What should be put in the minutes

[Guest Assistant secretary]

For years, our association has included a resident forum question and answer topic and committee reports in the minutes. If I understand Roberts rules correctly, this should not be done.  My understanding is that only decisions and actions should be written in the minutes. Am I wrong? Is he correct?  And Does anybody know the page number In the books newest edition regarding the minutes? One board member insists that all this information should be included because previous boards have done this. 

[Josh Martin]

1 hour ago, Guest Assistant secretary said:

For years, our association has included a resident forum question and answer topic and committee reports in the minutes. If I understand Roberts rules correctly, this should not be done.  My understanding is that only decisions and actions should be written in the minutes. Am I wrong? Is he correct?

You are correct.

1 hour ago, Guest Assistant secretary said:

And Does anybody know the page number In the books newest edition regarding the minutes?

The minutes are discussed in RONR, 11th ed., pgs. 468-476.

1 hour ago, Guest Assistant secretary said:

One board member insists that all this information should be included because previous boards have done this. 

No, the board is always free to start doing things correctly.

Edited April 18, 2018 at 04:40 PM by Josh Martin

[Richard Brown]

1 hour ago, Guest Assistant secretary said:

For years, our association has included a resident forum question and answer topic and committee reports in the minutes. If I understand Roberts rules correctly, this should not be done.  My understanding is that only decisions and actions should be written in the minutes. Am I wrong? Is he correct?  And Does anybody know the page number In the books newest edition regarding the minutes? One board member insists that all this information should be included because previous boards have done this. 

I agree with the answer by Josh Martin above but would point out that your organization (and every organization) may adopt its own rules regarding what is to go into the minutes.  It appears your organization has adopted a custom of putting this additional information in the minutes.  It is improper per the rules in RONR, but if your organization wishes to continue doing this, it may adopt a rule permitting or even requiring that information to be in the minutes.  I warn you, however, that putting that stuff in the minutes becomes very subjective as to what should and should not be in the minutes and can lead to arguments down the road.   Also, even without a rule, when the minutes are up for approval the assembly may vote to include that additional information in the minutes.

[Guest Assistant secretary]

I read under minutes

“  when a question is considered informally, the same information should be recorded under the regular rules, since  The only informality in the proceedings is in the debate” 

 Does this refer to questions asked by the board? Can someone please clarify?

[jstackpo]

"Informal Consideration" is just a relaxation of the rules pertaining to debate - see page 540.    So I suspect "questions asked..." would not go in the minutes.

[Atul Kapur]

7 hours ago, Guest Assistant secretary said:

I read under minutes

“  when a question is considered informally, the same information should be recorded under the regular rules, since  The only informality in the proceedings is in the debate” 

 Does this refer to questions asked by the board? Can someone please clarify?

The word "question" means the motion (specifically the question is "Shall the motion be adopted?"). The sentence you quote refers to Informal Consideration of the motion.

It is a very different meaning than a question / answer type of dialogue.

[Gary Novosielski]

11 hours ago, Guest Assistant secretary said:

For years, our association has included a resident forum question and answer topic and committee reports in the minutes. If I understand Roberts rules correctly, this should not be done.  My understanding is that only decisions and actions should be written in the minutes. Am I wrong? Is he correct?  And Does anybody know the page number In the books newest edition regarding the minutes? One board member insists that all this information should be included because previous boards have done this. 

Is who correct--Gen. Robert?   I hope so! 

Is one board  member correct?  No.  Written rules (including those in the parliamentary authority (RONR), supersede custom.  However, a majority of the board can decide to include whatever they wish--a single member cannot.