Minutes - to record or not?

[Guest John McDonall]

The board that I currently sit on discussed the possibility of allowing our secretary the right to audio record our meetings for purposes of helping her out with the minutes. Two of our members were stating that if we did record them that the secretary would then have to submit everything that was said, line by line, from the meeting in the minutes. We do not mention this in our by-laws and I would imagine that if we did audio record the minutes, we would have to keep the recording until we approve the minutes at the next meeting and destroy the audio recording. Does anyone have any insight to this question.

Thank you for your replies!

[Josh Martin]

Two of our members were stating that if we did record them that the secretary would then have to submit everything that was said, line by line, from the meeting in the minutes. We do not mention this in our by-laws and I would imagine that if we did audio record the minutes, we would have to keep the recording until we approve the minutes at the next meeting and destroy the audio recording. Does anyone have any insight to this question.

The fact that the meeting is recorded does not change the rules regarding the content of the minutes. They remain a record of what was done, not what was said. Additionally, I would avoid the language "audio record the minutes." While RONR notes that a recording may be a useful tool in preparing the minutes, it is important to remember that the recording is not the minutes. It is up to the assembly to decide what to do with the recording.

[Gary Novosielski]

The board that I currently sit on discussed the possibility of allowing our secretary the right to audio record our meetings for purposes of helping her out with the minutes. Two of our members were stating that if we did record them that the secretary would then have to submit everything that was said, line by line, from the meeting in the minutes. We do not mention this in our by-laws and I would imagine that if we did audio record the minutes, we would have to keep the recording until we approve the minutes at the next meeting and destroy the audio recording. Does anyone have any insight to this question.

Two of your members are mistaken. Ask them where they got that idea. If they say from Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, ask them to show you the page.