AMENDING MINUTES

[Guest James Wilson]

Dear Reader,

 

When minutes are distributed at a meeting and read, and members point out things that need corrected. Can the Secretary just make revisions by hand and initial? Then that copy once approved goes on file. Or, does the Secretary have to go home type in the revisions and file that copy?

 

Thank you

[Edgar Guest]

In the old (analog) days I suspect the secretary would simply make changes to the hard copy she submitted for approval (assuming any corrections were minimal). In the digital age I suspect changes are made to a word processing file and a "clean" copy is retained in the minutes book. The important thing is to make sure all distributed (pre-approval) drafts are clearly marked as such. It's probably also a good idea to post the approved minutes on the organization's website (or in its newsletter).

[g40]

In my opinion, and experience, the RONR "official" approval (with corrections) of minutes carries a not insignificant risk that, for many different reasons, the minutes of record may not correctly and completely contain all of the "corrections". Therefore, I suggest that it may be a good idea for someone, review a copy of the "corrected" minutes.

[Guest Ann]

Draft meeting minutes sent to Board by secretary.   The board did reviewed minutes and found alot of mistakes that secretary typed minutes.  They sent corrections and few ones removed from minutes included personal were mistakes.   The secretary didn't take boards correction and few ones include personal remove from minutes.   The board has struggles with secretary that they did tried to help secretary as new.   Secretary doesn't cooperate with Board.. 

 

Question:  what will Board do with secretary isn't cooperated with?   To vote to remove person from secretary position?   

[Edgar Guest]

Question:  what will Board do with secretary isn't cooperated with?   To vote to remove person from secretary position?   

 

See FAQ #20.

 

But note that the board might not have the authority to remove one of its members.

[Gary Novosielski]

Draft meeting minutes sent to Board by secretary.   The board did reviewed minutes and found alot of mistakes that secretary typed minutes.  They sent corrections and few ones removed from minutes included personal were mistakes.   The secretary didn't take boards correction and few ones include personal remove from minutes.   The board has struggles with secretary that they did tried to help secretary as new.   Secretary doesn't cooperate with Board.. 

 

Question:  what will Board do with secretary isn't cooperated with?   To vote to remove person from secretary position?   

 

The board reviews the minutes and offers corrections to them. 

 

The chair should actively moderate this process and make sure that each correction offered has the unanimous consent of the remaining board members, and if not, should put any disputed corrections to a vote--majority rules.   Any corrections that are thus agreed to by the board are made by the secretary in the official minutes.   The secretary does not have the option to decide whether the corrections are acceptable (except that, if a member of the board, the secretary has one vote in the process, like anyone else).

 

Once all the corrections are decided upon, the secretary's job is to see that they get made exactly as approved by the board.  Failure to complete this job could be grounds for removal of the secretary from that office, if not from the board, but the details of that process would depend heavily on exactly how the board is elected, organized, and empowered by your bylaws.