Follow up question to "Vote to dispense reading minutes"

[Jim Anderson]

This is a follow-up question regarding my previous question concerning "dispense reading of minutes".

 

If an assembly introduces a "special rule of order" to never read the minutes, how does the chair declare them approved?

 

I read in RONR the suggestion for not reading the minutes at the next meeting by sending draft copies to all members prior to the meeting where reading would occur and if no corrections/additions are presented at the meeting, the Chair simply announces the minutes are approved as written (or in the event of corrections/additions, "approved with corrections/additions").

 

Should the "special rule include requirement to send draft copy to all members?

 

Thank you

[jstackpo]

Well, two possibilities:

 

The chair doesn't declare them approved  --  he can't, of course, no one did approve them.

 

or

 

Put the draft copy rule you suggest in what is sent out.

 

Then the chair can just ask for corrections and declare them approved as written, or as amended.

 

Doesn't look like "outlawing" the reading is going to gain you much. 

[Kim Goldsworthy]

 

Q1. If an assembly introduces a "special rule of order" to never read the minutes,

how does the chair declare them approved?

 

Q2. Should the "special rule include requirement to send draft copy to all members?

 

A1.) If the draft minutes are

(a.) never sent out; and

(b.) never read aloud,

then I don't know how approval is possible.

 

If the minutes are posted plainly somewhere, or if the minutes are indeed sent,

then the chair merely approves the minutes as you have already described.

(E.g., "You have read the minutes posted on the cork board of Buddy's Tavern. Are there any corrections to the minutes, as published?")

 

A2. Perhaps.

If you do not read aloud the minutes, then how shall the printed text ever reach 100% of members who are to vote on the minutes?

For example, you can post the minutes in a public place (e.g., on-line; City Hall's public announcements newsletter; in the New York Times classified ad section; on Buddy's Tavern's cork board; etc.)

And leave it up to the members to find that public place, and read the document on their own time, and to make their own notes about what needs correcting, and come to the meeting carrying their notes.

(Yeow!)

 

Good luck with that.

[Edgar Guest]

This is a follow-up question regarding my previous question concerning "dispense reading of minutes".

 

I think this is an instance where it's better to continue the original thread rather than start a new one.

[Guest michael shane wilcher]

I'm a newly elected county commissioner in a Tennessee.  Our commission always suspends the reading of the minutes and never mentions approving them.  Same in the committee meetings.  The county attorney says approval is not necessary.  Can anyone give a definitive answer whether approval is required?  Thank you, all.      

 

 

[Edgar Guest]

Can anyone give a definitive answer whether approval is required?

 

The minutes are not THE MINUTES until they're approved. Before that, they're just the secretary's report.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

I'm a newly elected county commissioner in a Tennessee. 

Our commission always suspends the reading of the minutes and never mentions approving them. 

Same in the committee meetings. 

The county attorney says approval is not necessary. 

Can anyone give a definitive answer whether approval is required?

"Our commission always suspends the reading of the minutes

and never mentions approving them. "

 

I must ask, "Why?"

For what end do you (i.e., your commission) put off approving the official record of transacted business?

Why is it so important to leave undocumented all your votes?

What is the commission hiding?

 

***

 

"... same with committees ...".

 

Committees do not have minutes, as their final product is a report.

Committees meet, and draft a report of their findings, their votes, their recommendations, etc.

They do not have minutes, as minutes would be virtually useless, in the vast majority of cases of the average committee.

 

***

 

"The county attorney says approval is not necessary."

 

I suppose it is not necessary for a body to accept responsibility for their actions.

 

If you don't need to document things like "We adopted this resolution on such-and-such a date," or you never get into a "He Said, She Said" argument about what a decision was two or three meetings ago, then perhaps you are the exception to the rule: A commission with perfect elephant's memory among 100% of it membership.

It must be nice to have a perfect secretary who never makes mistakes. -- What is it like?

[Guest Michael Shane Wilcher]

I agree.  After months of my inquiries, approving or correcting and approving the minutes takes place at every meeting.  I can't believe these officials were skipping such a crucial part of their duties for decades before I came into office.