Minutes of a board meeting

[Guest April]

This may sound like a odd question but I'm serious about it.

Are the members of a non-profit club allowed to see the minutes of a board meeting.  Our by-laws do not touch on it. I would think they do if they are paid members.  This should be open to them along with the treasury report...

Thanks for any help I can get on this.

[Chris Harrison]

This may sound like a odd question but I'm serious about it.

This is not an odd question at all as we get it fairly often.

 

Are the members of a non-profit club allowed to see the minutes of a board meeting.  Our by-laws do not touch on it. I would think they do if they are paid members. 

You would think so (and I do as well).  However, only members of the body for which the minutes are written have a right to see them (RONR p. 460 ll. 13-20).  That being said, the Club Membership could adopt a motion granting Club members the right to see the Board minutes or on a one time basis have them read at a Membership meeting (RONR p. 487 ll. 13-20).

[Richard Brown]

Are the members of a non-profit club allowed to see the minutes of a board meeting.  Our by-laws do not touch on it. I would think they do if they are paid members.  This should be open to them along with the treasury report...

 

You would think so (and I do as well).  However, only members of the body for which the minutes are written have a right to see them (RONR p. 460 ll. 13-20).  That being said, the Club Membership could adopt a motion granting Club members the right to see the Board minutes or on a one time basis have them read at a Membership meeting (RONR p. 487 ll. 13-20).

I agree with Chris' thoughts on the subject as well as his answer.

 

If your organization is incorporated as a non profit corporation, check your state's nonprofit corporation laws.  The laws in some states, as in mine, provide that all members have the right to examine "at any reasonable time, the records of the corporation. . . ."  Those records include the minutes of the meetings of its members and directors and financial records.  (emphasis mine).

[Dan Honemann]

I might mention here that, while it is perfectly alright for responders to note that there may be applicable law relating to a particular question, and that applicable law takes precedence to the extent of any conflict, any effort to state what the law is (on any particular question in any particular jurisdiction) is a no-no.

[Guest April]

Thank you guys. You have helped me a lot...

[Kim Goldsworthy]

 

Are the members of a non-profit club allowed to see the minutes of a board meeting?

If Robert's Rules of Order applies, then, "No."

 

Individually, no general member can see the minutes of its board, unless of course that general member is a current sitting board member.

 

However, per Robert's Rules of Order, the general membership collectively may order the minutes of its board to be produced, and read.

 

So, while no member, on his own, can view the minutes of the board, the collective membership can accomplish this end, on behalf of the individual member.

 

Alternative:

The general member may ask permission.

The general member would consult his favorite board member, and ask the board member to make a motion, inside a proper board meeting, on behalf of the member.

E.g., "That Jane Doe be allowed to see the board minutes of October 23rd."

So the board, by majority vote, may grant permission.

 

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There may be yet another alternative.

 

If your organization is incorporated, then it may be the case that your state (via its Corporations Code) does allow the general members to inspect the "records" of the organization, including minutes of the board.

 

But that a legal solution. -- Not Robert's Rules.

 

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