To: Members of the Castle Rock Water Commission
From: Mark Marlowe, P.E., Director of Castle Rock Water
Title
Roberts Rules of Order Discussion
Town Council Agenda Date: NA
Body
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Executive Summary
Castle Rock Water staff reviewed the Castle Rock Water Commission’s bylaws and compared the meeting procedures with Robert’s Rules of Order. Through this review, staff identified three areas that would benefit from additional clarification. Incorporating these provisions into the bylaws would establish clear expectations, promote consistency from meeting to meeting, and provide guidance for current and future commissioners.
• Adoption of the agenda: Establish a requirement for the Commission to formally adopt the agenda by vote at the beginning of each meeting. This step would give commissioners an opportunity to review the proposed order of business and consider any allowable additions, deletions, or changes before proceeding. The bylaws should also explain how changes to the agenda are proposed and approved.
• Participation of the chair: Clearly define how the chair participates in Commission business, including discussions, making motions, and voting. Establishing these expectations would help the chair facilitate meetings consistently while ensuring all commissioners understand the chair’s role. The bylaws should also address whether, and under what circumstances, the chair should temporarily turn meeting leadership over to the vice chair or another commissioner.
• Requirement for seconds to motions: Clarify whether motions require a second, taking into consideration the Commission’s size and the procedures it chooses to follow for smaller boards. The bylaws should state the requirement clearly and explain how the chair proceeds when a motion is made. This clarification would reduce uncertainty and help ensure motions are handled consistently.
These proposed clarifications would provide a shared framework for conducting Commission business and support orderly, efficient, and transparent meetings.
CRW staff have also provided the current Castle Rock Water Commission Bylaws, a summary of Robert’s Rules of Order prepared by San Diego State University, and a Robert’s Rules of Order “Cheat Sheet” for your reference.
Attachments
Attachment A: Castle Rock Water Commission Bylaws
Attachment B: Roberts Rules of Order - SDSU
Attachment C: Roberts Rules of Order - Simplified