Guest K. Wall Posted May 4, 2017 at 11:14 PM Report Share Posted May 4, 2017 at 11:14 PM The board secretary was absent at our board meeting today and I was elected Secretary pro tem, since I am responsible for taking the minutes at all meetings anyway. My question is related to the signing of the minutes. As Secretary pro tem do I sign the minutes of the previous meeting which the board approved today while I was the acting Secretary, or do I sign the minutes of the meeting for which I was the acting Secretary (today's meeting)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted May 4, 2017 at 11:46 PM Report Share Posted May 4, 2017 at 11:46 PM 30 minutes ago, Guest K. Wall said: The board secretary was absent at our board meeting today and I was elected Secretary pro tem, since I am responsible for taking the minutes at all meetings anyway. My question is related to the signing of the minutes. As Secretary pro tem do I sign the minutes of the previous meeting which the board approved today while I was the acting Secretary, or do I sign the minutes of the meeting for which I was the acting Secretary (today's meeting)? You initial the minutes which were approved while you served as acting Secretary, and you sign the minutes which you actually took. The minutes are signed when they are submitted for approval, and you are the one submitting them for approval. They are initaled when the assembly approves them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest K. Wall Posted May 5, 2017 at 12:00 AM Report Share Posted May 5, 2017 at 12:00 AM I appreciate you taking the time to reply, Josh. However, I'm confused by your answer. If I sign the minutes that were submitted for approval (and approved) at today's board meeting while I as acting Secretary, then those are the minutes of the previous meeting. You said I initial the previous minutes, but you also said that I sign the minutes that were approved. P.S. I take the minutes at all meetings, but normally the Secretary signs them after the board approves them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted May 5, 2017 at 06:26 PM Report Share Posted May 5, 2017 at 06:26 PM 18 hours ago, Guest K. Wall said: I appreciate you taking the time to reply, Josh. However, I'm confused by your answer. If I sign the minutes that were submitted for approval (and approved) at today's board meeting while I as acting Secretary, then those are the minutes of the previous meeting. You said I initial the previous minutes, but you also said that I sign the minutes that were approved. P.S. I take the minutes at all meetings, but normally the Secretary signs them after the board approves them. Based on this additional information, it seems to me you should simply sign all of the minutes. But failing that, sign the minutes which you took when you served as Acting Secretary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted May 6, 2017 at 06:55 PM Report Share Posted May 6, 2017 at 06:55 PM On 5/4/2017 at 7:00 PM, Guest K. Wall said: P.S. I take the minutes at all meetings, but normally the Secretary signs them after the board approves them. It appears that you have your own rules or customs which differ from the rules in RONR. RONR provides that the secretary takes the minutes and signs them before they are approved. In any event, the person who actually took the minutes should normally sign them. If the secretary also signs them after the board approves them and that is your custom or rule, then of course you may continue to do so. Based on those additional facts, I agree with Mr. Martin's comment above . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Who's Coming to Dinner Posted May 7, 2017 at 03:07 AM Report Share Posted May 7, 2017 at 03:07 AM On 5/4/2017 at 5:00 PM, Guest K. Wall said: P.S. I take the minutes at all meetings, but normally the Secretary signs them after the board approves them. This is backward. The Secretary signs the minutes as an attestation that they are true and correct. Then the Secretary initials them after the board makes corrections. As an unappointed subordinate, whatever transpires between you and the Secretary should be transparent to the board, EXCEPT in case that you are appointed to office pro tempore. Then you will sign the minutes in your temporary capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted May 8, 2017 at 06:52 PM Report Share Posted May 8, 2017 at 06:52 PM On 5/6/2017 at 10:07 PM, Guest Who's Coming to Dinner said: This is backward. The Secretary signs the minutes as an attestation that they are true and correct. Then the Secretary initials them after the board makes corrections. As an unappointed subordinate, whatever transpires between you and the Secretary should be transparent to the board, EXCEPT in case that you are appointed to office pro tempore. Then you will sign the minutes in your temporary capacity. I would disagree. If this person takes all minutes, then it seems to me that as a parliamentary matter, she is the recording secretary and should sign all minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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