phone call

[Guest Ann B]

At a small board meeting a member absented herself saying she had to make a phone call. It didn't affect the quorum and no votes were taken while she was out, but the fact she was she was out of the room making a phone call at that precise moment is significant for the meeting. Can it be recorded in the minutes?

[tctheatc]

perhaps it could be, especially if a majority wants to and orders it, but if it didn't result in a loss of quorum, and no business was conducted at the time, one has to wonder if it was really of significance for the minutes.

[Josh Martin]

but the fact she was she was out of the room making a phone call at that precise moment is significant for the meeting.

Perhaps, but it shouldn't affect the clarity of the minutes unless you're putting too much in the minutes to begin with.

[David A Foulkes]

....the fact she was she was out of the room making a phone call at that precise moment is significant for the meeting.

Why?

[Gary Novosielski]

Yeah, I also find it hard to buy that this could be "significant" from a parliamentary viewpoint.

[Rev Ed]

So do I. Even if she missed the entire debate about a motion, plus any amendments, it would not matter when it comes to a vote - she can walk back into the room and vote yes or no, or abstain without any information at all.

[Guest Nancy N.]

And I agree with Rev Ed, as well as everyone else who responded. So, Guest Ann B, what about the absence for a phone call was significant?

4

[Guest Ann B]

Are intimidation, false accusation or firearms at a meeting significant enough?

[Dan Honemann]

Are intimidation, false accusation or firearms at a meeting significant enough?

So during your meeting you had intimidation, false accusations and firearms, and you want to know if this warrants recording in the minutes the fact that a member was out of the room making a phone call at the time? I doubt it.

[David A Foulkes]

Are intimidation, false accusation or firearms at a meeting significant enough?

While those are significant circumstances, actions, events or whatever, I for one still don't understand how they apply here? Was this woman intimidated by the President, faced with false accusations by the Treasure, and threatened with firearms by the Secretary, so she excused herself from the meeting to call 911 for help? Or perhaps her husband to come save her? Or her babysitter to tell her she might be home later than agreed one? Or pizza for everyone? You still have yet to provide anything with enough (or any) parliamentary significance that would warrant including mention of any this in the minutes. Unless that's forthcoming, I believe your question has been answered.

Edited to add: Please excuse my neglect in including the obligatory smiley face, mention of crocodiles and/or orchids, links to Wikipedia and/or YouTube, and any of the sadly ubiquitous acronyms (LOL, J/K, LMAO, etc) that indicate my tongue was firmly planted in my cheek.

[Dan Honemann]

While those are significant circumstances, actions, events or whatever, I for one still don't understand how they apply here? Was this woman intimidated by the President, faced with false accusations by the Treasure, and threatened with firearms by the Secretary, so she excused herself from the meeting to call 911 for help? Or perhaps her husband to come save her? Or her babysitter to tell her she might be home later than agreed one? Or pizza for everyone? You still have yet to provide anything with enough (or any) parliamentary significance that would warrant including mention of any this in the minutes. Unless that's forthcoming, I believe your question has been answered.

And answering these questions which Mr. Foulkes has asked won't provide anything of parliamentary significance either, so please don't bother. .

[sMargaret]

Are intimidation, false accusation or firearms at a meeting significant enough?

Were any of these items noted in the minutes? If not, they're not considered significant from a parliamentary point of view. Minutes are a record of actions taken by the members in a meeting, not of various discussions, exciting though they may be. There is typically no note taken of how many members are armed, for example, unless that's required by the bylaws.

Was the false accusation made as a motion? Apparently not. Presumably, given that this was conducted as a small board meeting, this all falls under "informal discussion of a subject is permitted while no motion is pending". Your board may be taking "informal discussion" to an extreme level.

I will also note that the chair may wish to keep more control of the meeting, but that's a side issue to the question at hand.