Reports

[Guest Dayle]

New to this......once Secretary's Report and Treasurer's Report have been read, motion is made to accept and then seconded.  Do we need to take a vote from the members? 

In reviewing past minutes this is what they have done...

Any insight would be helpful.

[Joshua Katz]

No.  On the minutes, the chair should ask for corrections, which are either handled by unanimous consent or a majority vote, and once there are no remaining corrections, should declare the minutes adopted.  On the Treasurer's Report, if it is unaudited, no action should be taken.  If it is audited, a motion to adopt the auditor's report is in order.

[Bruce Lages]

Not only should you not take a vote, you should not entertain a motion to accept the reports. Any such reports are simply filed by the secretary as part of the organization's records. The exception to this would be a financial report from auditors attesting to the accuracy of the treasurer's report. That should be accepted by vote of the membership. 

[Guest Dayle]

8 minutes ago, Bruce Lages said:

Not only should you not take a vote, you should not entertain a motion to accept the reports. Any such reports are simply filed by the secretary as part of the organization's records. The exception to this would be a financial report from auditors attesting to the accuracy of the treasurer's report. That should be accepted by vote of the membership. 

So, if I understand correctly, minutes are read, ask if any corrections, then declare minutes adopted.  Treasuer's report is read and then we continue on the agenda.

[Dan Honemann]

It's best to keep in mind, however, that (a) approval of minutes, and (b) reports of officers (including one that may be made by the secretary), are two entirely different things.

Edited March 3, 2018 at 07:20 PM by Daniel H. Honemann

[Richard Brown]

15 minutes ago, Guest Dayle said:

So, if I understand correctly, minutes are read, ask if any corrections, then declare minutes adopted.  Treasuer's report is read and then we continue on the agenda.  (Emphasis added)

Well, not exactly.  The minutes are not adopted.   And they are not accepted. They are approved.  

RONR constantly refers to reading and APPROVAL of the minutes.  Not once does it refer to "adoption" of the minutes.                                                                                                                                                                    

[Guest Dayle]

I thank you for your opinions, but I seem to be getting different opinions.  

To clarify:  at our general meeting, Secretary minutes are read.  After they are read we have been asking for a motion to accept the minutes and get a second.  The same after the Treasurer's report is read.  

Are you saying we don't need to ask for a motion to accept?  

Then what is proper procedure after each report is read?

Thank you.

[Tom Coronite]

The  previous posts are all in line with one another and give you the answers you need.

Quote

Are you saying we don't need to ask for a motion to accept?

Yes, they are saying that. You DO NOT need a motion to accept.

 

Quote

Then what is proper procedure after each report is read?

First, keep in mind that a report of an officer and the minutes are 2 different things, as noted above. The minutes are not a Secretary's report. Ask if there are corrections to the (read) minutes. If there are none, the minutes are approved as submitted, if there are corrections, they're typically handled by unanimous consent, or majority vote if needed. When all the corrections are handled, the minutes are declared approved as corrected.

The treasurer's report is simply filed after it's read. No further action, as was noted above, if it's unaudited. If it IS an audited report, you'd properly entertain a motion to accept the auditor's report, rather than the treasurer's.

All good advice in those above posts, and not contradictory at all. Read them over a few times and I think you will see. I hope this helps.

 

[Gary Novosielski]

1 hour ago, Guest Dayle said:

I thank you for your opinions, but I seem to be getting different opinions.  

To clarify:  at our general meeting, Secretary minutes are read.  After they are read we have been asking for a motion to accept the minutes and get a second.  The same after the Treasurer's report is read.  

Are you saying we don't need to ask for a motion to accept?  

Then what is proper procedure after each report is read?

Thank you.

No, you have been getting the same advice.  The proper methods are:

• For approval [not acceptance] of minutes:
  • Secretary reads minutes.
  • Chair says: Are there any corrections to the minutes?
  • Members may offer corrections:
    • Corrections are usually agreed to by unanimous consent.
    • If not, then decided by majority vote.
  • When there are no (further) corrections, chair says: If there are no (further) corrections, the minutes stand approved (as read/as corrected).
• For officer and committee reports, no approval, acceptance, adoption, etc., is moved (except auditor's report).
  • Officer or reporting committee member presents written report, may describe highlights and recommendations if any.
  • Chair says:  The report of <officer or committee> will be placed on file.
  • If the report contains recommendations, the recommendations may be moved (need no second) debated, and voted on or otherwise disposed of, or may be moved later under New Business.

Edited March 3, 2018 at 09:17 PM by Gary Novosielski

[Joshua Katz]

1 hour ago, Guest Dayle said:

I thank you for your opinions, but I seem to be getting different opinions.  

 

The only difference I can see is that Mr. Brown pointed out my use of the wrong word.