Permissable content of minutes

[Vicktory]

Help!!!!!  What are the rules of the allowable data in minutes?  I specifically need to know if only information provided and exchanged during said meeting is allowed in the minutes.

Thank you kindly,

 

V. Bradley

[Richard Brown]

RONR devotes nine pages to what should and should not go into the minutes.  It's in Section 48:  Minutes and Reports of Officers., starting on page 468.  Other tidbits are scattered throughout the 716 page book.

 

Others may elaborate, but, in a nutshell, the minutes should contain what was DONE at the meeting, not what was said. 

 

See FAQ No 15 for more information.  http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html#15

 

Can you be a bit more specific about precisely what items of business you are concerned about?

[Vicktory]

Thank you so much!  A motion was made and properly seconded to make a purchase.  The motion did not contain the price of the items.  The price was investigated weeks after the meeting.  And actually there needs to be more research and a determination made before a final decision is rendered.  None of this took place at the meeting and my thought is this information should not have been sent back to groups for a vote.  I plan to argue this decision on October 5th; thus the research.

 

Thank you

[jstackpo]

Ah, "sending back..." is a clue. How was that (extra-meeting?) vote taken?  Do your bylaws authorize absentee voting (e.g., by e- or p-mail)?

 

Most likely the proper thing to do will to "amend something previously adopted" (p. 305) at your next meeting to fill in the price your association will pay.

[Richard Brown]

Ah, "sending back..." is a clue. How was that (extra-meeting?) vote taken?  Do your bylaws authorize absentee voting (e.g., by e- or p-mail)?

 

Most likely the proper thing to do will to "amend something previously adopted" (p. 305) at your next meeting to fill in the price your association will pay.

 

I agree with Dr. Stackpole's recommendation.  From what you have told us, it seems that maybe there are second thoughts about the purchase now that the likely cost is known.  If that's the situation, and the purchase has not yet been made, a motion to amend (or rescind) something previously adopted is in order. 

 

It may be that the group still wants to make the purchase and that is fine.  The assembly will just vote down the motion to amend or rescind.  btw, nothing in RONR says that the price of something must be known before a motion to make the purchase is approved. 

[Vicktory]

Thank you so much.  My thoughts are that a proper motion should include all relevant information including the intent when it is seconded.  Sound information gives the voting body all that they need to make in an informed decision.  This was not the case with this motion.  The motion was skeletal at best.  I need to know if it is proper to send the secondary, needed information to the voting body outside of the minutes that contained the motion.

 

Very kindly,

 

Vicky

[Dan Honemann]

Thank you so much.  My thoughts are that a proper motion should include all relevant information including the intent when it is seconded.  Sound information gives the voting body all that they need to make in an informed decision.  This was not the case with this motion.  The motion was skeletal at best.  I need to know if it is proper to send the secondary, needed information to the voting body outside of the minutes that contained the motion.

 

Very kindly,

 

Vicky

 

Well, you certainly can't send this "secondary, needed information" to the voting body inside of the minutes.

[Timothy]

Thank you so much.  My thoughts are that a proper motion should include all relevant information including the intent when it is seconded.  Sound information gives the voting body all that they need to make in an informed decision.  This was not the case with this motion.  The motion was skeletal at best.  I need to know if it is proper to send the secondary, needed information to the voting body outside of the minutes that contained the motion.

 

Very kindly,

 

Vicky

 

It sounds like you view the minutes as a method of communicating with the membership. That's not really their purpose. If there is information that the members need, there's nothing wrong with sendind them a letter or e-mail with that information, and it doesn't matter whether you send them a copy of the minutes or not. As far as what they do with that information, that will be dependent on whether the purchase has already been made or not. If the purchase as been made, there's not much that can be done, short of a motion to sell whatever it is. If it hasn't been made, they are free to rescind the motion as a later meeting. Or they could amend the previously adopted motion so that it is more in line with what they want. Or they can simply leave it alone and purchase it anyway.

[Vicktory]

Wow - I am certainly thankful for those that care like you guys:  your base of knowledge is invaluable.  Thank you is putting it quite mildly!

 

My Best,

 

Vicky

[Richard Brown]

Thank you so much.  My thoughts are that a proper motion should include all relevant information including the intent when it is seconded.  Sound information gives the voting body all that they need to make in an informed decision. 

 

The "relevant information" pertaining to a motion is what the DEBATE is for.  The motion, unless it has a preamble with a bunch of "whereas" clauses (which is unusual but permissible), is only a bare bones motion, i.e., "I move that the club buy a computer and printer at a total cost not to exceed $500."   The motion could include a provision such as providing that "The President appoint a committee of three members to make the purchase on behalf of the club".  Or it can be amended to add that provision.  Or that provision could be in a separate motion all by itself. 

 

The motion need not contain anything about the reasons for purchasing the computer and will usually just say, simply, that "The club  purchase a Toshiba laptop computer model xxx and Hewlett Packard Printer model xxx at a total cost, including tax, of not more than $467.35."

 

The same principles would apply if it is a motion that "The President write a letter to the Editor supporting the proposal of the mayor to purchase land outside the city limits for a new city dump".   The pros and cons of the motion are what the debate is for and none of that goes into the minutes....only that "the club adopted a motion by Mr. Smith to have the President write a letter to the Editor supporting the proposal of the Mayor to purchase land outside the city limits for a new city dump".  Period.  End of the discussion in the minutes re the motion  for a new dump. 

[jstackpo]

Wow - I am certainly thankful for those that care like you guys:  your base of knowledge is invaluable.  Thank you is putting it quite mildly!

 

It's all in The Book, so the base could be yours, too.

[Vicktory]

Thank you!!!!

[Gary Novosielski]

Thank you so much.  My thoughts are that a proper motion should include all relevant information including the intent when it is seconded.  Sound information gives the voting body all that they need to make in an informed decision.  This was not the case with this motion.  The motion was skeletal at best.  I need to know if it is proper to send the secondary, needed information to the voting body outside of the minutes that contained the motion.

 

I agree that it's best to have all relevant information, but it's not required in order for a motion to be valid.  The time to bring that up is during debate, but if the group decides to do something foolish, it's up to them.  

 

As Dan noted, you can't  very well include it in the minutes, because it didn't happen then.