Meeting Minutes Amendments - Who Can Force A Change

[Guest Bob D]

For 28 years, our Township has included public comments in the meeting minutes  Our Clerk has decided to omit them, as you would guess many are critical of the current Board's policy.  She will get a majority supporting her.  Can one person insist on an amendment to the meeting minutes or one person with a second?

 

A friend on the School Board told me yes, but I cannot locate the section in RR.

[Gary Novosielski]

One person can if that person is the recording officer (Clerk).  The clerk is the one who prepares the minutes and, initially at least, decides what goes in them.  Public comments are not among those things that belong in the minutes, according to RONR.  So the clerk is on firm ground to omit them. 

 

Besides, if she will get a majority to support her, then one person has not made the decision--a majority has.

 

Consult §48 Minutes and Reports of Officers to see what belongs there.  Minutes should be a record of what was done, not what was said.

[Josh Martin]

For 28 years, our Township has included public comments in the meeting minutes  Our Clerk has decided to omit them, as you would guess many are critical of the current Board's policy.  She will get a majority supporting her.  Can one person insist on an amendment to the meeting minutes or one person with a second?

 

No. Majority rules. Besides, the clerk is right to omit the public comments. The minutes are a record of what was done, now what was said.