Secretary absent at last meeting reading minutes at next meeting

[Guest Charlotte Hutchison]

I realize that a secretary who was absent from a prior credit union annual meeting of the membership is not allowed to sign the minutes from that meeting, however, can the secretary read the minutes to the membership at the next meeting? Thank you!

[Guest Edgar]

I'd say that whoever is acting as secretary should perform the duties of the secretary. Which is a long way of saying "yes". Not that it would be such a terrible thing if the assembly, as a courtesy, wanted to let the (previous) secretary pro tem read the draft minutes she had prepared.

[David A Foulkes]

Well, what if the Secretary is absent from the January meeting, and a secretary pro tem is elected, who prepares the draft of the minutes. At the February meeting, the Secretary is in attendance, but the secretary pro tem from January is now absent. What - no one can read the minutes or sign them?

I've been under the impression that whoever took the notes for the draft of the minutes for submission for approval signs them, regardless of who reads them at the meeting. Whoever is fulfilling the duties of the office of secretary at the meeting reads them, regardless of who took the notes and/or prepared the draft.

[sMargaret]

You may also be able to avoid the situation if copies of the minutes are sent to all members in advance - if so, the chair announces this has been done, and the reading of the minutes out loud is omitted unless any member requests that they be read.

But then, I really hate it when minutes are read out loud.

[Guest Edgar]

I've been under the impression that whoever took the notes for the draft of the minutes for submission for approval signs them, regardless of who reads them at the meeting.

Yes, and whoever is serving as secretary at the meeting at which they're approved initials them, with the date, as "Approved".(p.475). There is sometimes some confusion regarding the signature vs. the initials. It might be the same person who does both or it might not.