Meeting Minutes

[Guest Chris]

Can the board, by a majority vote, choose to delete the recording of an action, they have voted on and passed, from the minutes of the session to avoid a perceived negative reaction by some association members if their decision is made public?

[tctheatc]

If they amend the minutes in that manner, they are wiping out the (only?) record of the decision. So then they'll be doing an unpopular thing with ostensibly no authority. That's better to them?

The majority will approve amendments to the minutes, but this sounds like an unwise decision.

[George Mervosh]

It's completely improper. See 6) on pp. 452-453

[Chris Harrison]

Can the board, by a majority vote, choose to delete the recording of an action, they have voted on and passed, from the minutes of the session to avoid a perceived negative reaction by some association members if their decision is made public?

I suppose anyone can do anything. But doing that would be one of the worst things I have heard suggested here in a LONG time.

First the minutes are a record of what was done at a meeting and doing that would be rewriting history. Second, individual members of the association have no right to see Board minutes although the Membership as a whole can order the Board minutes read at a Membership meeting (RONR p. 470) so these Association members would not have access to the minutes unless the Membership ordered it or they are elected to the Board. Third, the Board is subordinate to the Membership and answers to them (unless the bylaws say otherwise) and any Board members that even attempted to take such an action as trying to deceive the Membership should all immediately be removed from office and maybe even expelled from the organization for insubordination and outright untrustworthiness.

[Josh Martin]

Can the board, by a majority vote, choose to delete the recording of an action, they have voted on and passed, from the minutes of the session to avoid a perceived negative reaction by some association members if their decision is made public?

Absolutely not.

Third, the Board is subordinate to the Membership and answers to them (unless the bylaws say otherwise) and any Board members that even attempted to take such an action as trying to deceive the Membership should all immediately be removed from office and maybe even expelled from the organization for insubordination and outright untrustworthiness.

And that's not even the worst case scenario. Falsifying documents will often land people in legal hot water as well.