Approval of minutes

[Guest Alan Healy]

The Board should appoint a committee to approve its minutes.

RONR 10th ed. P.457 l.20-32"

[Guest Mark]

First, since the board members live across the country, could the committee or the board approve the minutes via email? And second, what is a reasonable time frame to get the minutes approved and made available to the members? "

[Guest H.Wm.Mountcastle]

Absentee participation (e.g. via e-mail) is prohibited by RONR so you'd have to amend your bylaws to authorize it.

Minutes should be approved "within a quarterly time interval". That's RONR-speak for three months."

[Guest Trina]

One approach that may work, is for your board members to do their best by email (realizing that official approval of the minutes cannot be completed in that manner). Then make the result of the email collaboration available to the membership, clearly labe"

[Guest Chris H]

You cannot conduct business via email unless the bylaws specifically permit it. However, what you could do is to appoint a committee of members who live in the same geographic area (same state or even the same geographic area of the state) to approve the"

[Guest H.Wm.Mountcastle]

Yes, it seems to me that the whole point of having a board is so that there's a body that can meet AS NEEDED between meetings of the general membership. And that's the same rationale for having an executive committee. If these smaller bodies CAN'T meet, i"

[Guest Mark]

I want to thank everyone for clarifying this for me. The geographic requirement isn't an option given the limited number of members of the organization and the international make-up. I will propose the e-meeting option. As a member of this organization, I"

[Guest Trina]

> I will propose the e-meeting option. <

Be aware that e-meetings require careful thought, and much more than the addition of a single sentence (e.g. 'meetings and votes by e-mail shall be permitted') to the bylaws. All the details of how s"

[Guest Trina]

> As a member of this organization, I have not had access to the board minutes for the past ten years... <

If the board is not making its minutes available after approval, which is what you seem to be saying, that's a whole different issue."

[Guest Mark]

For the first 30 years of the organization, the approved minutes were printed and included within the general membership newsletter. They were also available to any member requesting them from the Secretary. I understand that RONR does not require the min"

[Guest Mark]

Thanks Trina,

I will look into this. I agree there is nothing that can take the place of a group meeting in the same room to discuss issues and make important decisions. I do know that the board has conducted business via conference calls and I t"

[Guest H.Wm.Mountcastle]

The solution is to elect members to the board (perhaps including yourself) who share your views on transparency. Or convince the membership to amend the bylaws to require the posting of board minutes. Though, as always, be careful what you wish for."