The language of this motion can be confusing. You hear the phrase “an adjourned meeting” and you think it's one that's adjourned — members have gone home. But, in fact, it means that a meeting is adjourned to another time. The motion sets another, later date to continue the meeting before a regular meeting.

Perhaps there is too much business to transact in a regular or special meeting and the group or organization needs another one before its next regular meeting to take care of this. The current meeting isn't adjourned when members leave — the meeting is continued into another meeting. Its time and date are stated within the motion.

There are positives and negatives to the fix the time to which to adjourn privileged motion. Another meeting gives members a chance to finish business that is taking more time than they expected. It means that members don't become overtired or irritable, as they do when meetings go into overtime.

One negative is that people lead busy lives these days, and they may not be happy if they have to return for another meeting. Another negative is that setting up meetings outside the regular times and dates can also confuse people, especially if they miss a meeting at which the new meeting is announced and hear about it from someone who attended.

To make the motion to fix the time to which to adjourn, a member should say: “I move that when this meeting adjourns today, it adjourns to meet [on this day] at [this time].” Another member will need to second the motion. This motion is not open to debate but can be reconsidered. It must have a majority vote to adopt.