Modifying the Board Agenda

If a member of the Board want to add something to the agenda, how should he/she go about doing this? Does a vote need to be taken?

Usually, it is a simple matter of making a motion.  It is good procedure for a board to include in its agenda a place for New Business, usually at the end.  If so, when New Business is reached, a board member can simply make a motion to take up the item.  If it is desired to formally place the item on the agenda, a motion to do so will be needed.  This should be done at the beginning of the meeting by stating: "Mr. Chairman, I move to add the following to the agenda . . ."  If the board has not yet adopted the agenda for the meeting, this motion is in the form of an amendment and requires a majority vote.  If the board has already adopted the agenda for the meeting, this motion requires a 2/3 vote because it amends something that was already adopted.

Some boards have a policy that the chairman will set the agenda.  If so, it may be necessary to seek the approval of the chairman beforehand.  Otherwise, a motion to suspend the rules will be needed and this requires a 2/3 vote.

Transition for Newly Elected Boards

Our property owner's association has just elected a new board of directors, and the directors are to elect the officers (president, vp, secretary, treasurer). When the new board members went to set up a time and place for their first meeting, the outgoing president, who is not on the new board, told them he would call the meeting and tell them when and where it would be. His agenda shows he intends to conduct the election of the officers for the new board. Is any of this correct? What is proper procedure for transition between outgoing and incoming boards?

The answers will depend primarily on the procedures laid out in your organization's bylaws.  To the extent that the bylaws state how the transition and election should take place, those procedures must be followed.  It may well be that your organization has a tradition where the outgoing president calls the new board to meet and conduct the election.  If so, this tradition should not be contrary to the bylaws.