Committee recommends speaker pro tempore succession rule to full assembly

On Oct. 22 the Cape Cod Regional Government Assembly of Delegates' standing committee on government affairs and rules voted to recommend Proposed Resolution 2025-11, which amends the assembly's manual of governance and procedures to codify a line of succession for presiding over meetings.

The resolution specifies that when both the speaker and deputy speaker are absent, unable or unavailable to preside, the delegate present who has served on the assembly the longest will serve as speaker pro tempore; if multiple delegates share the same length of service, the oldest among them present will preside.

Supporters said the change simply memorializes an existing practice and creates clarity. "Since you essentially, what that says is what we've been doing," Delegate Oman said, describing the draft as a formalization of current practice. Deputy Speaker Gessen pointed to Robert's Rules of Order and said the procedure prevents the presiding officer from unilaterally appointing a substitute for multiple meetings.

Some delegates urged simpler wording; Delegate Killian argued the speaker or deputy should be able to assign a presider for a meeting rather than using a service-length or age tie-breaker. Deputy Speaker Gessen and others countered that the written rule avoids problems and aligns with standard parliamentary practice.

Clerk Kirk Fletcher confirmed he maintains records of delegates' service dates and ages and that the clerk's office would implement the tie-breaking procedure as written.

A motion to recommend the resolution to the full assembly passed on a roll call. The clerk recorded seven affirmative votes and no negative or abstentions. The committee will forward the resolution and its recommendation to the full assembly for the next available meeting and vote.

Ending: The committee recommended the resolution to the full assembly; delegates said the full body should consider the wording further if members propose edits before the assembly vote.