Guest 2spadts Posted May 21, 2012 at 07:32 PM Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 at 07:32 PM Do meeting minutes have to be read aloud at each meeting? I am the committee secretary. The previous meeting minutes are handed out to members at the next meeting. I then read them aloud as they follow along. Does this need to be done or can they be read silently and then the question posed for any changes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted May 21, 2012 at 07:38 PM Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 at 07:38 PM Do meeting minutes have to be read aloud at each meeting? I am the committee secretary. The previous meeting minutes are handed out to members at the next meeting. I then read them aloud as they follow along. Does this need to be done or can they be read silently and then the question posed for any changes?If the minutes are "sent to all members in advance, the chair announces this has been done, and the actual reading of them aloud is omitted unless any member then request that they be read." (RONR 11th ed. p. 354 ll. 12-15) I'm not sure handing out copies to the members that attend the next meeting is equivalent to "sent to all members". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted May 21, 2012 at 08:28 PM Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 at 08:28 PM If the minutes are "sent to all members in advance, the chair announces this has been done, and the actual reading of them aloud is omitted unless any member then request that they be read." (RONR 11th ed. p. 354 ll. 12-15) I'm not sure handing out copies to the members that attend the next meeting is equivalent to "sent to all members".Many committees do not keep detailed minutes but I don't see a problem if they pass them out at the meeting and no one objects, because, "When any paper is laid before the assembly for action, it is a right of every member that it be read once; and, if there is any debate or amendment, that it be read again before members are asked to vote on it." RONR, p. 299, ll. 4-8. One person can still demand it be read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted May 22, 2012 at 01:46 AM Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 at 01:46 AM If the minutes are "sent to all members in advance, the chair announces this has been done, and the actual reading of them aloud is omitted unless any member then request that they be read." (RONR 11th ed. p. 354 ll. 12-15) I'm not sure handing out copies to the members that attend the next meeting is equivalent to "sent to all members".I'm not sure it's the same linguistically, either but I'm puzzled at why it's phrased as "all members". What would it matter if absent members received copies? As long as everyone in the room has a copy, and a chance to look it over, that would seem to me to be enough. People who are not present will not be offering corrections anyway. And reading minutes aloud to those who are present in no way protects absentee rights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted May 22, 2012 at 11:06 AM Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 at 11:06 AM What would it matter if absent members received copies?They aren't absent members until the meeting is called to order. If we consider the qualifying phrase "sent to all members in advance", it has the color of previous notice, or call of a meeting ("sent to all members a reasonable time in advance", "sent to all members a reasonable number of days in advance", and so on). If the minutes are "sent" (i.e mailed not handed) to "all members" (not just those in attendance) in "advance" (a reasonable number of days, not at the meeting hall door as they walk in), perhaps those absent members would attend, if only to offer corrections. They may also have been absent at the previous meeting, at which previous notice of a controversial motion was given, and receiving the copy of the minutes of that meeting in advance (and seeing the notice of the motion) allows them to decide whether to attend the next meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Honemann Posted May 22, 2012 at 11:44 AM Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 at 11:44 AM They aren't absent members until the meeting is called to order. If we consider the qualifying phrase "sent to all members in advance", it has the color of previous notice, or call of a meeting ("sent to all members a reasonable time in advance", "sent to all members a reasonable number of days in advance", and so on). If the minutes are "sent" (i.e mailed not handed) to "all members" (not just those in attendance) in "advance" (a reasonable number of days, not at the meeting hall door as they walk in), perhaps those absent members would attend, if only to offer corrections. They may also have been absent at the previous meeting, at which previous notice of a controversial motion was given, and receiving the copy of the minutes of that meeting in advance (and seeing the notice of the motion) allows them to decide whether to attend the next meeting.What in the world is this all about? Are you suggesting that absentee rights may be violated if minutes are approved without being read and without having been sent to all members in advance?I certainly hope not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted May 22, 2012 at 12:50 PM Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 at 12:50 PM Are you suggesting that absentee rights may be violated if minutes are approved without being read and without having been sent to all members in advance?Nope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Honemann Posted May 22, 2012 at 01:08 PM Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 at 01:08 PM Nope. Then what are posts 2 and 5 getting at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted May 22, 2012 at 01:37 PM Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 at 01:37 PM The poster asked if the minutes need to be read aloud. The Book says yes, but offers as an exception to this (p. 354 ll. 12-15) when the (draft) minutes have been "sent to all members in advance", unless any member requests they be read. Otherwise, the secretary will read the minutes.What I question is whether "sent to all members in advance" is equivalent to handed out to attendees only, at the meeting hall door. P. 474 ll. 19-23 further support the concept of sending the draft minutes to all members in advance of the meeting, usually with the call of the meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted May 22, 2012 at 01:47 PM Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 at 01:47 PM What I question is whether "sent to all members in advance" is equivalent to handed out to attendees only, at the meeting hall door.It's clearly not equivalent (except in the rare case when all members are in attendance and, even then, it strains the meaning of "in advance"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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