Formatting meeting minutes

[Guest Carrie]

Is there a proper protocol for what information is put into an organizations minutes.  The secretary of the association is putting in a medium amount of detail into the minutes regarding what is being discussed during our open board meetings.  There are board members who think there should be very minimal amount of detail in the minutes due to them being a public document and concern that a competing organization will access our minutes to try and get detail on what we are working on (there is a history of this).  However, there is also concern that we have transparency for our members.  What do we do?  (see example of minutes)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QBTEsDgBK9WLG36QGZLbW4OnSy4PbbEGgRmjUDMisOI/edit?usp=sharing

[Guest Who's Coming to Dinner]

See CONTENT OF THE MINUTES, RONR (11th ed.), p. 468–471.

[jstackpo]

Keep the (possibly public) minutes to the bare minimum, and put out a (private) newsletter to the membership, expanding on the minutes in whatever way you think suitable.

And rest assured, in this day and age, that someone will promptly leak the contents of the newsletter, so be discreet. 

If the members really want to know what happens in meetings, tell them to show up for the meetings!

[Guest Who's Coming to Dinner]

Sage advice, as always, from Dr. Stackpole. I would add that the example minutes linked in the OP do not conform to procedure. The minutes should not be a memorandum of topics.

[Josh Martin]

3 hours ago, Guest Carrie said:

Is there a proper protocol for what information is put into an organizations minutes.  The secretary of the association is putting in a medium amount of detail into the minutes regarding what is being discussed during our open board meetings.  There are board members who think there should be very minimal amount of detail in the minutes due to them being a public document and concern that a competing organization will access our minutes to try and get detail on what we are working on (there is a history of this).  However, there is also concern that we have transparency for our members.  What do we do?  (see example of minutes)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QBTEsDgBK9WLG36QGZLbW4OnSy4PbbEGgRmjUDMisOI/edit?usp=sharing

The members advising “very minimal” detail are most likely correct, although you should see the previously cited pages for more information on exactly what should (and should not) be in the minutes. I concur with Dr. Stackpole that if it is desirable to distribute additional information, a separate document should be used.

The minutes you have linked to, for instance, contain a number of issues, including the fact that they are written in billeted format rather than paragraphs, and that they include the content of reports. If a written report for information only is submitted, the minutes should merely note that the report was submitted and placed on file. Oral reports for information only are not proper reports under RONR and should not be mentioned in the minutes at all. So far as I can tell, only the Treasurer and the Public Policy committee submitted written reports (and the latter report contained recommendations). If other written reports were submitted for information, they are noted in the same way as the Treasurer’s report. It should also be noted that reports submitted for information only (such as the Treasurer’s report) should not be approved. If reports contain recommendations, those recommendations should be spelled out.

Additionally, the name of the seconder is not recorded unless so ordered. Finally, the minutes are a record of what was done, not what was said. If the board talks about something, but no motion is made and no decisions are made, this does not need to be noted in the minutes. Additionally, the proper name of the heading you have listed as “Old Business” is Unfinished Business and General Orders, and this heading includes items that were postponed or otherwise made general orders for this meeting, as well as motions which were pending on the previous agenda and were not reached. It is not simply “stuff we talked about before and are still talking about,” which seems to be how you are using it, since no motions are listed.

The minutes you have linked to should read as follows (as best as I can determine). So far as I can tell, what is listed below is the only actions (in the parliamentary sense) taken at the meeting. Some of the other information could possibly be included as decisions made by unanimous consent, although it is not entirely clear to me whether the board actually decided to do anything in the other cases or if individual members simply informed the board of things they intend to do.

The regular monthly meeting of the (name of society/assembly) was held on Sunday, February 18th, at 10:29 A.M., at (meeting location - this may be omitted if it is always the same), the President being in the chair and the Secretary being present. The approval of the minutes was postponed to the next month by unanimous consent.

The report of the Treasurer was received and placed on file. Mr. (Last Name) moved to approve the Treasurer’s report. The motion was adopted. (Note: You should not be approving the Treasurer’s report, but since it did happen, it should be recorded.)

Mr. (Last Name) moved to approve the public policy agenda (attached). The motion was adopted.

The meeting adjourned at 12:09 PM.

[Joshua Katz]

13 hours ago, Guest Carrie said:

The secretary of the association is putting in a medium amount of detail into the minutes regarding what is being discussed during our open board meetings.  There are board members who think there should be very minimal amount of detail in the minutes due to them being a public document and concern that a competing organization will access our minutes to try and get detail on what we are working on (there is a history of this). 

Well, those minutes certainly are not in accordance with RONR.  But the real issue here isn't the degree of detail, it's what belongs in the minutes at all.  So I don't think I agree with the members calling for minimal detail, unless minimal means 0.