to remember Poulin when he ran for Mayor said that the Mayor should be removed as Chair of the School Committee exactly because of politics like this. That idea makes sense more and more.
FRC said it best, "Sounds to me like the quote from George Orwell's Animal Farm that "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others."
The mayor states that it is up to the Chair and then compares it to the states house.
At the state house the rules are changed often, but at the begining of the session and these rule changes are clarified. From there they live by those rules. Once again he lied and got away with it.
Plus, he is only one of 7 on the school committee. The chair cannot change rules on his or her own in the middle of a stream. The chair is there only to run the meeting and keep order.
This video proves that he believes he is king.
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