Right of Public to Challenge Minutes

[Guest Bernadette Dubuss]

At lest 40 members of our community attended the last Board of Directors Meeting for one single purpose. One of the board members offered a motion in support of our position. The motion was duly seconded. After an extensive discussion, the role was called on the motion and it passed with a majority vote. Several hours later, one of our members received an email stating we misunderstood what transpired at the meeting.

When those minutes come up for a vote, the maker of the motion plans to challenge the content of the minutes. However, a majority of the people who attended the meeting want to know if it is proper under Roberts Rules for them to challenge the minutes.

Thanks for your help.

[hmtcastle]

When those minutes come up for a vote, the maker of the motion plans to challenge the content of the minutes. However, a majority of the people who attended the meeting want to know if it is proper under Roberts Rules for them to challenge the minutes.

No. Only members of the body that is meeting (in this case, the board) have any parliamentary rights at a meeting. Everyone else is a guest.

Further, the minutes are a record of what was done, even if what was done was wrong. The only corrections that should be made are corrections of historical fact. You don't change the minutes because you didn't agree with what was done.

Finally, the approval of minutes does not usually come to a vote. Once any corrections have been agreed on the chair will simply declare the minutes approved.

[Gary Novosielski]

At lest 40 members of our community attended the last Board of Directors Meeting for one single purpose. One of the board members offered a motion in support of our position. The motion was duly seconded. After an extensive discussion, the role was called on the motion and it passed with a majority vote. Several hours later, one of our members received an email stating we misunderstood what transpired at the meeting.

When those minutes come up for a vote, the maker of the motion plans to challenge the content of the minutes. However, a majority of the people who attended the meeting want to know if it is proper under Roberts Rules for them to challenge the minutes.

Thanks for your help.

It's not clear what you think the minutes say.

The minutes should reflect what actually occurred at the meeting. It is improper to "revise" history by tampering with the record. If that's not the case, then any member of the board should correct them.