Annual meeting minutes

[Guest Richard Stringham]

For the type of society in which the general membership meets only once a year in annual meeting, is it acceptable for the approval of the minutes to be made at the subsequent annual meeting? RONR (11^th ed.), p. 95, ll. 2-3 state: “Minutes of one annual meeting should not be held for action until the next one a year later.” This obviously applies to a society which has more regularly scheduled meetings of the membership (e.g., monthly). Does it also apply to those in which the general membership only meets annually?

[Chris Harrison]

"When the next regular business session will not be held within a quarterly time interval and the session does not last longer than one day, or in an organization in which there will be a change or replacement of a portion of the membership, the executive board or a committee appointed for the purpose should be authorized to approve the minutes." (RONR pp. 474-475)

[Edgar Guest]

This obviously applies to a society which has more regularly scheduled meetings of the membership (e.g., monthly).

 

It does?

See p.94, ll.19-24.

[Tom Coronite]

For the type of society in which the general membership meets only once a year in annual meeting, is it acceptable for the approval of the minutes to be made at the subsequent annual meeting? RONR (11^th ed.), p. 95, ll. 2-3 state: “Minutes of one annual meeting should not be held for action until the next one a year later.” This obviously applies to a society which has more regularly scheduled meetings of the membership (e.g., monthly). 

 You're perhaps overthinking it.  Look at the quote again - "...should not be held for action until the next one a year later."  This applies when the next meeting is a year later. So you've actually answered your own question.

[bobby101]

Gentlemen: If it's a membership meeting, shouldn't the membership (not the Board) review and approve it? Even if there's a 12 month interval between membership meetings. Or is written approval (via the by-laws) for the Board to approve the minutes an acceptable option?

[bobby101]

And, one more thought to my posting above. Is giving the Board the right to approve the minutes (as stated above in the by-laws) on a tentative basis pending review and approval by the members at the next membership meeting another option? That would address the issue of the minutes being reviewed on a more timely basis rather than waiting for a full year to elapse.

[jstackpo]

If a rule is not in the bylaws, it is perfectly proper for the association, by a motion, to authorize the Board, or a special committee, to review, amend as necessary, and approve the minutes as soon as possible after the meeting ends and the secretary does his job.

 

One can only hope that the "authorization" takes place early in the (annual) meeting, so the committee appointees will pay extra attention to the goings on in the meeting and thus be able to do a review properly.

[bobby101]

Lacking a statement in the by-laws or a motion giving a  committee or the Board the authority to approve the minutes, what applies?

[jstackpo]

Robert's Rules (what else!?)   You will just have to limp along until next year.

[Hieu H. Huynh]

I suggest an edit for this post:

 

If a rule is not in the bylaws, it is perfectly proper for the association, by a motion, to authorize the Board, or a special committee, to review, amend as necessary, and approve the bylaws minutes as soon as possible after the meeting ends and the secretary does his job.

 

One can only hope that the "authorization" takes place early in the (annual) meeting, so the committee appointees will pay extra attention to the goings on in the meeting and thus be able to do a review properly.

[jstackpo]

Good Catch!.   Done.

[Guest Richard Stringham]

Thank you,

[Richard Brown]

In case it's not clear, Richard Stringham and Bobby101, no minutes from any kind of meeting should wait a year for approval.  If the bylaws don't already authorize some board or committee to approve the minutes, the assembly itself should, at the annual  meeting, authorize a board or committee to approve the minutes.  That rule applies whenever the next meeting is not going to be held within a quarterly time interval.

[Gary Novosielski]

 Or is written approval (via the by-laws) for the Board to approve the minutes an acceptable option?

 

It wouldn't have to be in the bylaws, and it wouldn't necessarily have to be written approval.  it would be handled by a motion.