Started the ball rolling with the project.

Won't mention which meeting we attended...but needless to say it was a perfect example of how not to run a decision-making meeting.
Almost every aspect of the agenda was open to railroading - that is, someone at the meeting taking over the "discussion" of the issue and forcing the group to make a decision. Yet, almost every point on the agenda was for information only! I feel it needs to be clear beforehand what you want from each part of the agenda. If you want feedback - ask for it before the meeting and summarise at the meeting.
If you need to make a decision about something - put that on the agenda!
Then when questions were raised, the vague answer of: "We need to look at that next year when it comes up again". In other words, whatever you just said will be forgotten unless it is raised again next year - after the event!
Finally, the section on the agenda where a decision needs to be made. At least it was handed out prior to the meeting and the people most likely to have gripes were met with BEFOREHAND. This is unusual - usually any proposal is handed out at the meeting with no prior discussion. There was less discussion but still it went round and round in circles with no clear purpose, easily distracted and with no idea how to resolve the issue. I'm not sure it was resolved in the end or what decision the committee could have made on it.
The committee involved should not be a decision making committee unless you have protocols for making the decision or you have a smaller (e.g. 4-6) body.