As long as I have been going to guild meetings, I have never seen anyone's name carved on a particular seat so that makes it available to anyone.
The first meeting I ever went to, no one talked to me at all. I didn't go back for about two years and finally joined. I wish I had joined a different group as I ended up leaving this group after 5 years. So many cliques there it took all the fun out of it. My friend who still goes there said the group is barely hanging together. Ya think?