Should minutes reflect who seconded a motion?

[Guest Janet]

Is it necessary to identify in meeting minutes the names of board members who second a motion being presented?  I can see where it might be helpful to do so if, for example, there are guests  present at the meeting, if only to confirm that those who seconded the motion were authorized to do so.  However, assuming the minutes note that a quorum was present and the meeting called to order, might one safely also assume that those seconding a motion were members and not guests?

I just discovered your forum.  What a wonderful resource!

 

[Dan Honemann]

26 minutes ago, Guest Janet said:

Is it necessary to identify in meeting minutes the names of board members who second a motion being presented?  I can see where it might be helpful to do so if, for example, there are guests  present at the meeting, if only to confirm that those who seconded the motion were authorized to do so.  However, assuming the minutes note that a quorum was present and the meeting called to order, might one safely also assume that those seconding a motion were members and not guests?

I just discovered your forum.  What a wonderful resource!

 

The answer to your question is no.

"The name of the maker of a main motion should be entered in the minutes, but the name of the seconder should not be entered unless ordered by the assembly."  (RONR, 11th ed., p. 470) 

[jstackpo]

31 minutes ago, Guest Janet said:

I just discovered your forum.  What a wonderful resource!

Welcome!  Keep asking questions  --  and if you do, go through the brief "join" process.   No obligation, no spam, and easy to log in.

[Joshua Katz]

57 minutes ago, Guest Janet said:

I can see where it might be helpful to do so if, for example, there are guests  present at the meeting, if only to confirm that those who seconded the motion were authorized to do so.  However, assuming the minutes note that a quorum was present and the meeting called to order, might one safely also assume that those seconding a motion were members and not guests?

There's no need to confirm that those who seconded the motion were authorized to do so. Even if they weren't, by the time debate began, any deficiencies in seconds became immaterial. The presence or absence of a quorum is irrelevant - if a motion were made to adjourn, for instance, in the absence of a quorum, the minutes would not note who seconded it, either. 

[Richard Brown]

2 hours ago, Guest Janet said:

Is it necessary to identify in meeting minutes the names of board members who second a motion being presented? 

As others have already pointed out, no, RONR does not require the minutes to reflect the name of the person who seconds a motion. However, you made reference to this being a board. Under the small board rules in our RONR, for use in Boards of no more than about a dozen members, seconds are not necessary at all. See Pages 487 - 488 for the small board rules.

[Guest Janet]

Thanks, all, for your advice.  Very much appreciated and, even better, now I know where to go for further questions.  Thank you, thank you.

[jstackpo]

Welcome, and come on back with those questions as soon as you want to.

[Guest seconding]

It's been mentioned that the name of the seconder does not have to be mentioned in the minutes per RONR, 11th ed., p. 470; however, must the recording secretary mention that motions were seconded at all? For example, would you write:

1. "Mr. Smith made a motion that the president of the organization purchase a zoom account for the organization by Ap. 20, 2022. The motion passed by a 4 to 3 vote"

2. "Mr. Smith made a motion that the president of the organization purchase a zoom account for the organization by Ap. 20, 2022. The motion was properly seconded and passed by a 4 to 3 vote"

[Josh Martin]

On 4/15/2022 at 3:06 PM, Guest seconding said:

however, must the recording secretary mention that motions were seconded at all?

No.

On 4/15/2022 at 3:06 PM, Guest seconding said:

For example, would you write:

1. "Mr. Smith made a motion that the president of the organization purchase a zoom account for the organization by Ap. 20, 2022. The motion passed by a 4 to 3 vote"

2. "Mr. Smith made a motion that the president of the organization purchase a zoom account for the organization by Ap. 20, 2022. The motion was properly seconded and passed by a 4 to 3 vote"

The first one.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 4/15/2022 at 4:06 PM, Guest seconding said:

It's been mentioned that the name of the seconder does not have to be mentioned in the minutes per RONR, 11th ed., p. 470; however, must the recording secretary mention that motions were seconded at all? For example, would you write:

1. "Mr. Smith made a motion that the president of the organization purchase a zoom account for the organization by Ap. 20, 2022. The motion passed by a 4 to 3 vote"

2. "Mr. Smith made a motion that the president of the organization purchase a zoom account for the organization by Ap. 20, 2022. The motion was properly seconded and passed by a 4 to 3 vote"

There's no need to mention that a motion was seconded.  And including the vote count is only done if a counted vote was actually ordered.   Judging by the vote counts, this assembly might operate under "small board" rules which require no seconds at all.

If seconds are required, then in the event that a motion fails to receive a second, that would be noted, to explain why no further action is mentioned.:

"A motion by Mr. Cruz that it is the sense of the society that asparagus should be named the national bird died for lack of a second."