1. Council Meetings

2. Seating Locations for Meetings
Reference Protocol Handbook (03/08)
National flag Papal flag
Financial Grand
Treasurer Secretary Knight Chaplain Recorder
Council Banner
Advocate
Salutation Table Lecturer
Program
and
Membership (with cross and attendance book) Directors
Board of
Trustees (Optional)
Warden
Chancellor
Deputy Grand Knight
Inside Guard Entrance Outside Guard
Members
Members

3. How to Conduct a Meeting (1)
X Call to order by Grand Knight
Warden’s Report on Membership Cards
X X X X Opening Prayer
X X X X Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag X
X X Roll call of officers
X X X Opening Ode X
Reading of Minutes of Previous Meeting
Report of Admissions Committee and Reading of Applications
Balloting for Membership

4. How to Conduct a Meeting (2)
Reading of Notices of Applications in other Councils
Initiations
Grand Knights Report
Chaplain’s Report *(Chaplain Option)
Treasurers Report
Reading by GK of Receipts and Deposits
Reading of Bills and Communications
Financial Secretary’s Report
Report of Auditor’s and Trustees
Chancellor’s Report on Vocations

5. How to Conduct a Meeting (3)
Report of Service Program Committees
Membership Director
Program Director
Church Director
Community Director
Council Director
Family Director
Youth Director
Report of Standing Committees
Unfinished Business
New Business

6. Leading the Meeting (4) Report of Fourth Degree Field Agent’s Report
District Deputy Report
Good of the Order
Chaplain’s Summation
X X X X Closing Prayer
X Conclusion

7. How to Conduct a Meeting (5)
Form /99

8. Reading of Minutes Previous Meeting
Recorder reads the minutes from the last business meeting
Call for any changes to the minutes
Recorder notes any changes
If no one suggests any changes, the minutes are approved
If there are changes, then a vote follows

9. Reports
Report from the Admissions Committee and the reading of any applications
Voting on admission of new members
secret
at first, a general ballot for all candidates
50% plus 1 person in attendance to confirm the list of candidates
if the vote fails, then there is a vote on each candidate
Reading of candidates from other councils
Initiation

10. Grand Knight’s Report Important issues Time to present his ideas
Talk about his anxieties, appreciation/praise
All observations pertaining to matters from last month
Informs members/reports on:
the latest state/district meeting
meetings with the District Deputy
meetings of any special committees
any other information he wishes to share
Handing out of awards to council members

11. Chaplain’s Report
Relates to any business matters relative to his office and a brief talk on any religious matter
Occasion to exercise the teaching mission of the Church
Instruction on the Church’s teachings on particular matters
Parish affairs – reading of correspondence from the diocese and/or report on the activities of parish committees

12. Treasurer’s Report
Report on the council’s bank balances covering all council accounts
Detailed accounting of balances for each meeting or a more general report
Acknowledgement of receipts for the collection and distribution of funds

13. Financial Secretary’s Report
Presents information on all funds collected since the last council meeting
It is very important that members are informed as to the amount of money collected and the amount distributed
This report, as well as the reading of minutes, is a mandatory part of all council meetings
If any member faces suspension, there should be a report on the suspension process

14. Flow of Funds in a Council
Collection of Funds
Distribution of Funds
Grand Knight
Financial Secretary
Treasurer
BANK
Funding Decision
Financial Secretary
Board of Trustees
Treasurer
Dues
Collected Funds
Payments / Distributions

15. Notes
The Grand Knight can exclude selected items from the council meeting if there is nothing to report or if someone is not present.
The reading of minutes, report from the admissions committee, voting for new members, Grand Knight’s report, and Financial Secretary’s report must take place during each council meeting
IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, YOU CAN PLAN TO FAIL!
The planning of a meeting should take as much time, if not more, than the meeting itself

16. Bills and Communications
The Grand Knight now reads new communications and correspondence received in the last few weeks.
If a matter relates to the collection of funds or the start of new activities requiring discussion, these matters should be brought up during the part of the meeting relating to new business
Report on council correspondence
Keep to a minimum
Highlight the most important parts

17. Chancellor’s Report
Report on activities in support of a seminarian or a postulant in their studies
It is also the Chancellor’s duty to increase members’ interest in council activities
It is recommended that he chair the Admissions Committee

18. Service Committee Reports
The service program is the “heart” of Columbianism – it’s the reason we can change the world into a better place
Church Director
e.g. help with cleaning the church, joint participation in Masses, or prayer services
Council Director
public relations
Knight of the month
athletic teams and events
Community Director
e.g. helping those in need, road clean-ups, or blood donations
Family Director
e.g. family picnics, family of the month and of the year, and ladies appreciation nights
Youth Director
e.g. sponsoring Squires circle, supporting Boy Scouts, or athletic events
youth retreats and support of World Youth Day

19. Service Committee Reports
Membership Director
Reports on ceremony dates and recruitment activities
A council either grows – is “alive” – or “dies”; there is no state in between

20. Standing Committee Reports
These committees are appointed by the Grand Knight for ongoing projects not provided for by the laws of the council
An example of this type of committee may be a committee collecting funds for charitable purposes

21. Deputy Grand Knight Informs members of the last officer’s meeting
Council should hold an officer’s meeting each month, most of all to be able to prepare for the general business meeting
Remember, that the Deputy Grand Knight is second in command after the Grand Knight. He assists the Grand Knight in the affairs of the council. In the case of the Grand Knight’s absence, he leads council meetings and in all council matters he holds the same powers as the Grand Knight

22. Unfinished Business
These are affairs from the last council meeting that were not decided upon or required more preparation, and also voting upon matters of funding above a certain monetary threshold.

23. New Business
Touch upon those matters that were not yet covered in a normal business meeting and that should now be discussed and decided upon.
Usually, these affairs should be discussed beforehand at the officer’s meeting and added to the meeting’s agenda.

24. Control of the Meeting Role of the Advocate Be sure that:
issues are presented in a clear and brief manner
the matter is voted upon and supported in the correct way (e.g. seconding a motion)
everyone can speak and that no one can monopolize the conversation
when voting, there is first a question as to those in favor of a motion and then those opposed
the results of a vote are stated before continuing on to the next issue

25. At the Closing of Meetings
The Lecturer presents “For the Good of the Order” which touches upon educational programs for council members
Social opportunity
Chaplain’s Summation
Closing Prayer
Closing Hymn
Adjournment

26. Notes
It is mandatory that the minutes of the last regular business meeting be read
What really counts as the historical record is what is written down in the meeting minutes
Remember which parts of the meeting can or cannot be skipped

27. References
Additional information can be found in the following sources:
- Grand Knight’s Guidebook (#915-PL)
- Chaplain’s Guidebook (#945-PL)
- Financial Secretary’s Guidebook (#1410-PL)
- Statues, Constitution, and Laws (#30-PL)
- Council Executive Rules
- How to Conduct a Meeting (#483-PL)
- Responsibilities of the Grand Knight (#1937-PL)