Can Minutes be Partially Approved?

[Guest Robert C]

Our Association needs to approve a portion of the minutes of the meeting that immediately preceded this meeting, in order to conduct specific business on a topic involving that section of the previous minutes. Does RONR address this anywhere? The rest of the minutes are scheduled to be approved at our next meeting later this month, but this is business that we would like to conduct before the next meeting. The portion in question has been approved by all of the members.

[Richard Brown]

1 minute ago, Guest Robert C said:

Our Association needs to approve a portion of the minutes of the meeting that immediately preceded this meeting, in order to conduct specific business on a topic involving that section of the previous minutes. Does RONR address this anywhere? The rest of the minutes are scheduled to be approved at our next meeting later this month, but this is business that we would like to conduct before the next meeting. The portion in question has been approved by all of the members.

Unfortunately, RONR contains no provision for this type situation.  I'm afraid you are on your own here, but some of my colleagues might have suggestions.

Taking a shot in the dark, I'm guessing you just had elections and need to change signatories on the bank accounts, etc.  If that's the case, perhaps a statement by the president and the secretary that the minutes are true and correct will satisfy the bank officer.   Or perhaps having the minutes signed by the secretary and "approved" by the president. 

Regardless of the issue, if this type situation is likely to arise again in the future, I suggest that at the meeting where the important motions are adopted that the assembly also appoint a minutes approval committee or authorize the board to approve those minutes so that they can be quickly approved.

[J. J.]

You could schedule an adjourned for right after the meeting ends, and use that adjourned meeting to approve the minutes. 

[Josh Martin]

3 hours ago, Guest Robert C said:

Our Association needs to approve a portion of the minutes of the meeting that immediately preceded this meeting, in order to conduct specific business on a topic involving that section of the previous minutes. Does RONR address this anywhere? The rest of the minutes are scheduled to be approved at our next meeting later this month, but this is business that we would like to conduct before the next meeting. The portion in question has been approved by all of the members.

Could you elaborate on why it is that the assembly needs this portion of the minutes to be approved in order to conduct this business? So far as RONR is concerned, there is no need for this.

The assembly is free to take action on some matter in the minutes of a previous meeting whether or not those minutes have been approved. Some assemblies believe that actions are not "final" until the minutes are approved, but this is incorrect. Motions adopted by the assembly are effective immediately.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 2/1/2021 at 5:23 PM, Guest Robert C said:

Our Association needs to approve a portion of the minutes of the meeting that immediately preceded this meeting, in order to conduct specific business on a topic involving that section of the previous minutes. Does RONR address this anywhere? The rest of the minutes are scheduled to be approved at our next meeting later this month, but this is business that we would like to conduct before the next meeting. The portion in question has been approved by all of the members.

The lack of approval of the minutes does not prevent you from taking action based on motions approved at the last meeting.

If it is necessary to prove to some outside entity that the motion was adopted, a certified copy of the motion or resolution should suffice. Quote the exact text of the resolution, and below it have a certification by the secretary and if desired the president along the lines of:

This is to certify that the resolution above was duly adopted at a regular <or properly called> meeting of <the society> on <date> at which a quorum was present."