Meeting Minutes

[Guest Martin]

Should meeting minutes only be distributed to members in attendance at the meeting?

[hmtcastle]

Should meeting minutes only be distributed to members in attendance at the meeting?

If you're referring to the draft minutes (before they've been approved), they needn't be distributed at all. But if the intent is to avoid reading them aloud prior to approval, they should be sent to all members.

If you're referring to approved minutes, they needn't be distributed at all (though all members have a right to view them, at the secretary's convenience).

[Gerry4000]

Should meeting minutes only be distributed to members in attendance at the meeting?

Before being approved, any "minutes" are draft minutes. You could, if you so chose, distribute such a draft prior to the meeting where thay are to be approved, to each member of that body. After approval, a copy of the minutes could be given to each member of the body, if that is what you choose to do.

Every member of the body meeting has a right to review the approved minutes of the organization.

[Tim Wynn]

Should meeting minutes only be distributed to members in attendance at the meeting?

Minutes are read at the meeting. Distribution is optional.

[Gary Novosielski]

Should meeting minutes only be distributed to members in attendance at the meeting?

No.

Presuming your rules or custom call for distribution of minutes (RONR does not), it would not be contingent upon attendance at the meeting. All members should receive it.

[Guest Martin]

Thanks for all the replies. Could the draft minutes, after being distributed, then be approved at the next meeting by members who were not in attendace at the meeting the minutes are from?

[David A Foulkes]

Thanks for all the replies. Could the draft minutes, after being distributed, then be approved at the next meeting by members who were not in attendace at the meeting the minutes are from?

Yes.

[hmtcastle]

Could the draft minutes, after being distributed, then be approved at the next meeting by members who were not in attendace at the meeting the minutes are from?

Well, minutes are usually approved without a formal vote but any member may offer a correction to the draft minutes, whether he was present at the meeting in question or not.

And, if approval did come to a vote (which, again it shouldn't), all members have a right to vote.

[Tim Wynn]

Thanks for all the replies. Could the draft minutes, after being distributed, then be approved at the next meeting by members who were not in attendace at the meeting the minutes are from?

1. The minutes are read. (this can be skipped if the draft minutes have been distributed to all members, AND if no member objects)

2. The chair asks for corrections to the minutes.

3. Members offer corrections (if any)*; and if there is no objection, the correction is made. If there is an objection, the correction is put to a vote, and the majority decides.

4. The chair declares the minutes approved, when there are no (further) corrections.

*Attendance at a previous meeting is not a requirement to offer a correction.

[Gary Novosielski]

Thanks for all the replies. Could the draft minutes, after being distributed, then be approved at the next meeting by members who were not in attendace at the meeting the minutes are from?

Well, not only by them, unless they constitute a majority.