The Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors walked away from another meeting Thursday night with little to show for it.

Recently, the monthly meetings have not garnered enough attendance for the board to have a quorum, meaning they have been unable to vote on anything.

This week was the fourth meeting in the past six months where there not enough board members showed up to produce a quorum to allow for an official meeting.

Out of the 11 members, usually six — but  not always the same six — and sometimes less, actually show up. Rules require seven members be present to make a quorum.

VCVB executive director Bill Seratt was frustrated Thursday night because there are issues that need to be addressed, like bills for example, and he can’t get those issues tended to without a quorum.

It concerns him to lead the bureau with little direction.

“They’re all very active and very community-minded people, and sometimes things get in the way and they can’t be here,” Seratt said.

He said this year was unusual in the fact that there had been so few quorums and there have been extraordinary circumstances leading to the absences including family matters, illnesses, births and managing their businesses.

Two of the current members have extended medical issues leading to them not being able to attend.

“It’s not like they just don’t come,” Seratt said.

Many options were discussed at the meeting Thursday including changing the size of the quorum, allowing members to phone in on conference call to vote or appointing proxy members in incapacitated members place.

One board member suggested they suspend the rules and vote to let six members make up a quorum instead of seven, but because there weren’t seven members there to vote, no one felt confortable enough skirting the rules to do so. Annoyed, she left the non-meeting claiming they weren’t doing anything productive anyway.

The board did try to reschedule their meeting for next week, but with the hectic schedules of eleven movers and shakers within the city and county, it was near impossible.

After doing some research Friday, Seratt found changing the number to make a quorum is in the legislation of the organization and not in the bylaws, which means it take more than just a board member vote to change. However, he also found conference call attendance by members who could vote over the phone is permissible, and he found nothing saying they couldn’t have proxies appointed.

He is currently working to get a conference phone installed in the boardroom.

Friday Seratt said the organization is still thriving and the staff is still getting work done.

He is grateful for the time the board does give to the bureau.

Board president Lori Burke wanted to encourage all members to attend the meetings. She, like the other members, understands that life gets in the way but they want the board a priority for everyone.