Meeting minutes

[Guest Arlene Snyder]

Minutes.  Can a draft of meeting minutes be sent to all parties attending a meeting to insure all topics were covered and covered completely and to minimize corrections at the next meeting?  If not why not?

[Joshua Katz]

A draft of meeting minutes can be sent to all members, and to others attending if the body so agrees. The idea that the draft will insure that all topics were covered and covered completely, though, suggests that the organization may be including too much in its minutes. They should contain only actions taken, not discussion.

[Richard Brown]

Sure, but the minutes should not include discussion. Minutes should be a record of what was done, I.e., motions adopted, not a record of what was said.

In fact, it is rather common for the draft minutes to be sent to the members of the assembly prior to the next meeting so that Corrections go much faster. There is usually no need to actually read the minutes if they have been distributed in advance.

[Benjamin Geiger]

33 minutes ago, Richard Brown said:

Minutes should be a record of what was done, I.e., motions adopted, not a record of what was said.

I like the saying (that I probably heard here): "they're minutes, not seconds."